memeorandum: Presumed Innocent, Anyone? (Ben Stein/American Spectator)

12:35 AM ET, May 18, 2011

Top Items:

Jake Sherman / The Politico:

Newt Gingrich owed six figures to Tiffany's — Newt Gingrich, a fiscal conservative? Not when it comes to Tiffany's. — In 2005 and 2006, the former House speaker turned presidential candidate carried as much as $500,000 in debt to the premier jewelry company, according …

Mike Allen / The Politico:

Newt Gingrich apologizes to Paul Ryan — Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich apologized in a telephone call to House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Tuesday afternoon for his remarks on “Meet the Press,” where the presidential candidate referred to Ryan's Medicare proposal as “radical change.”

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, The Page, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Weasel Zippers, Politics, Nice Deb, New York Magazine, The Daily Caller and Fox Nation

Aharding / CNN:

Gov. Nikki Haley hammers Gingrich over Medicare remarks — Dallas (CNN) - Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich might not want to count on a presidential endorsement from South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. — In an interview with CNN Tuesday, Haley sharply admonished Gingrich for his comments …

Chris Stirewalt / Fox News:
GOP Braces for Bachmania

Discussion: Hot Air and FrumForum

Major Garrett / NationalJournal.com:
Rep. Paul Ryan Staying in House, Won't Run for U.S. Senate

Discussion: JSOnline, ThinkProgress, host.madison.com, Weigel, Daily Kos, Booman Tribune, TPMDC, The Politico, The Raw Story, Firedoglake, First Draft and Pajamas Media

Rich Lowry / National Review:
Newt the Unreliable

Discussion: Salon, Washington Times, ThinkProgress, The Daily Dish, TPMDC, The Blaze, Crooks and Liars, Daily Kos, The Daily Caller, The Hill, AmSpecBlog, Washington Post and The Politico

Scott Keyes / ThinkProgress:
Allen West Slams Newt Gingrich's Poll Test Proposal: 'That's [What] My Parents Had To Contend With'

Discussion: TPMDC, Mediaite and Outside the Beltway

Ben Stein / American Spectator:

Presumed Innocent, Anyone? — Now for a few humble thoughts about Dominique Strauss-Kahn and his recent brush with law and journalism, bearing in mind that it's possible indeed, maybe even likely, that he is guilty as the prosecutors charge: — 1.) If he is such a womanizer and violent guy with women …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, The Atlantic Wire, Washington Post, Gawker, ABCNEWS, News Desk, The Informer, Salon, Jezebel, Gothamist, National Review, New York Magazine, Balloon Juice, FrumForum, EconomicPolicyJournal.com and Harry's Place

William K. Rashbaum / New York Times:

I.M.F. Chief May Claim Consensual Sex as a Defense — As Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, spent his first full day on Rikers Island, the hotel housekeeper who accused him of sexual assault is struggling with what her lawyer says is a life upended by the case.

Discussion: TalkLeft, Pajamas Media, Fox News, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, This Just In and Connecting.the.Dots

Felix Salmon:

Ben Stein Watch, DSK edition — Without further ado, the top ten lines from Ben Stein's article on Dominique Strauss-Kahn: — If he is such a womanizer and violent guy with women, why didn't he ever get charged until now? — This is a case about the hatred of the have-nots for the haves, and that's what it's all about.

Discussion: RADAMISTO

New York Post:
IMF chief claims consent in hotel ‘attack’

Discussion: Daniel W. Drezner, Runnin' Scared, Pajamas Media and Jezebel, more at Mediagazer »

Annie Lowrey / Slate Magazine:
Dominique Strauss-Kahn's Lavish Life

Discussion: Financial Times, Hot Air, Time, judicialwatch.org and FrumForum

John Cook / Gawker:

Is This Arnold Schwarzenegger's Love Child? — News of Arnold Schwarzenegger having fathered a child with a member of his household staff more than a decade ago shouldn't come as a surprise. The alleged existence of an out-of-wedlock son, including his name and his mother's name, was reported by the London Daily Mail in 2003.

Discussion: Firedoglake, New York Times, RADAR, Politics, Poynter, The Informer, Doug Ross, BuzzFeed and TMZ.com

Los Angeles Times:
Schwarzenegger fathered a child with longtime member of household staff

Elizabeth Leonard / People.com:
Maria Shriver: ‘This Is a Painful & Heartbreaking Time’

Discussion: CNN and The Page

Brian Beutler / TPMDC:

Democrats' Oil Subsidy Repeal Bill Is Actually Unconstitutional — Republicans may have a point that Democrats are playing politics with oil subsidies. To understand why, look no further than the fact that the bill Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will bring to the floor for a vote Tuesday evening …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Hot Air, RedState and Open Congress

Brian Beutler / TPMDC:
GOP Closes Ranks Around Continuing Oil Subsidies

Discussion: Open Congress, Daily Kos, Firedoglake and The Reality-Based Community

Lee Fang / ThinkProgress:
Constituents Laugh At GOP Rep. Quayle For Denying Existence Of Billions In Special Oil Subsidies

Discussion: RADAMISTO, Crooks and Liars and Daily Kos

Justin Elliott / Salon:

Santorum: What does McCain know about torture? — (UPDATED) John McCain has been on something of a crusade this week on the question of how we found Osama bin Laden, giving speeches and writing Op-Eds outlining his position that it was not torture of detainees that led the U.S. to its man.

Discussion: The Daily Dish, Weigel, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Booman Tribune, TPMDC, The Blotter, Washington Monthly, Wonk Room, Tucson Weekly and The Moderate Voice

The Hugh Hewitt Show:
Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum reacts to Newt Gingrich's slam of Paul Ryan

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Outside the Beltway, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, The Raw Story, Blue Mass Group, The Politico and The Daily Caller

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:

Coburn out of Gang of Six talks — Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) announced Tuesday that he would pull out of the talks with two other Republican and three Democratic colleagues. — Coburn said the talks have collapsed over the tough issue of entitlement reform.

Discussion: TPMDC, The Politico, The Daily Beast, CNN, Hot Air, National Review, The Note and The Page

Dan Friedman / NationalJournal.com:
Coburn: Gang of Six Appears Doomed

Discussion: The Huffington Post and Swampland

Real Clear Politics:

Rick Perry Presidential Push Quietly Gains Steam — As many grass-roots Republicans remain in search of a conservative candidate with the pizazz to go toe-to-toe against President Obama, a man from deep in the heart of Texas who was tea party before the tea party was cool, appears to be giving the presidential race some thought.

Discussion: Mediaite, CNN, GOP 12, Hair Balls and Mother Jones

Associated Press:

Clinton says Obama believes 8 years is enough — WASHINGTON - Eight years as president is enough, thank you. At least that's what Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says President Barack Obama told her the other day. — Clinton said Tuesday that she and Obama often marvel …

Discussion: Pajamas Media and National Review

Keith Koffler / White House Dossier:

Obama: “My People, You Continue to Have My Blessing.” — What kind of political leader tells his supporters this? … President Obama does. That's what he said toward the end a speech at a campaign fundraiser last night in Washington to a relatively youthful crowd of supporters …

Discussion: AMERICAN DIGEST, Pundit & Pundette, Weasel Zippers and Doug Ross

CNN:

Egyptian Saif al-Adel appointed acting leader of al Qaeda — (CNN) — An Egyptian who was once a Special Forces officer has been appointed “caretaker” leader of al Qaeda in the wake of Osama bin Laden's death, according to a source with detailed knowledge of the group's inner workings.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Jawa Report, Gawker, Hot Air, Pajamas Media, Runnin' Scared, Mediaite and New York Magazine

Mahmoud Abbas / New York Times:

The Long Overdue Palestinian State — SIXTY-THREE years ago, a 13-year-old Palestinian boy was forced to leave his home in the Galilean city of Safed and flee with his family to Syria. He took up shelter in a canvas tent provided to all the arriving refugees.

Discussion: Washington Post, NewsReal Blog, Elder of Ziyon, Truthdig, JOSHUAPUNDIT, The Enterprise Blog, Pajamas Media and Israel Matzav

Noel Sheppard / NewsBusters.org:

Chris Matthews: ‘Sarah Palin Has Proven Herself To Be Profoundly Stupid’ — When MSNBC's Chris Matthews isn't calling a potential Republican presidential candidate racist, he's calling them idiots. — On Tuesday's “Hardball,” after one of his guests said, “We shouldn't forget Sarah Palin” …

Matthew Boyle / The Daily Caller:

Gov. Sarah Palin on Pelosi district's Obamacare waivers: ‘Seriously, this is corrupt’ — In response to the revelation that about 20 percent of the latest slew of Obamacare waivers went to luxurious restaurants, nightclubs and hotels in House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's district …

Discussion: Mother Jones, The Foundry, Healthwatch, Moonbattery, Pajamas Media, theblogprof, Doug Ross, Don Surber, Weasel Zippers, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, Conservatives4Palin, The Lonely Conservative, UrbanGrounds, Hot Air, AmSpecBlog and White House Dossier

Healthwatch:
Business, not Pelosi, asked for waivers

Discussion: White House.gov Blog and NO QUARTER

Chimene Keitner / Opinio Juris:

Why Has DSK Not Yet Asserted Immunity? Because He Can't. — Many thanks to Duncan for his great post on Dominique Strauss-Kahn's (DSK) potential immunity, and for inviting me to follow up. My short answer: status-based immunity (often referred to as “diplomatic immunity") is not available.

Discussion: The Volokh Conspiracy and BBC

Michael Ausiello / TVLine:

House Shocker: A ‘Disappointed’ Lisa Edelstein Calls It Quits — House fandom, brace for impact: Dr. Cuddy is checking out. — Lisa Edelstein — whose long-term contract expires this month — has opted not to return for the show's eighth and likely final season.

Discussion: Yglesias and Deadline.com

Reuters:

Skepticism grows on Geithner's US debt limit deadline — * Tea Party Republicans say sell assets instead — * Skepticism raises stakes in debt limit debate — U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is facing growing criticism for his changing predictions on when the country might face a debt default …

Discussion: Yglesias, Felix Salmon and ThinkProgress

Wall Street Journal:

Spuds, on the Verge of Being Expelled, Start a Food Fight in the Cafeteria — Federal Plan to Limit Potatoes on School Menus Whips Up Supporters; ‘Gateway Vegetable’ — PORTLAND, Maine—Around here, you can find “Maine Potato Candy”—mashed potatoes rolled in coconut and dipped in chocolate—and potato donuts.

Discussion: Yglesias, Gawker, Hot Air, Mother Jones and The Blotter

Romalley / Fox Nation:

Protester Dumps Confetti on Newt and Wife — GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich and his wife Callista were hit with glittery confetti by a protester Tuesday during the couple's appearance at a book-signing. — The man approached the Gingriches during the signing at a downtown Minneapolis hotel …

Discussion: iOwnTheWorld.com

Chris Ariens / TVNewser:

What CNN's story on political sex scandals left out: Eliot Spitzer — A TVNewser reader Tweeted at us today: … The answer: yes it did. — Suzanne Malveaux's story, which aired at 2:30pmET, made mention or showed images of politicians ranging from John F. Kennedy to John Edwards …

Discussion: Big Journalism, NewsBusters.org, Pajamas Media and Mediaite

Josh Rogin / Foreign Policy:

State Department snubs the Elders — Former President Jimmy Carter and former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari were hoping to visit the State Department this week to brief officials on their recent trip to North Korea, but nobody at the State Department was available to meet with them.

Discussion: Hot Air, Weasel Zippers and AmSpecBlog