memeorandum: The Morning Plum: It's still possible for GOP Senators to avoid nuclear Armageddon (Greg Sargent/The Plum Line)

2:55 PM ET, July 16, 2013

Top Items:

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:

7 Mind Blowing Moments From Zimmerman Juror B37′s First Interview — On Monday night, one of the jurors in the George Zimmerman trial offered shocking insight into how the group of six women reached its decision to acquit the defendant of all charges in the murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

Discussion: NY Daily News, American Power, The Moderate Voice, National Review, Colorlines, The Hinterland Gazette, The Raw Story, Taylor Marsh, Hit & Run, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Dish and skippy the bush kangaroo

Richard Cohen / Washington Post:

Racism vs. reality — I don't like what George Zimmerman did, and I hate that Trayvon Martin is dead. But I also can understand why Zimmerman was suspicious and why he thought Martin was wearing a uniform we all recognize. I don't know whether Zimmerman is a racist.

Discussion: Politico, The Huffington Post, ThinkProgress, Yahoo! News, Mediaite, AMERICAblog, Shakesville, Lawyers, Guns & Money, TheBlaze.com and The Daily Beast

Drudge Report:

JEANTEL WARNED ZIMMERMAN COULD BE GAY RAPIST TRAYVON: NOT THAT KIND OF WAY — Last night Trayvon Martin's friend Rachel Jeantel gave CNN her first interview since testifying in the George Zimmerman murder trial. — Jeantel opened up and let loose on the murder case that gripped that nation.

Discussion: RealClearPolitics Video Log, Althouse, The Hinterland Gazette, The Gateway Pundit, The PJ Tatler and Jammie Wearing Fools

David D. / UPROXX:

Here's The Story Of The Twitter Hero Who Single-Handedly Killed Zimmerman Juror B37′s Book Deal — A lot has been made about the controversial Zimmerman Trial Juror B37. First she appeared on Anderson Cooper and made comments expressing sympathy and support for Zimmerman.

Discussion: Gawker, ThinkProgress, Mediaite, Hot Air, Above the Law, American Live Wire, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Agonist, BuzzFeed, Shakesville and GalleyCat

Dana Ford / CNN:

Juror: ‘No doubt’ that Zimmerman feared for his life — (CNN) — One of the jurors who acquitted George Zimmerman said she had “no doubt” he feared for his life in the final moments of his struggle with Trayvon Martin, and that was the definitive factor in the verdict.

Discussion: UPROXX, BizPac Review, Scared Monkeys, GalleyCat, Piers Morgan, Gawker, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Jezebel and Balloon Juice

William Saletan / Slate:

You Are Not Trayvon Martin — His death wasn't about race, guns, or your pet issue. It was about misjudgment and overreaction—exactly what we're doing now to the verdict. — Demonstrators hold signs in downtown Miami a day after the verdict to the George Zimmerman murder trial

Discussion: Wizbang, No More Mister Nice Blog, Questions and Observations, The Dish, Hot Air, Balloon Juice, The Week, BizPac Review, Instapundit, americanthinker.com, Mediaite, National Review, Weasel Zippers, The Raw Story and Change of Subject

Andrew Kirell / Mediaite:

Nancy Grace: George Zimmerman Going Back To Life Of ‘Driving Through Taco Bell,’ Eating ‘Churros’ — Watching Nancy Grace can be a painful experience, and so sometimes we miss her golden nuggets (like this one) while taking a break from her exhausting fire-and-brimstone delivery.

Discussion: BREITBART.COM, The PJ Tatler, NewsBusters and Ed Driscoll

Ekow N. Yankah / New York Times:

The Truth About Trayvon — THE Trayvon Martin verdict is frustrating, fracturing, angering and predictable. More than anything, for many of us, it is exhausting. Exhausting because nothing could bring back our lost child, exhausting because the verdict, which should have felt shocking …

Discussion: the daily howler

Matt Wilstein / Mediaite:
Rachel Jeantel Explains The Difference Between ‘N*gga’ And ‘N*gger’ To Piers Morgan

Discussion: RealClearPolitics Video Log, Scared Monkeys, americanthinker.com, BizPac Review and The Gateway Pundit

Sarah Bloomquist / WPVI-TV:
‘Kill Zimmerman’ painted on business before arson in Downingtown

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and The PJ Tatler

BuzzFeed:
Zimmerman Juror Decides Not To Write Book About Trial

Discussion: ThinkProgress, addictinginfo.org, PolicyMic, Hollywood Reporter, Jezebel, Towleroad News #gay, Taylor Marsh, The Dish, TVNewser, The Hinterland Gazette, Anderson Cooper 360, The Raw Story, Gawker, Mediaite, TheBlaze.com and TalkLeft

Mike Lillis / The Hill:
House Dem calls for Judiciary Committee hearings on Trayvon Martin case

Discussion: The Other McCain, americanthinker.com, American Spectator and Salon

Eugene Robinson / Washington Post:
Black boys denied the right to be young

Discussion: Hullabaloo, Althouse and msnbc.com

Washington Post:
Civil rights charges against Zimmerman would be difficult, Justice officials say

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, The Blotter, msnbc.com, Shakesville, Hot Air, Power Line and National Review

The Atlantic Online:
How Stand Your Ground Relates To George Zimmerman

Discussion: Hit & Run, PolicyMic, The Dish, Gawker and Colorlines

Lester Chambers / KTVU-TV:
Legendary musician attacked after dedicating song to Trayvon Martin

Discussion: PolicyMic, Examiner, ThinkProgress and addictinginfo.org

Rev. Al Sharpton / The Huffington Post:
We Lost the Battle, But the War's Far From Over

Discussion: TheBlaze.com

Washington Post:

Senate reaches tentative deal to avert filibuster showdown — Senators reached a tentative deal Tuesday on averting a constitutional showdown over confirming President Obama's agency nominations. — “We may have a way forward on this, I feel fairly confident,” Majority Leader Harry M. Reid …

Discussion: New Republic, The Huffington Post, Reuters, The Fix, Post Politics, Wonkblog, Hot Air, Crooks and Liars, Booman Tribune and New York Times

Politico:

Senate reaches tentative deal on nuclear option — Senators have reached a tentative deal to avert the “nuclear option” on filibuster rules. — Under the proposal, which the White House has not yet agreed to, President Barack Obama would pull two nominees to the National Labor Relations Board …

Discussion: CNN, The Huffington Post, msnbc.com, Roll Call, Washington Post, Outside the Beltway, Heritage Action for America, Daily Kos and The Heritage Foundation

David Weigel / Slate: For the Umpteenth Time, Senate Caves on Filibuster Reform With Good Deal for Majority Party

Sahil Kapur / Talking Points Memo:
Reid Rejects McConnell's Offer To Drop His Nuclear Threat

Discussion: Politico, The Raw Story, Washington Monthly, Taylor Marsh and Daily Kos

Sahil Kapur / Talking Points Memo:
Nuclear Option Averted: Senators Strike Tentative Deal To Confirm Nominees Without Reforming Filibuster

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Wonkblog, The Volokh Conspiracy and The Dish

New York Times:
A Step to Majority Rule in the Senate

Discussion: The Plum Line, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Booman Tribune, New Republic, Roll Call, Prairie Weather and The Fix

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Senate votes 71-29 to advance Cordray as ‘nuclear’ threat recedes

Discussion: Politico

Paul Kane / Post Politics:
Reid announces tentative deal to avert rules showdown

Discussion: Yahoo! News and The Fix

Ian Millhiser / ThinkProgress:
Republicans Cave: Seven Top Government Jobs Will Be Filled

Discussion: CNN

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
The Morning Plum: It's still possible for GOP Senators to avoid nuclear Armageddon

Discussion: Yahoo! News, NationalJournal.com, Talking Points Memo, msnbc.com, A plain blog about politics, Post Politics, American Prospect and Hullabaloo

Washington Times:

EXCLUSIVE: Feds admit improper scrutiny of candidate, donor tax records — Justice has declined to prosecute any of the cases — The Treasury Department has admitted for the first time that confidential tax records of several political candidates and campaign donors were improperly scrutinized …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Betsy's Page, Hot Air, americanthinker.com, National Republican … and Washington Free Beacon

Bernie Becker / The Hill:
IRS accused of disclosing tax records of political candidates, donors

Discussion: American Spectator

CNN:

Panama's search of North Korean ship triggers ‘violent’ confrontation — (CNN) — It has all the elements of international intrigue: a violent confrontation on a detained North Korean ship, a suspected missile onboard, a heart attack and an attempted suicide.

Discussion: Sister Toldjah, The Week and The PJ Tatler

Gerry Mullany / New York Times:
Panama Seizes North Korea-Flagged Ship for Weapons

Discussion: msnbc.com and Outside the Beltway

Darren Samuelsohn / Politico:

Rand Paul, Ted Cruz join Kirsten Gillibrand push on military sexual assault — Sens. Rand Paul and Ted Cruz have joined an upstart effort to remove the chain of command from military sexual assault cases, POLITICO has learned. — The tea party favorites give the bill's lead sponsor …

Discussion: Weekly Standard, Yahoo! News, The Daily Caller, CNN, The Raw Story, First Read, Taylor Marsh, Taegan Goddard's …, msnbc.com and The Reaction

Hollywood Reporter:

Stevie Wonder Boycotting Florida Following Zimmerman Verdict (Video) — The singer refuses to perform in the state until its Stand Your Ground law is “abolished.” — Stevie Wonder won't be performing in Florida anytime soon. — In the wake of the George Zimmerman acquittal …

Discussion: Jezebel, Politico, The Hinterland Gazette, Weasel Zippers, Pat Dollard, protein wisdom and The Reliable Source

David Brooks / New York Times:

Men on the Threshold — As every discerning person knows, “The Searchers” is the greatest movie ever made. It is loosely based on the real story of Cynthia Ann Parker, who was abducted from her East Texas home in 1836 when she was 9 years old by Comanche raiders, who then raised her and kept her for 24 years.

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money and Shakesville

Peter Baker / New York Times:

In Second Term, Obama Is Seen as Using ‘Hidden Hand’ Approach — WASHINGTON — In the nearly two weeks since Egypt's military seized power, President Obama has promoted a better federal bureaucracy, given a medal to George Lucas of “Star Wars” fame and had former President George Bush to the White House for lunch.

Discussion: The Monkey Cage, Althouse, Weekly Standard, TheBlaze.com, msnbc.com and National Review

Kirit Radia / ABC News:

Edward Snowden Makes No-Leak Promise in Asylum Bid: Lawyer — Fugitive NSA leaker Edward Snowden today applied for asylum in Russia and, as a condition, agreed to stop harming the U.S., according to a Russian lawyer who is advising him, but that doesn't necessarily mean headline-grabbing stories …

Discussion: Politico and The Hill

Lauren / CBS Los Angeles:

CBS2/KCAL9 Reporter, Photographer Attacked During Crenshaw Protests — LEIMERT PARK (CBSLA.com) — A CBS2/KCAL9 photographer and reporter were assaulted Monday night while covering a George Zimmerman protest in Crenshaw. — Reporter Dave Bryan was conducting an interview around 10 p.m …

Discussion: Twitchy, The Gateway Pundit, Atlas Shrugs, BuzzFeed and Los Angeles Times