Top Items:

Morning Jay: Obama's Troubled Reelection Strategy — Karl Rove had a spot-on column in the Wall Street Journal yesterday. He wrote, in part: … Exactly. If I had to offer a brief summary of Obama's campaign strategy this year, it would be this: — Clearly, this is not an ideal strategy, for any candidate.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Outside the Beltway and Mitt Romney Central
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The Draperizing of Mitt Romney — The Draperizing of Mitt Romney is under way. — He may not drink or cheat, and he lacks the fictional ad-maker's charisma, but Democrats, despite the potential perils of such a strategy, remain determined to paint Romney as a throwback to the “Mad Men” …


The “War on Women” Is Over — The life cycle of a political talking point, from birth to adolescence to death. — A moment of silence, please, for a talking point that was taken too soon. The “war on women” began its life in a February 2011 House speech about abortion.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Washington Free Beacon, Daily Kos, The Agonist, ABCNEWS, Weasel Zippers, Politico, Reuters, National Review and The Caucus

Obama aides say Rosen shows president will take on friends
Discussion:
Reuters, Hot Air, Weasel Zippers, JustOneMinute and The Hill

Does the 2012 Presidential Election Matter?
Discussion:
NewsBusters.org blogs, New York Times, A plain blog about politics, The Agonist, Discourse.net and Firedoglake

NOW president: Ann Romney lacks “life experience” and “imagination” to relate to most Americans
Discussion:
Mail Online, LifeNews.com, Althouse, The PJ Tatler, ABCNEWS and BuzzFeed

Nasty comments toward Ann Romney cast light on haters who can't handle feminine role
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Towleroad News #gay and The New Civil Rights Movement

First Thoughts: The silly season
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Politico and The Daily Dish


NOW Prez: Ann Romney Lacks ‘Life Experience’ And ‘Imagination’
Discussion:
neo-neocon, americanthinker.com, Pundit & Pundette, American Power, Hot Air, The Other McCain, GILL REPORT and Erick's blog

Hilary Rosen flap a “win in every regard” for GOP, says Nicolle Wallace
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Slate and Gawker

The flap over Hillary Rosen's comments disparaging stay-at-home-moms …
Discussion:
RedState, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Politico

President Obama and Vice President Biden's 2011 Tax Returns — Today, the President released his 2011 federal income and gift tax returns. He and the First Lady filed their income tax returns jointly and reported adjusted gross income of $789,674. About half of the first family's income …
Discussion:
Power Line, ABCNEWS, Weekly Standard, Washington Post, ThinkProgress, Don Surber, CNN, Campaign 2012, Business Insider, TaxProf Blog, Wonkette, Ezra Klein, Villainous Company and Politico
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President Obama's Secretary Paid Higher Tax Rate Than He Did — President Obama today released his 2011 federal income tax, with he and his wife reporting an adjusted gross income of $789,674. The Obamas paid $162,074 in total tax - an effective federal income tax rate of 20.5%.
Discussion:
Business Insider

Did Obama Pay a Lower Rate Than His Secretary?
Discussion:
Washington Free Beacon and Weasel Zippers


Newark Mayor Cory Booker taken to hospital after rescuing woman from house fire — NEWARK — Newark Mayor Cory Booker was taken to a hospital tonight for treatment of smoke inhalation he suffered trying to rescue his next-door neighbors from their burning house.
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Newark Mayor Cory Booker: Race into home fire was a “come to Jesus moment” — PLAY CBS NEWS VIDEO — (CBS News) Newark Mayor Cory Booker called it his “come to Jesus moment” when he ran into a burning building to save a neighbor's life. — Booker arrived home last night to discover …
Discussion:
Business Insider, Human Rights Campaign, Newsy, The Raw Story, Joe. My. God., newsfeed.time.com, Colorlines and Gothamist

Ailes lectures young journalists — CHAPEL HILL - Fox News chief Roger Ailes offered more than a few words of advice Thursday in a room filled mostly with young journalists, starting with a recommendation that elicited at least a few eye rolls: “I think you ought to change your major.”
Discussion:
TVNewser and The Political Carnival, more at Mediagazer »
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Roger Ailes: Soledad O'Brien Was ‘Named After A Prison’
Discussion:
Mediaite, Poynter and Hullabaloo


Failed North Korean Launch a Setback for Kim Jong-un — SEOUL, South Korea — For the new North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, his government's failure to put a satellite into orbit on Friday was a $1 billion humiliation. — Mr. Kim wanted to mark his ascension to top political power …
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NC Dem official sexually harrassed staffer; Party fears credibility ‘doomed’ — A former North Carolina Democratic Party staffer was sexually harassed by a party official, made a financial settlement with the party and signed a non-disclosure agreement to keep the incident quiet.
Discussion:
JustOneMinute
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GOP-On-GOP Attacks Leave Orrin Hatch Fighting Mad — Utah Republican Orrin Hatch has spent 36 years in the U.S. Senate, including stints as chairman of the Judiciary and Labor committees. He's in line to become chairman of the Finance Committee if Republicans gain control of the Senate in November.
Discussion:
Hit & Run, Mediaite, The Daily Caller and The Spectacle Blog

Obama order coordinates federal oversight of ‘fracking,’ gas development — President Obama signed an executive order Friday establishing a high-level task force charged with coordinating federal oversight of domestic natural gas development. — The task force is charged with ensuring …
Discussion:
Politico
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If Health Insurance Mandates Are Unconstitutional, Why Did the Founding Fathers Back Them? — In making the legal case against Obamacare's individual mandate, challengers have argued that the framers of our Constitution would certainly have found such a measure to be unconstitutional.
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs, The Volokh Conspiracy and Instapundit


Six Rules for Dining Out — How a frugal economist finds the perfect lunch — A BAD OR MEDIOCRE meal is more than just an unpleasant taste, it is an unnecessary negation of one of life's pleasures—a wasted chance to refine our palates, learn about the world, and share a rewarding experience.


Obama Campaign Claims Romney Would “Outlaw Abortion” — It's a stretch, based on a single remark in 2007, and accompanied by the false claim that Romney wants to shut down Planned Parenthood. A silver bullet against the Republican — or Obama over-reaching to alarm female voters? [Update]
Discussion:
Washington Monthly and Daily Kos


Harvard Prof. Alan Dershowitz: Zimmerman Arrest Affidavit ‘Irresponsible And Unethical’ — Harvard University law professor Alan Dershowitz appeared on MSNBC's Hardball where fill-in host Michel Smerconish asked him his opinions of the arrest warrant issued and carried out for alleged Trayvon Martin murderer, George Zimmerman.
Discussion:
JustOneMinute, Booman Tribune, Taylor Marsh, Connecting.the.Dots, TalkLeft, msnbc.com, Macsmind, Orlando Sentinel and Trayvon Martin

The Myth of Sustainable Meat — THE industrial production of animal products is nasty business. From mad cow, E. coli and salmonella to soil erosion, manure runoff and pink slime, factory farming is the epitome of a broken food system. — There have been various responses to these horrors …
Discussion:
The Jawa Report, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Althouse