memeorandum: Last Slide — It looks inevitable now that the criticism-magnet … (Jennifer Jacobs/Des Moines Register)

10:50 AM ET, January 9, 2015

Top Items:

Alexandra Topping / Guardian:

Charlie Hebdo attack: new hostage situation at Paris shop - live updates — Second hostage situation as police evacuate area around Paris kosher shop — Suspected Charlie Hebdo gunmen holed up in town north-east of capital — Police linking killing of policewoman on Thursday to Charlie Hebdo attack

Discussion: Slate, Associated Press, Talking Points Memo, Agence France-Presse, Sky News, Reuters, Poynter, Mediaite, Gawker, Wall Street Journal, Weasel Zippers, New York Times, CNN, NPR, Telegraph, New York Magazine and Business Insider

CNN:

Charlie Hebdo attack: Suspected extremist gunmen surrounded? — French police surround terror suspects near airport 02:38 — Story highlights — Dammartin-en-Goele, France (CNN)[Breaking news update, posted at 6:08 a.m. ET] — The two suspects in the Charlie Hebdo attack spoke …

Discussion: NBC News, NY Daily News, Washington Times, Scared Monkeys, The Gateway Pundit, The Local, Mediaite, Joe. My. God., Hot Air, The Long War Journal, New York Magazine and The Dish

David Brooks / New York Times:

I Am Not Charlie Hebdo — The journalists at Charlie Hebdo are now rightly being celebrated as martyrs on behalf of freedom of expression, but let's face it: If they had tried to publish their satirical newspaper on any American university campus over the last two decades it wouldn't have lasted 30 seconds.

Discussion: The Daily Beast, No More Mister Nice Blog, Betsy's Page, Washington Post, National Review and The Atlantic Online

New York Times:
Paris Standoff at Kosher Store; Charlie Hebdo Suspects Seize Hostage Outside City

Discussion: Daily Kos and Althouse

Jim Treacher / The Daily Caller:
New York Times Reports On Muslim Proselytizing During Charlie Hebdo Attack, Then Deletes It

Discussion: The Glittering Eye, Althouse, Israel Matzav, CANNONFIRE, New York Times, Mediaite, Patterico's Pontifications, Weasel Zippers and Ace of Spades HQ

Washington Post:
French police close in on Paris attack suspects

Discussion: AOL Article, The Moderate Voice and Scared Monkeys

Fox News:
Pen vs. sword: Cartoonists unite against Islamist terror

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

New York Times:
Al Qaeda Trained Suspect in Paris Terror Attack, Official Says

Discussion: New York Magazine, Mashable and Bloomberg

Bill / Catholic League:
CHARLIE HEBDO PERVERTS FREEDOM

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Mediaite, CNN, Hot Air, Middle East Eye, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, ThinkProgress, The Daily Banter and Towleroad News #gay

Eric Gaillard / ABC News: Paris Terror Attack: 2 Hostage Situations in France Linked, Paris Public Prosecutor Says

Fawn Johnson / National Journal:

Obama Wants Free Community College. Where's the Money? — White House offers plan to benefit 9 million students, but no roadmap to fund it. — President Obama wants to provide free tuition at community colleges, a plan that could benefit as many as 9 million students …

Discussion: National Review

David Hudson / White House.gov Blog:

The President Proposes to Make Community College Free for Responsible Students for 2 Years — Post by The White House. — Today, the President unveiled a new proposal: Make two years of community college free for responsible students across America. — In our growing global economy …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, The Glittering Eye, New York Magazine, TPNN, Hit & Run, Associated Press, PoliticusUSA, BuzzFeed, Hinterland Gazette, The Daily Caller and New York Times

Nick Anderson / Washington Post:
Obama to unveil proposal for tuition-free community college

Discussion: Hot Air and Prairie Weather

New York Times:
Obama Plan Would Help Many Go to Community College Free

Discussion: ThinkProgress and Chalkbeat New York

Gregory Korte / Associated Press:
Obama to propose free community college

Discussion: Real Clear Politics, Addicting Info and FOX News Radio

Allie Grasgreen / Politico:
Obama to propose two free years of community college for students

Discussion: US News, TICAS and Weasel Zippers

Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:

Does Islam Mean Peace? — The NY Times boldly takes on the Big Questions - is Islam inherently violent? Their nuance take will surprise no one, but it is interesting nonetheless. And the Speech by Egyptian President el-Sisi calling (yet again) for an Islamic reformation finally gets noticed:

David D. Kirkpatrick / New York Times: Raising Questions Within Islam After France Shooting

The Hill:

House votes down ObamaCare's 30-hour workweek, 252-172 — The House on Thursday in a 252-172 vote approved legislation that would waive fees on businesses that do not offer health insurance to employees working fewer than 40 hours per week. — The legislation - which has been at the center …

Discussion: Washington Post and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Lydia Saad / Gallup:

U.S. Liberals at Record 24%, but Still Trail Conservatives — Story Highlights — PRINCETON, N.J. — Conservatives continued to outnumber moderates and liberals in the U.S. population in 2014, as they have since 2009. However, their 14-percentage-point edge over liberals last year …

Discussion: Bloomberg Politics and Wall Street Journal

Paul Krugman / New York Times:

Voodoo Time Machine — Many of us in the econ biz were wondering how the new leaders of Congress would respond to the sharp increase in American economic growth that, we now know, began last spring. After years of insisting that President Obama is responsible for a weak economy …

Discussion: susiemadrak.com

Andrew Restuccia / Politico:

Source: Tom Steyer considering run for Barbara Boxer's seat — Billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer is mulling a run for Barbara Boxer's Senate seat, according to a person close to the former hedge fund trader. — “My sense is that he will take a look at it and consider it over the next few days or so,” the person said.

Discussion: Washington Post and Political Wire

Los Angeles Times:
Analysis Sen. Barbara Boxer's impending retirement to set off a scramble

Discussion: Guardian, Washington Post and Fusion

Eliana Johnson / National Review:

Establishment vs. Establishment — It may not be only the right flank of the Republican party that's crowded in 2016. Mitt Romney is more open to a third presidential bid than ever before, according to friends and top donors of the former Massachusetts governor, which means there might …

Larry J. Sabato / Sabato's Crystal Ball:
The New World Order — The Republican White House field …

Discussion: Liberal Values

Peter Beinart / The Atlantic Online:
Do Americans Have a ‘Right to Rise’?

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog and Washington Monthly

Karoli / Latest from Crooks and Liars:

Three Georgia Men Charged With Domestic Terrorism — Will Lindsey Graham have anything to say about this? — 2015 is beginning with a bang, as the indictments roll in and more home-grown terrorist plots are revealed. — Here's one from Rome, Georgia, a picturesque Southern town that might be an idyllic vacation spot.

Discussion: Liberaland and Raw Story

Fox News:

California newspaper office vandalized over use of ‘illegal’ immigrant label — The headquarters of the Santa Barbara News-Press in California was vandalized, apparently by pro-illegal immigration activists. — A California newspaper will continue to use the term “illegals” …

Discussion: Hot Air, John Hawkins' Right Wing News and The PJ Tatler

Jennifer Jacobs / Des Moines Register:

Last Slide — It looks inevitable now that the criticism-magnet that is the Iowa Straw Poll will survive, despite attempts by some influential Republicans to make it go away. — The Republican Party of Iowa's governing board will vote on its future at 11 a.m. Saturday …

Discussion: Politico, Hot Air and National Review

Elana Schor / Politico:

Nebraska court clears obstacle for Keystone pipeline — The Nebraska Supreme Court removed a major obstacle to the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline on Friday, making it more likely that President Barack Obama will have to render a verdict in the coming months on a controversy that has spanned his time in the White House.

Discussion: ThinkProgress and The Hill

Dylan Byers / Politico:

Dean Baquet addresses NYT's republication of anti-Semitic cartoons — New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet decided that his paper would not publish Charlie Hebdo's cartoons of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad primarily because he did not want to insult the paper's Muslim readers.

Discussion: Algemeiner.com, The Federalist, Gawker and Mediaite

Margaret Sullivan / New York Times:
A Close Call on Publication of Charlie Hebdo Cartoons

Discussion: US News, Washington Post, USA TODAY College, Weasel Zippers, American Spectator, Power Line, Los Angeles Times, Index on Censorship and Talking Points Memo, more at Mediagazer »

Numbers / Pew Research Center for the People …:

The Politics of Financial Insecurity — A Democratic Tilt, Undercut by Low Participation — When it comes to choosing a party's candidate in the voting booth, one pattern in modern American politics is so familiar it has become a truism: the rich vote Republican, the poor vote Democratic.

Discussion: Political Wire, Washington Post, Democratic Strategist and Bloomberg Politics