memeorandum: Controversial Ariz. Sheriff's Tactics Go On Trial (Ted Robbins/NPR)

11:05 AM ET, July 19, 2012

Top Items:

Justin Sink / The Hill:

Poll: Romney tied with Obama in Virginia — A new survey shows Mitt Romney tied with President Barack Obama in the battleground state of Virginia, exciting news for a Republican challenger who has consistently trailed in recent polling of the state. — The survey, released Thursday …

Discussion: Politico, CNN, Weekly Standard, 2012 Decoded, Scared Monkeys, Public Policy Polling and Jammie Wearing Fools

New York Times:

Economic Fears Hurting Obama, Poll Indicates — Declining confidence in the nation's economic prospects appears to be the most powerful force influencing voters as the presidential election gears up, undercutting key areas of support for President Obama and helping give his Republican challenger …

Discussion: Washington Wire, ABCNEWS, The Huffington Post, Power Line, Politico, The Moderate Voice, ABCNEWS, NBC Latino, msnbc.com, americanthinker.com, The Caucus, No More Mister Nice Blog, American Power, Weekly Standard, The Daily Dish and Latino Decisions

Brian Montopoli / CBS News:

Obama, Romney in dead heat in presidential race — CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto. — (CBS News) President Obama and Mitt Romney are effectively tied in the race for the presidency, according to a new CBS News/New York Times survey.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, BuzzFeed, NationalJournal.com, Business Insider, Vodkapundit, Shakesville, Taegan Goddard's … and The Huffington Post

Wall Street Journal:

Group Comes to Romney's Defense — Crossroads Ad for First Time Names the Candidate; GOP Backer Cites ‘Momentum’ of Obama Attacks — In the exchange of attack ads that is defining the presidential race, Mitt Romney has been hindered by a feature of campaign-finance law.

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Taking Note and The Page

Fareed Zakaria / Washington Post:
What voters are really choosing in November

Discussion: The Glittering Eye and msnbc.com

Ron Elving / NPR:
A Majority Of Voters In NPR Poll Favor Amending, Not Repealing, Health Care Act

Discussion: The Hill and ThinkProgress

Nancy Cordes / CBS News:

Michelle Bachmann refuses to back down on claims about Huma Abedin — (CBS News) WASHINGTON - Former GOP presidential candidate Michele Bachmann and four other conservative members of Congress are charging that people with ties to Muslim extremists have infiltrated the federal government.

Discussion: Mondoweiss

Edward Rollins / Fox News:

Bachmann's former campaign chief — shame on you, Michele — I have been a practitioner of tough politics for many decades. There is little that amazes me and even less that shocks me. I have to say that Congresswoman Michele Bachmann's outrageous and false charges against a top aide …

Discussion: Politico, The Hinterland Gazette, Taylor Marsh and ThinkProgress

Lisa Mascaro / Los Angeles Times:

McCain defends Clinton aide accused of Muslim Brotherhood ties — Sen. John McCain takes to the Senate floor to defend Huma Abedin, a top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton whom GOP lawmakers have accused of having ties to the pan-Arab Muslim Brotherhood. — “These attacks on Huma have no logic, no basis and no merit.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and The Agonist

Jonathan Karl / ABCNEWS:

DNC Regrets Offending Ann Romney, No More Horse Videos — It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now the Democratic National Committee is offering an apology of sorts to Ann Romney. — At issue is a DNC video featuring footage of Ann Romney's dancing show horse.

Discussion: CNN, Crooks and Liars, Weasel Zippers, The Daily Caller, Mediaite, The Raw Story, Jammie Wearing Fools and ABCNEWS

Kevin Robillard / Politico:
Ann Romney: We've given enough

Discussion: Mediaite, ABCNEWS, US Politics and Suburban Guerrilla

First Read / msnbc.com:

Obama unleashes Medicare attack on Romney — *** Here comes Medicare: The past few weeks on the presidential campaign trail have featured aggressive attacks and counterattacks. On outsourcing by Bain Capital. On Mitt Romney's post-1999 association with that firm, as well has his tax returns.

Discussion: New York Magazine and Washington Examiner

BuzzFeed:
Olympics Documents, Intro Described Romney As Bain CEO

Discussion: The Daily Dish, Washington Post, Guardian and Balloon Juice

Bernie Becker / The Hill:
Democrats hit Mitt with a tax bill

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Frank Rich / New York Magazine:
Frank Rich on the National Circus: Mitt Can't Wait Out His Tax Storm

Discussion: The Hinterland Gazette, Guardian, Hollywood Reporter and Salon

CNN:
Why won't Romney release more tax returns?

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Slate and Guardian

Abby Huntsman / The Huffington Post:
Mitt Romney Never Thought He'd Have To Release Tax Returns: Bain Sources

Discussion: Washington Post, Reuters, Politico, Taylor Marsh, Balloon Juice, AEIdeas, ABCNEWS, Daily Kos and Wall Street Journal

Boston Herald:

Mr. Smooth: Deval Patrick eyes road fixes for Michelle Obama — Deval Patrick's office personally asked town officials to dispatch road crews this week to fill potholes near his Berkshires mansion to pave the way for a smooth ride for first lady Michelle Obama when she hits the Bay State …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and Jammie Wearing Fools

Kevin Robillard / Politico:
Report: Pothole fix for Michelle Obama ride

Discussion: Michelle Malkin and Boston Herald

New York Times:

Suicide Bomber Is Blamed in Attack on Israeli Tourist Bus in Bulgaria — BURGAS, Bulgaria — The attack on a tour bus carrying Israeli vacationers outside the airport here was carried out by a suicide bomber using fake American identification, officials said on Thursday.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Washington Post, The Daily Beast, World, Jammie Wearing Fools, National Review and THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS

Associated Press:
Bulgaria says suicide attacker in baseball cap, sneakers, shorts attacked Israeli tourist bus

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, World and Jihad Watch

Reuters:
Suicide bomber blew up Bulgaria airport bus

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and Jihad Watch

Politico:

Kelly Ayotte's $120K legal headache — A bizarre but little-known lawsuit has caused headaches for freshman Sen. Kelly Ayotte and cost her at least $120,000 in legal fees just as her political stock rises and she's being mentioned as a potential running mate for Mitt Romney.

Discussion: Right Wing News

Trymaine Lee / The Huffington Post:

Zimmerman Apology: Trayvon Martin Shooter Tells Parents He's Sorry During ‘Hannity’ Interview … FOLLOW: — Video, Sean Hannity, Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman Apology, George Zimmerman Fox News, Zimmerman Apology, Zimmerman Fox News, Zimmerman Hannity, Zimmerman Trayvon Martin, Black Voices News

Discussion: Firedoglake

Merrill Knox / TVNewser:
Hannity Gets First Interview with George Zimmerman

Discussion: Fox News, Scared Monkeys, theGrio, The Hinterland Gazette, ThinkProgress, The Young Turks … and Colorlines, more at Mediagazer »

Alexander Burns / Politico:

Morgan Freeman gives $1 million to Obama super PAC — Actor Morgan Freeman is the newest seven-figure donor to the Obama super PAC Priorities USA Action, POLITICO has confirmed. — In a statement, Freeman lauded both the president's record and Priorities USA for its role in the 2012 campaign.

Discussion: CNN, Weasel Zippers, Scared Monkeys and The Hinterland Gazette

Arthur Delaney / The Huffington Post:

Unemployment Insurance Not On Congressional Radar … REACT: — FOLLOW: — Unemployment, Unemployment, Unemployment Extension, Unemployment, Barack Obama , Barack Obama , Unemployment, Unemployment, Politics News — WASHINGTON — President Obama took a question on the campaign trail Monday …

Discussion: Crooks and Liars

Boston Herald:

Obama courts supporters in Central Texas, hauls in donations — AUSTIN, Texas — Barack Obama won't win Texas in November, and the state's GOP leaders spoke of him in hostile terms, but that didn't deter the president from courting supporters in Central Texas Tuesday, and collecting a few million dollars for his re-election.

BuzzFeed:
Obama Fundraises With “Ruthless” Outsourcer

Discussion: Hot Air and Riehl World View

Bill Mears / CNN:

Scalia: Criticism of Supreme Court's health care ruling ‘offends me’ — (CNN) — U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia downplayed reports of personal and ideological rifts stemming from the recent landmark health care reform ruling, telling CNN in an exclusive interview “it offends me” …

Discussion: Business Insider

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:

Waxman has a race on his hands — Henry Waxman hasn't faced a tough campaign since Lyndon B. Johnson was president and the Beatles topped the Billboard charts. — This year, the powerful Los Angeles congressman believes, could be different. — Running in a drastically redrawn district …

Discussion: americanthinker.com and Riehl World View

CNBC:

Weekly Claims Post Rebound; Jobs Market Still in Doldrums — The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rebounded last week, pushing them back to levels consistent with modest job growth after a seasonal quirk caused a sharp drop the prior period.

Discussion: Hot Air and Riehl World View

Dana Blanton / Fox News:

Fox News poll: Voters pick Condi Rice as Romney running mate — Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is the top choice as Mitt Romney's vice presidential running mate among both American voters overall as well as among Republicans. — Thirty percent of voters would like to see Rice …

Discussion: Politico, New York Magazine and Hit & Run