memeorandum: Rand Paul may not be a racist, but he is an extremist (Ezra Klein)

4:55 PM ET, May 20, 2010

Top Items:

David Weigel / Right Now:

Rand Paul, telling the truth — If we use “gaffe” in its proper, Kinsleyan form, that's what U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul issued to NPR yesterday, and that's what he defended on Rachel Maddow's show last night. He told the truth about his stance on the Civil Rights Act.

Ezra Klein:

Rand Paul may not be a racist, but he is an extremist — Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy — It's safe to say Rand Paul's first few days as the Republican nominee for the open Senate seat in Kentucky are not going well.

Discussion: Townhall.com, The Moderate Voice, United States of Jamerica, NPR Topics, American Power, Washington Wire, Right Now, The Impolitic, FrumForum, pandagon.net, The New Republic, Alas, a blog, Hit & Run, Mother Jones, The Awl and Barefoot and Progressive

The Huffington Post:

Rand Paul On Civil Rights Controversy: I Shouldn't Have Talked To Rachel Maddow [UPDATED] — See new updates below. — The morning after he declined to endorse the totality of the Civil Rights Act in his much-discussed appearance on the Rachel Maddow Show, Dr. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) …

Discussion: The Corner on National …, The Moderate Voice, The Politico, Ben Smith's Blog, Raw Story, Little Green Footballs, Newsweek Blogs, Pam's House Blend, TPMDC and Swampland

Lee Fang / Think Progress:

Exclusive: DeMint Says He Disagrees With Rand Paul On Civil Rights, Needs To ‘Talk To Rand About His Positions’ — Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) endorsed anti-government extremist Rand Paul (R-KY) in the Kentucky US Senate primary, funneling money and resources for his successful campaign.

Discussion: The Hill, Hot Air, Page One, Barefoot and Progressive, The Talking Dog, Left Coast Rebel, bastard.logic, CNN, TPMDC and Washington Post

Mike Memoli / Real Clear Politics:

Paul: I Support the Civil Rights Act — Reacting to an avalanche of criticism over his perceived views of the Civil Rights Act, Rand Paul's campaign issues this statement today: … Sphere It!

Discussion: Think Progress, MyDD, The Reaction, TPMDC, The Rachel Maddow Show, Daily Kos, Below The Beltway, AMERICAblog News, The Awl, Wonkette and FrumForum

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

Paul blames ‘loony left’ for civil rights focus — Rand Paul lashed out at the “loony left” for pressing him on his view of the 1964 Civil Rights Act in an interview with Laura Ingraham this morning. — “I've never really favored any change in the Civil Rights Act,” he said.

Discussion: Page One, Newsweek Blogs, Firedoglake, TPMDC, The Moderate Voice, No More Mister Nice Blog and Barefoot and Progressive

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

Paul won't back repeal of 1964 act — Rand Paul just put out a long statement that seeks to put to rest the controversy over the 1964 Civil Rights Act, but it continues to avoid discussing his central complaint with the bill, the way in which it regulates private businesses:

Discussion: The Politico, CNN, TPM LiveWire and Indecision Forever

Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:

Freedom as White Supremacy — It seems that yesterday US Senate candidate Rand Paul let the cat out of the bag and admitted that under his brand of libertarian conservatism he can't support the 1964 Civil Rights Act or other non-discrimination legislation as applied to private businesses.

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog

Jake / Page One:
Rand Paul Made Same Racial Comments in 2002

Discussion: CNN, The Hill, Right Now and Barefoot and Progressive

Bruce Bartlett / Capital Gains and Games blogs:
Rand Paul is No Barry Goldwater on Civil Rights

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Washington Monthly, Erick's blog, Right Now, Mother Jones, Newsweek Blogs and The American Conservative

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
In Defense Of Rand Paul (Kinda)

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Ben Smith's Blog and The Note

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
Paul: Civil rights ‘settled’ law

Discussion: Hot Air, Below The Beltway, Althouse, Indecision Forever and Outside The Beltway

Adam Nagourney / The Caucus:
Paul's Views on Civil Rights Cause a Stir

Discussion: ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES, New York Times, FrumForum, TPMDC and Media Matters for America

The Huffington Post:
Rand Paul On ‘Maddow’ …

Discussion: Newsweek Blogs, Washington Monthly, Facing South, Gawker, Mediaite, Commentary, Cato @ Liberty, NewsBusters.org, Vanity Fair, BuzzFlash.org, DISSENTING JUSTICE, alicublog, RHRealityCheck.org, Advocate and DownWithTyranny!

Adam Serwer / American Prospect:
Rand Paul And “The Hard Part About Freedom.”

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias, The Plum Line, The Anonymous Liberal, Townhall.com and AMERICAblog News

James Joyner / Outside The Beltway:
Rand Paul, the Civil Rights Act, and Private Discrimination

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Open Left, Think Progress, Another Black Conservative, The Other McCain, Sister Toldjah, Shakesville, Confederate Yankee, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Confluence and alicublog

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
Rand Paul's America

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Balloon Juice and The Politico

Ezra Klein:
Area politician has some explaining to do

Discussion: USA Today

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
What do Rand Paul's patrons think of Civil Rights talk?

Discussion: The Swamp, TPMMuckraker, The Rachel Maddow Show and TPMDC

Joan Walsh / Salon:
Rachel Maddow demolishes Rand Paul

Discussion: Guardian, Firedoglake, Crooks and Liars, Moonbattery, Pam's House Blend, TPMDC and Barefoot and Progressive

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Rand Paul spox: Fed gov't should bar businesses from discriminating

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Ben Smith's Blog, Washington Post and TPMDC

David Weigel / Right Now:
Rand Paul explains himself, NRSC attacks Robert Byrd

Discussion: Washington Monthly, NY Daily News, TPMDC and Newsweek Blogs

CNN:

Senate Democrats predict financial regulations victory — Sen. Dick Durbin said Thursday that Democrats will have the 60 votes needed to end debate on Wall Street reform. — Washington (CNN) - A day after failing to get the 60 votes needed to end debate on a controversial financial regulations bill …

Discussion: The Politico and The Note

David M. Herszenhorn / New York Times:
Bill to Overhaul Financial Rules Clears Hurdle in Senate Vote

Discussion: Ezra Klein, Washington Monthly, Gawker and Washington Post

Jason Horowitz / Washington Post:
Democratic New York senator Chuck Schumer is poised to become majority leader

Discussion: Washington Times, The Note, Hot Air and The BLT

Neil Vigdor / Stamford Advocate:

Critics weigh Blumenthal's words — “I wore the uniform in Vietnam and many came back & to all kinds of disrespect. Whatever we think of war, we owe the men and women of the armed forces our unconditional support.” — The occasion was the Stamford Veterans Days parade: Nov. 9, 2008.

Discussion: The Day newspaper, The Plum Line, Hot Air, Outside The Beltway, Washington Post, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Ben Smith's Blog, Daily Ructions, The Daily Caller, Liberty Pundits Blog, JONATHAN TURLEY, Weasel Zippers, Colin McEnroe, Townhall.com, Instapundit, Taylor Marsh and Weekly Standard

Ann Coulter / Human Events:
Republicans on Track to Snatch Defeat From Jaws of Victory

Discussion: Swampland

Justin Gillis / New York Times:

Scientists Fault Lack of Studies Over Gulf Oil Spill — Tensions between the Obama administration and the scientific community over the gulf oil spill are escalating, with prominent oceanographers accusing the government of failing to conduct an adequate scientific analysis of the damage …

Discussion: McClatchy Washington Bureau, The Moderate Voice, naked capitalism, Liberty Pundits Blog, Politics Daily, Left Coast Rebel, Corrente, Raw Story, Connecting.the.Dots, Global Guerrillas, Prairie Weather, The Reaction, AMERICAblog News and Dot Earth

Juliet Eilperin / Washington Post:
EPA demands less toxic dispersant

Discussion: Recent Updates …, Mother Jones, Emptywheel, Climate Progress, The Washington Independent, New Orleans Times-Picayune and The Agonist

Glynnis MacNicol / Mediaite:
BP Oil Threatens To Arrest CBS Reporters Attempting To Investigate Spill

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland and McClatchy Washington Bureau

Zombie / Pajamas Media:

The New Free Speech Movement — Today is Everybody Draw Mohammed Day, a completely made-up satirical “holiday” dedicated to the concept of drawing Mohammed cartoons, as a way of making a statement about freedom of speech. — Not everyone agrees with this idea, however.

Discussion: Big Hollywood, The Jawa Report, Hot Air, Confederate Yankee, TigerHawk and Telegraph

Mark Steyn / The Corner on National Review Online:
Everybody Draws Mohammed Day — By: Mark Steyn

Discussion: RedState, Liberty Pundits Blog, The Daily Caller, The Jawa Report, Don Surber, Gateway Pundit, Hit & Run, Blazing Cat Fur and Big Government

Michelle Malkin: Dhimmitude and Draw Mohammed Day

Jordy Yager / The Hill:

GOP lawmaker blasts Mexican pres. comments as inappropriate — Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) blasted Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Thursday, calling the visiting dignitary's remarks on Arizona's recently implemented immigration law “inappropriate.” — Earlier Thursday …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

Oscar Avila / Arizona Republic:
ICE chief criticizes Arizona immigration law

Discussion: Vanity Fair and Ben Smith's Blog

Donald Duck / Breitbart.tv:
CALDERON GETS STANDING OVATION FROM DEMS FOR CRITICIZING AZ IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN

Discussion: Associated Press, No Sheeples Here, Scared Monkeys, Gateway Pundit and LewRockwell.com Blog

Jake Tapper / Political Punch:

Salahis Stopped by Secret Service Near White House Last Night — The Salahis were stopped by the U.S. Secret Service last night at around 8 p.m. ET during the State Dinner for Mexican President Felipe Calderon as their stretch limousine ran a red light and seemed to be trying to turn …

Discussion: Newsweek Blogs, Swampland, Gothamist, Pundit & Pundette and AMERICAblog News

Karl Rove / Wall Street Journal:

A Bad Day for the Obama Agenda — The primary election results show rising intensity among Republican voters. — The temptation for politicians and political analysts is to draw broad, sweeping conclusions from election results. But most election outcomes defy being reduced to a single cause.

Discussion: Politics Daily, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Roll Call, McClatchy Washington Bureau, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, protein wisdom, New York Times and Commentary

Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Paul jumps out to a 25-point lead in KY Senate race

Discussion: AmSpecBlog, FiveThirtyEight and Liberty Pundits Blog

Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:

A Tax Hike Conservatives Can Love? — I'm in general suspicious of claims that such-and-such a means of enhancing revenue is something that conservatives would be willing to embrace. Oftentimes people reach the conclusions that conservatives might support this or that by the erroneous method …

Discussion: FrumForum

Rasmussen Reports:

Election 2010: South Carolina Republican Primary for Governor — South Carolina GOP Primary for Governor: Haley Jumps Ahead — With South Carolina's Republican Primary for Governor less than three weeks away, State Representative Nikki Haley, coming off a fresh endorsement by Sarah Palin, now leads the GOP pack.