memeorandum @ 12:00 PM ET, December 18, 2011

12:00 PM ET, December 18, 2011

Top Items:

Vaclav Havel, Dissident Playwright Who Led Czechoslovakia, Dead at 75 — PRAGUE — Vaclav Havel, the dissident playwright who wove theater into politics to peacefully bring down communism in Czechoslovakia and become a hero of the epic struggle that ended the Cold War, has died. He was 75.

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Booman Tribune and The Talking Dog

J.Y. Smith / Washington Post:

Vaclav Havel, dissident playwright and former Czech president, dies — Václav Havel, a Czech writer who was imprisoned by his country's former communist rulers, only to become a symbol of freedom and his nation's first president in the post-communist era, died Sunday morning …

Discussion: Suburban Guerrilla

Nick Gillespie / Hit & Run:

Vaclav Havel, RIP — The great anti-communist dissident, writer, and politician Vaclav Havel is dead at the age of 75. — From Matt Welch's great 2003 profile, Velvet President: … Read the whole thing. — Reason on Havel.

Discussion: Harry's Place and Outside the Beltway

Michael Winfrey / Reuters:
Vaclav Havel, leader of “Velvet Revolution,” dies

Discussion: americanthinker.com

Iowa Caucuses:

The Des Moines Register's GOP caucus endorsement: Mitt Romney is best to lead — Sobriety, wisdom and judgment. — Those are qualities Mitt Romney said he looks for in a leader. Those are qualities Romney himself has demonstrated in his career in business, public service and government.

A.Killough / CNN:
Des Moines Register endorses Romney

Discussion: The Politico, Iowa Caucuses, USA Today and Los Angeles Times

Associated Press: Gingrich says rivals' criticism taking a toll

Scott Clement / Washington Post:
Poll watcher: Gingrich slides in national, Iowa polls

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Scared Monkeys and The Moderate Voice

Maggie Haberman / The Politico:
Paul on Bachmann: ‘She hates Muslims’

Discussion: Reuters, The Iowa Republican and The Other McCain

Jonathan Allenand Jake Sherman / The Politico:

House GOP revolts on payroll deal — House Republicans are in full revolt in the wake of Senate passage of a two-month payroll tax holiday package, casting serious doubt on the fate of a bill that already has President Barack Obama's approval. — In a private conference call on Saturday afternoon …

Discussion: americanthinker.com, Power Line, Booman Tribune, The Other McCain and Don Surber

Russell Berman / The Hill:

White House backs Senate payroll bill over House objections — The White House is throwing its weight behind a Senate compromise for a two-month extension of the payroll tax cut, despite strong objections from House Republicans that could unravel the deal. — The director of the National …

Discussion: CNN

Amie Parnes / The Hill:

Keystone climbdown leaves Obama supporters scratching their heads — President Obama put two conditions in end-game talks on extending the payroll tax holiday. — He wanted to pay for the extension with a surtax on millionaires, and he made clear that the Keystone XL oil pipeline should be kept out of the legislation.

Discussion: Roll Call, The Huffington Post, CNN and New York Times

Max Fisher / The Atlantic Online:

A Photo That Encapsulates the Horror of Egypt's Crackdown — Three soldiers beat a defenseless woman, pull off her abaya, and drag her down a Cairo street — The above photo shows Egyptian army soldiers beating a young woman in Tahrir Square in Cairo on Saturday, the second straight …

Discussion: Sister Toldjah and Newshoggers.com

David D. Kirkpatrick / New York Times:
Egyptian Soldiers Chase and Beat Unarmed Civilians in Cairo

Discussion: americanthinker.com

New York Times:

Last Convoy of American Troops Leaves Iraq, Marking an End to the War — BAGHDAD — The last convoy of American troops to leave Iraq drove into Kuwait on Sunday morning, marking the end of the nearly nine-year war. — The convoy's departure, which included about 110 vehicles and 500 soldiers …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Reuters, msnbc.com, Washington Monthly and The Daily What

Allysia Finley / Wall Street Journal:

The Chicago Expulsion Act of 2011 — Windy City pols are bankrupting Illinois with bailouts for their hometown. Now downstate legislators are fighting back. — 'Why would anyone want to live in Illinois? " So muses Curt Wooters, who works for the state and helps his dad run …

Discussion: americanthinker.com and Instapundit

Martin Newman / Mirror.co.uk:

Bollywood actress Veena Malik reported missing after nude FHM photo scandal — Veena Malik — There were fears today for the wellbeing of Bollywood actress Veena Malik after she was reported missing by her manager. — The controversial Pakistani model and actress …

Discussion: Scared Monkeys and The Other McCain

Blue Yeti / Ricochet Conversations Feed:

When Events Collide: An “Uncommon Knowledge” from July, 2002 with Hitchens and Gingrich — A few days ago as part of his remembrance of Christopher Hitchens, Rob posted an episode of Uncommon Knowledge from 1998 with Hitchens and William F. Buckley. Almost immediately …