memeorandum: 'Hustler' Call May Have Prompted Vitter Admission (Justin Rood Reports/The Blotter)

6:30 PM ET, July 10, 2007

Top Items:

Top McCain Aides Quit Struggling Campaign — Republican presidential candidate John McCain accepted the resignations of two of his top aides today in a stunning shakeup of a campaign that has been roiled by financial and political problems. — Campaign manager Terry Nelson …

Discussion: Michael P.F. van der Galiën, Taylor Marsh, Outside The Beltway, The American Mind, About U.S. Politics, Done With Mirrors and Roger Ailes

The Atlantic Online:

The McCain Decimation: The Inside Story: UPDATED — From a half dozen Republicans close to the campaign here is, best I can tell, what happened: — Republicans close to Sen. John McCain said today that McCain was under "enormous pressure" by friends and advisers outside the campaign …

Discussion: Patrick Ruffini, Pollster.com, The Carpetbagger Report and AMERICAblog

The Atlantic Online:

More On McCain Campaign Decimation: UPDATE — One Republican directly connected to today's events said that Mark Salter, McCain's long-time chief of staff and co-author of his five books, had also left the campaign payroll. — But Salter will remain as an adviser.

Discussion: TIME: Swampland, USA Today, Hot Air, NewsBusters.org, JustOneMinute, Washington Monthly, The Corner, Washington Times, The Newshoggers, MyDD, Lonewacko and Macsmind

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:

Davis in charge as Nelson fired and Weaver and Salter quit — Rick Davis, who managed Sen. John McCain's 2000 presidential campaign but had a more limited role in this contest, will take the helm of the Arizonan's troubled candidacy, according to two McCain sources.

Discussion: CNN and CNN Political Ticker

The Fix:

Where McCain Stands Now — If you need to understand just how serious the damage is to Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) presidential campaign as a result of the resignations of two top strategists, you need only look at our earlier post on McCain's Inner Circle.

Discussion: Firedoglake and MoJoBlog

Liz Sidoti / Associated Press:
McCain shakes up staff

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, TIME and DownWithTyranny!

Liz Sidoti / Associated Press:
McCain suffers key staff shake-ups

Discussion: Captain's Quarters and Shakesville

Justin Rood Reports / The Blotter:

'Hustler' Call May Have Prompted Vitter Admission — Justin Rood Reports: — A call from Hustler magazine may have prompted a Louisiana Republican senator to expose his past with an escort service run by the so-called "D.C. Madam," the Blotter on ABCNews.com has learned.

Discussion: Washington Times, TPMmuckraker and Done With Mirrors

Shailagh Murray / Washington Post:

Senator's Number on 'Madam' Phone List — Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) apologized last night after his telephone number appeared in the phone records of the woman dubbed the "D.C. Madam," making him the first member of Congress to become ensnared in the high-profile case.

Glenn Greenwald / Salon:

Sen. David Vitter, a leading Christian social conservative — Republican Senator David Vitter of Louisiana was not merely a supporter of last year's proposed constitutional amendment to "protect the sanctity of traditional marriages" by amending our Constitution to ban same-sex marriages …

Discussion: Think Progress, The Sleuth, MSNBC, MoJoBlog, The Rude Pundit, Democratic National Committee, The Carpetbagger Report and TIME

CNN:
Senator sorry for 'serious sin' in 'Madam' case

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Hot Air, The Atlantic Online and The Debate Link

Chris Bowers / Open Left:

Bush Equals Nixon's Highest Disapproval — The Roper Center at the University of Connecticut is an excellent archive for poll junkies, featuring polling archives that go back much further than Polling Report (not that polling report isn't great). the coup de grace (I hope I spelled that right) …

Discussion: Think Progress, Democrats.com, Taylor Marsh, Norwegianity, The Carpetbagger Report and WorkingForChange

Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup Poll: Two in Three Say Bush Should Not Have Intervened in Libby Case

The Atlantic Online:
Libby Commutation: Grossly Unpopular

Discussion: Firedoglake

Susan Page / USA Today:
Anti-war views on Iraq rise to record

Discussion: Reuters, Gallup Poll, Salon, CNN, Pollster.com, The Politico, The Strata-Sphere, The Moderate Voice and Dick Polman's American Debate

The Hill:

Pelosi lines up Iraq votes — House Democrats are planning a series of votes this month on Iraq that they hope will ratchet up pressure on the White House and congressional Republicans to change course on the unpopular war or suffer political consequences. — Sensing that additional GOP …

Discussion: Election Central and Let Freedom Ring

Brent Budowsky / The Hill:
George Bush's Iraq Obsession: America Held Hostage

Discussion: DownWithTyranny! and TPMCafe blogs

Jesse Lee / The Gavel:

Oversight Hearing on the Office of the Surgeon General — The Oversight Committee is currently holding a hearing, "The Surgeon General's Vital Mission: Challenges for the Future." The hearing is focusing on the importance of the Surgeon General's Office, the need to preserve …

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, Universal Health, Hullabaloo and Committee on Oversight …

Amanda / Think Progress:
Former Surgeon General Was Muzzled, Censored By Bush Administration

Discussion: Reuters, New York Times and The Carpetbagger Report

MichaelMoore.com:

'SiCKO' Truth Squad Sets CNN Straight — DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN: "(Moore says) the United States slipped to number 37 in the world's health care systems. It's true. ... Moore brings a group of patients, including 9/11 workers, to Cuba and marvels at their free treatment and quality of care.

Discussion: Left in the West, WTF Is It Now??, Crooks and Liars, CANNONFIRE, Left I on the News, The Carpetbagger Report, KnoxViews, Daily Kos, Blah3, The Raw Story and Rising Hegemon

365gay.com:

Presidential Candidates In First Ever Gay Debate — (Los Angeles, California) For the first time the leading candidates for the presidency will hold a televised debate devoted solely to LGBT issues. — The one-hour event will be held on August 9 and broadcast on gay network LOGO at 9:00 pm ET …

Discussion: Blogs for Bush and Gawker

John Solomon / Washington Post:

Gonzales Was Told of FBI Violations — After Bureau Sent Reports, Attorney General Said He Knew of No Wrongdoing — As he sought to renew the USA Patriot Act two years ago, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales assured lawmakers that the FBI had not abused its potent new terrorism-fighting powers.

Discussion: Firedoglake, TPMmuckraker, The American Mind, The Mahablog, Wonkette, AMERICAblog, The Next Hurrah, PoliBlog (TM), Reason Magazine, Daily Kos, New Pairodimes, The Carpetbagger Report, Obsidian Wings, MoJoBlog, cab drollery, Think Progress, Mercury Rising and Democratic National Committee

NY Daily News:

This is not our fight — Congress must end U.S. role in a civil war nobody voted for — On Oct. 11, 2002, the Senate gave President Bush authority to use force against Iraq. Nearly five years later, it is time for Congress to say enough is enough. — The American people have waited long enough for progress in Iraq.

Discussion: Redstate, Weekly Standard, National Review Online and Let Freedom Ring

gaynewswatch.com:

Richardson sorry for 'maricón' moment — BUZZ — Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Richardson apologized this week for using a Spanish-language slur for gay people, even as he suggested it smacked of politics that news of his "maricón" moment is surfacing now, more than a year later.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Pam's House Blend and The Atlantic Online