memeorandum: Reporters scolded by Democratic garbage police (Paul Bedard/Washington Examiner)

2:45 AM ET, September 4, 2012

Top Items:

Right rallies for ‘Empty Chair Day’ — The right rallied on Labor Day to celebrate “National Empty Chair Day,” a show of solidarity with Clint Eastwood after his rambling address to an invisible President Barack Obama at the Republican National Convention last week.

Discussion: Doug Ross, Twitter Room, Power Line, Riehl World News, The Other McCain, his vorpal sword, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, NewsBusters.org blogs, Twitchy, Chicago Boyz, Blue Crab Boulevard, American Power, Washington Monthly, The Raw Story, Washington Wire and Althouse

Peter Slutsky / Change.org:

Democrats: Ask Betty White to Introduce President Obama at the DNC — Clint Eastwood, the Republican's “mystery guest” at the RNC, gave a bad name to older Americans everywhere with his absurd and awkward-to-watch introduction of Governor Romney. — You know what?

Discussion: ABCNEWS, USA Today, Moonbattery and Truthdig

Henry J. Gomez / Plain Dealer:
AFSCME President (and Cleveland native) Lee Saunders goes Eastwooding with Ohio Democrats

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and protein wisdom

BuzzFeed:
Labor Brings Its Frustrations To Charlotte

Discussion: Slobber And Spittle and Weasel Zippers

Michelle Malkin:
National Empty Chair Day photo album, part II

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and The Mental Recession

Caitlin McDevitt / Associated Press:
A push for Betty White to address the DNC

Discussion: Newsy and New York Magazine

Byron Tau / Politico:

DNC chair: GOP diversity ‘superficial’ — CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Democratic National Committee chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz says the Republican Party only had “superficial” diversity on display at its convention in Tampa last week —a contrast to Democrats reflecting actually …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

Charlie Cook / NationalJournal.com:
Obama's Enthusiasm Deficit Could Soon Haunt Him

Discussion: Power Line

CNN:
Party leaders split on ‘better off’ question

Discussion: Politico, The Hill and The Gateway Pundit

Frank Newport / Gallup:
GOP Convention, Romney Speech Evoke Lukewarm Reactions

Jake Tapper / ABCNEWS:
Obama Team Readjusts On ‘Are You Better Off?’

Discussion: Althouse, The Reaction, The Raw Story, Election 2012, NationalJournal.com, The Hill and The Fix

Associated Press:

Dems bring in crowds by the busload to fill stadium for Obama speech — Sept. 2, 2012: A man walks near a sand sculpture created in the likeness of President Obama in downtown Charlotte, N.C.AP — CHARLOTTE, N.C. - College students from across North Carolina will arrive in Charlotte by the busload.

Discussion: Freedom's Lighthouse, Scared Monkeys, JOSHUAPUNDIT, Weasel Zippers, The Rightnewz, Nice Deb and protein wisdom

Kevin Bogardus / The Hill:

Unions dig in for Obama despite disappointment with his record — CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Organized labor is working hard for President Obama, looking upon him as the lesser of two evils compared to GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney. — Labor has been repeatedly let down by Obama …

Discussion: The Raw Story

Jim Morrill / The Charlotte Observer:
New N.C. poll gives Romney small lead in presidential race

Discussion: Donklephant, Business Insider, First Read, ABCNEWS, Scared Monkeys, Outside the Beltway, Politico, Public Policy Polling and The Gateway Pundit

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
Sept. 2: Split Verdict in Polls on Romney Convention Bounce

Discussion: PJ Media, American Power, Capital Tonight, The Agonist, USA Today, Polling Matters, The Moderate Voice, neo-neocon, The Reaction and The Mahablog

Tim Mak / Politico:

Report: Hillary Clinton aide voting Romney — Top Clinton confidant Douglas Band has said that he will vote for Republican Mitt Romney, according to a report in The New Yorker, apparently a move to strengthen Hillary Clinton's position in the Democratic Party.

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Weasel Zippers, Riehl World News and Wizbang

BuzzFeed:
Democrats Wait, Nervously, On Clinton Speech

Discussion: The Spectacle Blog, Hot Air, No More Mister Nice Blog, Mediaite, The Daily Caller, Scared Monkeys, Weekly Standard and Althouse

Byron Tau / Politico:
L.A. mayor: 44 continues 42's policies

Discussion: The Daily Beast and Roger L. Simon

Joe Garofoli / blog.sfgate.com:

CA Dem chair John Burton apologizes for comments invoking Goebbels about GOP “telling the big lie” (VIDEO) (AUDIO) — UPDATE: In response to the uproar over his (below) comments Monday, California Democratic Party Chair John Burton issued this statement: — “To correct press reports …

Seema Mehta / Los Angeles Times:
California delegate agrees to leave DNC after disturbance

Discussion: NewsBusters.org blogs, Hit & Run, The Hill and blog.sfgate.com

Directorblue / Doug Ross:

That Roar You Hear in the Distance May Be a Tidal Wave Building — I truly believe that the American people — all races, all creeds, all colors, all religions, all income levels — are marshaling together to try to save this Republic in November — first and foremost, by rejecting the Cloward-Piven Democrat Party.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and Nice Deb

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:

CNN Host Dismantles Grover Norquist's Anti-Tax Argument: ‘This Is A Wish, Not A Plan’ — CNN's Fareed Zakaria challenged Grover Norquist's opposition to tax increases during an interview on Sunday, insisting that the anti-tax zealot's opposition to higher taxes — gospel which the GOP has adopted …

Stephen C. Webster / The Raw Story:

Chuck Norris threatens ‘1,000 years of darkness’ if Obama wins — A video released this weekend by action movie hero Chuck Norris claims that America faces “1,000 years of darkness” if President Barack Obama is reelected. — “If we look to history, our great country and freedom are under attack …

Discussion: Little Green Footballs

Dominique Mosbergen / The Huffington Post:

‘White Graduates Only’ Party Planned For 1973 Class Reunion In Louisiana Sparks Outrage (VIDEO) … FOLLOW: — Video, St Martinville Senior High Reunion, White Graduates Only Class Reunion, White Graduates Only Party, White Only Event, White Only Party Louisiana, Whites Only Class Reunion, Whites Only Party, Black Voices News

Discussion: Firedoglake, UPI, Truthdig and Outside the Beltway

Jodi Kantor / New York Times:

Obama Plays to Win, in Politics and Everything Else — As Election Day approaches, President Obama is sharing a few important things about himself. He has mentioned more than once in recent weeks that he cooks “a really mean chili.” He has impressive musical pitch, he told an Iowa audience.

Discussion: CNN, Weasel Zippers, Mediaite, Politico, USA Today, Gawker, Booman Tribune and Bookworm Room, more at Mediagazer »

Associated Press:

Obama, Romney Visits to Gulf Highlight Differences — President Barack Obama's trip to the hurricane zone three days after rival Mitt Romney looked over flooded homes and businesses underscores the differences in the way the presidential candidates see the role of government.

Discussion: CNN

Paul Bedard / Washington Examiner:

Reporters scolded by Democratic garbage police … CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Democratic National Convention takes its mission to be green so seriously that reporters, delegates and others are being scolded for dumping their garbage in the wrong recycle bins. — Throughout Charlotte's …

Discussion: Ed Driscoll

Kenneth P. Vogel / Politico:

Source: Romney camp says it raised $100 million in August — Mitt Romney raised $100 million in August, his campaign told bundlers last week in Tampa. — Romney campaign finance director Spencer Zwick revealed the tally during an event with top fundraisers on the sidelines …