memeorandum: Hamas military wing claims abducted Israeli soldier AFP 48 mins ago (Yahoo! News)

7:55 PM ET, July 20, 2014

Top Items:

Byron Tau / Politico:

Kerry caught on open mic — Secretary of State John Kerry was caught on an open mic just before his interview with “Fox News Sunday” candidly speaking about the conflict in Gaza. — “It's a hell of a pinpoint operation, it's a hell of a pinpoint operation,” Kerry said to an aide on the phone, with some measure of frustration.

Discussion: Mediaite, The Times of Israel, Israel Matzav, Yahoo! News, Wall Street Journal, The PJ Tatler and CNN

Philip Bump / Washington Post:

Fox confronts Kerry with hot-mike comment on Israel: ‘Hell of a pinpoint operation’ — In an unusual moment during Fox News Sunday, host Chris Wallace presented Secretary of State John Kerry with video recorded before he came on air. — The segment begins shortly after the 11-minute mark in this video.

Discussion: Power Line, Scared Monkeys and National Review

Alexandra Jaffe / The Hill:

The GOP's 2016 Hillary paradox — The GOP can't live with Hillary Clinton running for president, but they can't live without her either. — Most Republicans see the former secretary of State as a formidable challenger, albeit a flawed one. Her sheer presence does perhaps more to excite …

Discussion: Washington Monthly

Katie Glueck / Politico:

What we learned from liberals at Netroots Nation — DETROIT — At a high-profile gathering of progressives this week, Hillary Clinton was tolerated, Barack Obama was pitied, and Elizabeth Warren was treated like a hero. — The annual liberal confab known as Netroots Nation brought together …

Discussion: Conservatives4Palin, Washington Monthly and Daily Kos

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:
A Popular President — WASHINGTON — THE thing about him is, he just keeps going.

Discussion: Informed Comment and Althouse

Bruce Weber / New York Times:

James Garner, Witty, Handsome Leading Man, Dies at 86 — James Garner, the wry and handsome leading man who slid seamlessly between television and the movies but was best known as the amiable gambler Bret Maverick in the 1950s western “Maverick” and the cranky sleuth Jim Rockford in the 1970s series …

Discussion: Outside the Beltway

Richard Natale / Variety:

James Garner of ‘Maverick,’ ‘Rockford Files,’ Dies at 86 — Amiable film and television actor James Garner, who starred in popular television series, “Maverick” and “The Rockford Files,” died Saturday at his home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. He was 86.

Discussion: Washington Post, The Raw Story, raw and Liberal Values

New York Times:

Separatists Said to Seize Control of Crash Victims' Remains — KIEV, Ukraine — Pro-Russian separatist militiamen have seized custody of the bodies of about 200 victims of the Malaysia Airlines passenger jet that was blown out of the sky by a surface-to-air missile, Ukrainian officials said on Sunday …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Daily Signal and kyivpost.com

Shannon Travis / CNN:
Senate Intel chief: Putin should ‘man up’ on plane disaster

Discussion: Politico

Paul Szoldra / Business Insider:
There's A Mountain Of Evidence Linking Russia To The Downing Of The Malaysia Airliner

Discussion: New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Hinterland Gazette, The PJ Tatler, Washington Free Beacon and kyivpost.com

Kendall Breitman / Politico: Kerry: ‘Pretty clear’ separatist involvement

Washington Post:
Ukrainian officials accuse rebel militias of moving bodies, tampering with evidence

Discussion: Malaysia Airlines, Reuters, Associated Press, BBC, Business Insider, Hot Air, kyivpost.com, The Moderate Voice, Guardian, New York Times, protein wisdom and Mashable

Jana Winter / Fox News:

Cartels suspected as high-caliber gunfire sends Border Patrol scrambling on Rio Grande — EXCLUSIVE: RINCON PENINSULA, Texas — U.S. Border Patrol agents on the American side of the Rio Grande were forced to take cover Friday night when high-caliber weaponry was fired at them from the Mexican side …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, protein wisdom and Valley Central

Washington Post:

Obama aides were warned of brewing border crisis — Nearly a year before President Obama declared a humanitarian crisis on the border, a team of experts arrived at the Fort Brown patrol station in Brownsville, Tex., and discovered a makeshift transportation depot for a deluge of foreign children.

Discussion: Real Clear Politics, Power Line, The PJ Tatler, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, NewsBusters and Associated Press

Arthur C. Brooks / New York Times:

Love People, Not Pleasure — ABD AL-RAHMAN III was an emir and caliph of Córdoba in 10th-century Spain. He was an absolute ruler who lived in complete luxury. Here's how he assessed his life: — “I have now reigned above 50 years in victory or peace; beloved by my subjects …

Discussion: Wordyard

Yahoo! News:

Hamas military wing claims abducted Israeli soldier AFP 48 mins ago — Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - The armed wing of the Palestinian Hamas group claimed on Sunday night that it had kidnapped an Israeli soldier, prompting celebrations in the streets of Gaza City.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

Kiley Kroh / ThinkProgress:

California Couple Tries To Conserve Water, Ends Up Facing $500 Fine For Brown Lawn — Michael Korte walks across his lawn in Glendora, Calif. Korte and his wife face a possible fine of up to $500 for not maintaining their lawn during the drought. — CREDIT: AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes

Discussion: Jezebel

David / Latest from Crooks and Liars:

Rich Lowry: Boys Killed By Israelis On Gaza Beach Should Have Gotten Out Of The Way — National Review Editor Rich Lowry asserted over the weekend that Israelis were not at fault for the deaths of four boys who were killed while playing on a Gaza beach last week because Hamas should have told them to move out of the way.

Discussion: Hullabaloo