memeorandum: Iowa May Turn G.O.P.'s Focus to Social Issues (Jeff Zeleny/New York Times)

5:10 PM ET, March 27, 2011

Top Items:

U.S. Won't Intervene in Syria as Assad Differs From Qaddafi, Clinton Says — Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the U.S. won't enter into the internal conflict in Syria the way it has in Libya. — “No,” Clinton said, when asked on the CBS “Face the Nation” program if the U.S. would intervene in Syria's unrest.

Discussion: Questions and Observations, Doug Ross, American Thinker, A Chequer-Board of Nights …, Scared Monkeys and Pajamas Media

Political Punch:

Defense Secretary: Libya Did Not Pose Threat to U.S., Was Not ‘Vital National Interest’ to Intervene — Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said that Libya did not pose a threat to the United States before the U.S. began its military campaign against the North African country.

Discussion: Michelle Malkin, Outside the Beltway, Blogcritics, Hot Air and The Gateway Pundit

Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:

Lieberman: Maybe we should go into Syria, too — While the US continues its bombardments in a country that the Defense Secretary today admitted posed no national-security threat and was not a “vital national interest” to the US, an equally brutal crackdown on a rising rebellion continues in Syria …

Discussion: New York Times, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog and Maggie's Farm

Gautham Nagesh / The Hill:
Lieberman would back US action in Syria

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Outside the Beltway, CNN and Newshoggers.com

Bradley Klapper / Associated Press:
US officials: Libyan operation could last months

Discussion: JustOneMinute and A Chequer-Board of Nights …

Guardian: Clinton rules out Syria intervention

Lauren Seifert / CBS News:
Gates: Intel shows Qaddafi planting bodies at attack sites

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and The Huffington Post

Washington Post:
Ridding Syria of a despot

Discussion: Booman Tribune and Israel Matzav

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:

Gingrich: My Infidelities Helped Me Understand How To Impeach Clinton — This morning, Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace questioned likely presidential candidate Newt Gingrich — who has placed social issues at the forefront of his emerging campaign — about his personal infidelities and multiple marriages.

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Reaction, O.KayHenderson.com and Prairie Weather

James Hohmann / The Politico:

Newt Gingrich: I'm not a hypocrite — Pressed on “Fox News Sunday” about his adulterous past, Newt Gingrich said it was not hypocritical for him to impeach Bill Clinton while he cheated on his own wife because he never lied under oath. — “I don't know what you would have had me do,” …

Discussion: CNN, Weasel Zippers and National Review

Juan / Informed Comment:

An Open Letter to the Left on Libya — As I expected, now that Qaddafi's advantage in armor and heavy weapons is being neutralized by the UN allies' air campaign, the liberation movement is regaining lost territory. Liberators took back Ajdabiya and Brega (Marsa al-Burayqa), key oil towns …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Agence France Presse, The Washington Note, Booman Tribune, Times of India, Hullabaloo, TalkLeft, Sky Dancing and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Simon Neville / Daily Mail:

Vice President's staff lock journalist in a closet for hours during a fundraiser to stop him talking to guests — The White House website proudly says ‘President Obama is committed to creating the most open and accessible administration in American history.’

Discussion: iOwnTheWorld.com, RedState, Wake up America, Maggie's Notebook and theblogprof

Political Punch:

Biden Team Apologizes to Reporter for Sticking Him In Closet — “Scott - You have our sincere apologies for the lack of a better hold room today,” wrote Vice President Biden spokeswoman Elizabeth Alexander last Wednesday to Orlando Sentinel reporter Scott Powers.

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …

Doug Powers / Michelle Malkin:
Transparency: Reporter at Biden Fundraiser Kept in Closet

Discussion: Runnin' Scared, Fox Nation and The Gateway Pundit

The Tatler / Pajamas Media:
Reporter imprisoned in closet by Biden staffers at Florida Dem fundraiser

Discussion: Hit & Run, protein wisdom, Da Techguy's Blog and NewsBusters.org

Glenn Greenwald / Salon:

Billionaire self-pity and the Koch brothers — Since the financial crisis of 2008, one of the most revealing spectacles has been the parade of financial elites who petulantly insist that they are the victims of societal hostility: political officials heap too much blame on them …

Discussion: Weekly Standard, The Huffington Post, Balloon Juice and Power Line

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:

THE RIGHT'S SELECTIVE EMBRACE OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.... It's hardly a secret that in modern politics, conservative Christian Republicans tend to think the issue of religion in public and political life is “theirs.” It's one of those things that “everyone knows” — Democrats dominate when it comes to workers …

Jeff Zeleny / New York Times:
Iowa May Turn G.O.P.'s Focus to Social Issues

Discussion: Guardian, Prairie Weather and Eschaton

Scott Keyes / ThinkProgress:
EXCLUSIVE: Herman Cain Tells ThinkProgress ‘I Would Not’ Appoint A Muslim In My Administration

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Outside the Beltway and iOwnTheWorld.com

Jeff Zeleny / The Caucus:
DeMint Says Other Republicans Should Enter 2012 Race

Discussion: The Note, Cubachi, Scared Monkeys and HotAirPundit

Daily Mail:

200 arrested as hardcore anarchists fight police long into night in Battle of Trafalgar Square after 500,000 march against the cut — Over 200 people were arrested as extremists brought violent chaos to central London yesterday after hijacking the much-heralded trade union protest against public spending cuts.

Discussion: American Power, The Lonely Conservative, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Impolitic, Riehl World View and Biased BBC

John / Power Line:
There May Not Always Be An England

Discussion: Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog and American Power

Daily Mail:
Police struggle to control hard-core anarchist rioters after 500,000-strong London march …

Discussion: PoliPundit.com and Wizbang

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:

GUESS WHO ‘STOLE THE SHOW’ IN IOWA?.... Iowa will host dozens of “cattle call” events for 2012 Republican presidential candidates over the next several months, and the latest was yesterday's gathering in Des Moines, hosted by far-right Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa). Five likely aspirants showed up, and the receptions they received matter.

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, Washington Post and msnbc.com

Myglesias / Yglesias:

The Alternative To Deflation Is Inflation — Tim Fernholz and Jim Tankersley have an excellent article detailing the economic research Republicans are relying on to make the case that layoffs of government workers will lead to an increase in employment. It's all about liquidating labor:

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Eschaton, Hullabaloo and Paul Krugman