Morning Round-Up 7-26

The telling of jokes is an art of its own, and it always rises from some emotional threat. The best jokes are dangerous, and dangerous because they are in some way truthful. –Kurt Vonnegut

Morning Headlines

Domestic

Associated Press

1. Defense to Give Closing in Manning-Wikileaks Case
2. Plea Deal Talks Underway in Ohio Kidnapping Case
3. Feds: Halliburton Agrees to Plead Guilty in Spill

Politico

1. Obama’s states of despair: 2010 losses still haunt
2. Fiscal Armageddon could remake battle for Congress
3. Obama vs. Texas 

Reuters

1. Four more women accuse San Diego mayor of sexual misconduct
2. Obamacare’s foot soldiers train to enroll the masses
3. Analysis: Detroit set to beat bad-faith charge over bankruptcy

Wall Street Journal

1. Surgeons Eyed Over Deals With Medical-Device Makers
2. Holder Targets Texas in New Voting-Rights Push
3. Up For Debate at Fed: A Sharper Easy-Money Message

Washington Post

1. White House hardens stance on budget cuts ahead of showdown
2. Anthony Weiner’s increasing irrelevance
3. Many Americans say Afghan war isn’t worth fighting

Washington Times

1. N.J. Gov. Chris Christie slams Sen. Rand Paul, calls libertarianism a ‘very dangerous thought’
2. Lincoln Memorial vandalized with green paint
3. Crisis in Kabul: Security at U.S. Embassy in disarray, diplomats at risk (7-25)

International

Associated Press

1. Ousted Egypt President Detained Over Hamas Contact
2. Pope Francis Urges Catholics to Shake Up Dioceses
3. Korean Divide Lives on 60 Years After End of War

Reuters

1. Egypt’s Mursi accused of murder, kidnapping before rallies
2. Tunisians stage street protests after opposition politician slain
3. China’s vice president urges North Korea’s Kim to enter talks

Wall Street Journal

1. Spanish Unemployment Drops for First Time in Two Years
2. U.S. Eases Bite of Penalties Against Iran
3. Tunisian Politician Assassinated, Sparking Protests

Washington Post

1. Pope to celebrate mass on Copacabana Beach
2. Honduran gangs offer peace from prison
3. China charges Bo Xilai with corruption

Top Conservative Stories of the Day:

The American Conservative

1. Manchester Heroes
2. The Cleveland Plan

The Blaze

1. Report: Feds Demand Major Internet Companies Turn Over User Passwords
2. SEC Tells Employees Their Personal Data Was ‘Inadvertently’ Transferred to Another Unnamed Gov’t Agency

Breitbart

1. Film: ‘Fast Terry’ McAuliffe Crushes Local Dreams (7-25)
2. San Diego Democratic Party Votes to Demand Bob Filner Resign From Office, Deciding Three Groped Women Wasn’t Enough But Seven Is Too Many (7-25)

The Daily Caller  

1. Sydney Leathers details Weiner’s declarations of love, shoe fetish (7-25)
2. FBI ignored warnings about Boston bombers’ radical mosque (7-25)

CNSNews.com

1. Boehner Non-Committal on Defunding Obamacare Mandate Through Must-Pass Bill (7-25)
2. House Refuses to Fund ‘Atheist Chaplains’ at Defense Department (7-25)

National Review

1. Stein’s Law
2. Progress in North Carolina

Washington Free Beacon

1. It’s Not the Economy
2. Al Qaeda Prison Break Increases Terrorist Threat to Region

Top Liberal Stories of the Day:

The Daily Beast

1. Don’t Leave the Mayor’s Race Yet, Anthony Weiner
2. Snowden Dispute Sparks Deeper Fallout in U.S.-Russia Relationship
3. Prince Harry Says He Is The Uncle For Fun

Huffington Post

1. Sequestration Will Prevent Creation of Up To 1.6 Million Jobs In Next Year, CBO Concludes (7-25)
2. Pelosi, Boehner Defend Votes To Maintain NSA Phone Snooping Program (7-25)

Talking Points Memo

1. An Obama-McCain Alliance: Two Bitter Rivals Team Up To Upend the Status Quo
2. And Now There’s Video 

ThinkProgress

      1. Virginia GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Abruptly Changes Immigration Stance