memeorandum: Hassett and Mathur: Consumption and the Myths of Inequality (Wall Street Journal)

9:45 AM ET, October 25, 2012

Top Items:

Colin Powell endorses Barack Obama for president — PLAY CBS NEWS VIDEO — (CBS News) Former Secretary of State Colin Powell broke with the Republican party during the 2008 election, to endorse then-candidate Barack Obama for president, calling Obama a “transformational figure.”

Discussion: msnbc.com, PoliPundit.com and Towleroad News #gay

Justin Sink / Ballot Box:

Colin Powell again endorses Obama — Former Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday that he would again endorse President Obama, breaking from the Republican Party to support the incumbent president. — “You know I voted for him in 2008 and I plan to stick with him in 2012 and will vote …

Discussion: CNN, Reuters, GOP 12, msnbc.com and The Hinterland Gazette

Alex Altman / Swampland:

TIME Poll: Obama Leads by 5 in Ohio — President Barack Obama, joined by Vice President Joe Biden, speaks during a campaign event at Triangle Park in Dayton, Ohio, on Oct. 23, 2012. — Buoyed by early voting in his favor, Barack Obama leads Mitt Romney by five points in the pivotal state of Ohio, according to a new TIME poll.

Discussion: Daily Kos, NewsBusters.org blogs, First Read, ABCNEWS, Politico, The Reaction, Taylor Marsh, The Moderate Voice, Ballot Box, Plunderbund, Associated Press, CNN and The PJ Tatler

James Taranto / Wall Street Journal:

In Defense of Richard Mourdock — It is his Democratic opponent who is engaging in Akin-style sophistry. — With less than two weeks to go before the election, the left is anxious to talk about abortion, and you can see why. To be sure, Gallup found in May that Americans are considerably likelier …

Discussion: Booman Tribune, The Fix, alicublog, Hot Air, Ballot Box and National Review

Justin Sink / Ballot Box:

Obama tells Leno: ‘Rape is rape’ — During an appearance on “The Tonight Show” taped Wednesday evening, President Obama slammed Richard Mourdock over the Republican Senate candidate's controversial comments about pregnancies resulting from rape. — Asked by host Jay Leno about Mourdock's comments …

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, Daily Kos, CNN, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/* and The Hill

Katie Glueck / Politico:
Donald Trump mocked on Twitter

Discussion: The Hinterland Gazette, Guardian, Taylor Marsh, JustOneMinute, The Atlantic Online, Daily Kos and Weasel Zippers

Michael McAuliff / The Huffington Post:
Richard Mourdock Rape Comment Reveals Stark Divide, Harsh Question For GOP

Discussion: CNN, Plunderbund, Ballot Box, Taylor Marsh, Daily Kos, Roll Call and The Raw Story

Ashley / richardmourdock.com:
Paid for by Hoosiers for Richard Mourdock, Inc.

Discussion: msnbc.com, News Desk, Rumproast, Guardian and American Spectator

Matt Bai / The Caucus:

How Bill Clinton May Have Hurt the Obama Campaign — When the histories of the 2012 campaign are written, much will be made of Bill Clinton's re-emergence. His convention speech may well have marked the finest moment of President Obama's re-election campaign, and his ads on the president's behalf were memorable.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, The Daily Beast, Rush Limbaugh and Washington Free Beacon

Jonathan S. Tobin / Commentary Magazine:

Dems Begin the Post-Obama Blame Game — Some Democrats are apparently not waiting for Barack Obama to lose the presidential election before starting the inevitable recriminations about whose fault it was. Whether writing strictly on his own hook or as a result of conversations with campaign officials …

Discussion: americanthinker.com and Hot Air

Paul Mirengoff / Power Line:

Bill Clinton — from savior to potential scapegoat in less than two months — If President Obama loses this election, the Democrats will need a scapegoat. The obvious scapegoat would be Obama himself. But he's been getting free passes all of his life, and the left-liberals who comprise …

Meghashyam Mali / Ballot Box:

AP poll: Romney leads Obama 47-45, tied among female voters — A new poll finds GOP challenger Mitt Romney erasing President Obama's lead among female voters and pulling ahead nationally with under two weeks to election day. — Romney holds 47 percent support from likely voters …

Discussion: Politico and Associated Press

Alina Selyukh / Reuters:
Romney steals narrow lead from Obama as election nears

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Scott Whitlock / NewsBusters.org:

Chris Matthews, Who Used the Phrase ‘Shuck and Jive,’ Now Calls Sarah Palin Racist for Saying ‘Shuck and Jive’ — Liberal cable anchor Chris Matthews, who in 2010 used the phrase “shuck and jive,” on Wednesday assailed Sarah Palin as racist for using the phrase “shuck and jive.”

Discussion: Politicker, NewsBusters.org blogs, Conservatives4Palin, Weasel Zippers and Washington Post

Sarah Palin / Facebook:
Obama's Shuck and Jive Ends With Benghazi Lies

Discussion: Politico, Sun-Times Politics, CNN, msnbc.com, Angry Black Lady Chronicles and Weasel Zippers

Jon.Ralston / Ralston Reports:

My column: Why Romney hasn't surrendered Nevada — Mitt Romney campaigned in Nevada today for the second consecutive day. The question is: Why? — Any reasonable analysis of the early voting numbers so far shows that the Democratic machine is crushing the Republicans' Rube Goldberg contraption.

Discussion: Ross Douthat

Wall Street Journal:

Hassett and Mathur: Consumption and the Myths of Inequality — The standard of living has increased among all income groups over the past decade. — In multiple campaign speeches over the past week, President Obama has emphasized a theme central to Democratic campaigns across the country this year: inequality.

Discussion: Instapundit

Ryan J. Reilly / Talking Points Memo:

Rep. Jim Moran's Son Resigns Over James O'Keefe Video — Patrick Moran, son of Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA), resigned from his father's campaign on Wednesday after conservative activist James O'Keefe released a video that appears to show him offering advice to an undercover videographer who claimed to want to commit voter fraud.

Discussion: James O'Keefe's Project …, The Gateway Pundit, Los Angeles Times, Michelle Malkin, Associated Press, The Raw Story, The PJ Tatler, The Daily Caller, Nice Deb, New York Magazine, Washington Examiner and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Mike Lillis / The Hill:
Rep. Moran's son resigns from father's campaign amid voter fraud scandal

Discussion: Politico, americanthinker.com and Hot Air

Steven Pinker / Opinionator:

Why Are States So Red and Blue? — Regardless of who wins the presidential election, we already know now how most of the electoral map will be colored, which will be close to the way it has been colored for decades. Broadly speaking, the Southern and Western desert and mountain states …

Discussion: normblog

Fox News:

EXCLUSIVE: Gloria Allred Met with Obama Before ‘October Surprise’ — DNC delegate and partisan Democrat lawyer Gloria Allred attended the “30 Days to Victory” Obama fundraiser at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on October 7th...featuring George Clooney and musical acts Katy Perry …

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, RADAR, GayPatriot, CANNONFIRE, The Gateway Pundit, TMZ.com and The Lonely Conservative

Politico:

How Mitt Romney would govern — Mitt Romney's transition team — dubbed the “Readiness Project” — has stepped up its activities as the nominee has surged in the polls, planning a series of modest but quick accomplishments should he win and bracing for the likelihood Romney would butt heads …

The Chart:

Post removed: Study looks at voting and hormones — A post previously published in this space regarding a study about how hormones may influence voting choices has been removed. — After further review it was determined that some elements of the story did not meet the editorial standards of CNN.

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Mediaite, No More Mister Nice Blog, Angry Black Lady Chronicles, New York Magazine, Politico, Gawker, Wonkette and Balloon Juice, more at Mediagazer »

The New York Times Company:

The New York Times Company Reports 2012 Third-Quarter Results — The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT) announced today a 2012 third-quarter diluted loss per share from continuing operations of $.02 compared with diluted earnings per share from continuing operations of $.04 in the same period of 2011.

Discussion: New York Times and Poynter, more at Mediagazer »

Ben Armbruster / ThinkProgress:

GOP Rep Says Strike On Iran's Nuclear Facilities Would Not Be An Act Of War — Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said on CNN last night that neither he, nor the Iranians, would consider an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities an act of war.

Discussion: Firedoglake and The Agonist

Clive Crook / Bloomberg:

Obama's Blunder Was in Ceding Political Center to Romney — The third and final presidential debate did little to change the race between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, who are tied with just two weeks to go. Even so, this week's inconsequential contest provides a key of sorts to understanding the election.

Discussion: National Review, Real Clear Politics and Betsy's Page

New York Times:

Romney Campaign Fights for Electoral Votes — COLUMBUS, Ohio — Mitt Romney is savoring the energy surrounding his candidacy, talking with rising confidence about his ability to overtake President Obama in the closing days of the race. — He dwells far less on the biggest obstacle facing his campaign: the Electoral College.

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, ABCNEWS, Prairie Weather and The Caucus

Lydia Saad / Gallup:

More Americans Feel Better Off Than Worse Off, Financially — The 38% feeling better off than a year ago is on par with 2004 and 1984 — PRINCETON, NJ — For the first time in more than five years, slightly more Americans are feeling financially better off, rather than worse off, compared with a year ago, by 38% to 34%.

Discussion: Politico

Mike Kramer / Associated Press:

Judge to release edited version of Rehberg boat crash report — HELENA - A judge on Wednesday ordered the release of an edited version of an investigative report into a 2009 boat crash involving U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg and former state Sen. Greg Barkus. — District Judge John McKeon …

Discussion: Ballot Box