memeorandum: Words and Things (Matthew Yglesias)

3:30 PM ET, January 7, 2008

Top Items:

TALK OF HILLARY EXIT ENGULFS CAMPAIGNS — Facing a double-digit defeat in New Hampshire, a sudden collapse in national polls and an expected fund-raising drought, Senator Hillary Clinton is preparing for a tough decision: Does she get out of the race? And when?!

Ben Smith / The Politico:

Clinton fights back tears: 'It's not easy' — Exhausted and facing the prospect of losing the second test of her primary campaign, Hillary Rodham Clinton fought back tears as her voice broke at the close of a sedate event in a Portsmouth coffee shop. — She expressed the sheer difficulty …

Discussion: The New Republic, Blogs of War, Liberty Pundit and Blue Crab Boulevard

Robert Shrum / NY Daily News:

Sen. Clinton's massive mistake - and the final chance to fix it — Be Our Guest — If (although I strongly suspect the right word is “when") Hillary Clinton loses tomorrow's New Hampshire primary, there will be a few proto-obituaries for her campaign and many more stories about how it will be “shaken up” or “relaunched.”

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Trail, The Democratic Daily, HazZzMat, Liberal Values, Riehl World View, Outside The Beltway, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and Blue Crab Boulevard

Jennifer Parker / Political Radar:

Clinton Gets Emotional on Campaign Trail — ABC News' Kate Snow Reports: Campaigning in New Hampshire one day before the first-in-the-nation primary, Senator Hillary Clinton got emotional and had tears in her eyes as she spoke with voters about how hard it is to balance a busy campaign life and her passion for the country's future.

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, The Swamp, Power Line, TalkLeft, michellemalkin.com, Outside The Beltway, QandO and On Deadline

Zogby:

Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby New Hampshire Tracking Poll: Big “Mo-bama” Grabs Dems in Granite State; McCain Regains Lead Over Romney in GOP Battle — UTICA, New York - Democrat Barack Obama's dramatic post-Iowa momentum has come to full bloom in the Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby New Hampshire daily tracking poll …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and TPM Election Central

WSJ.com:

Emotional Moment for Clinton in N.H. — Amy Chozick reports on the presidential campaign from Portsmouth, N.H. — Speaking to an intimate group of undecided voters this morning at a cafe in Portsmouth, N.H., Sen. Hillary Clinton showed a rare emotional side.

Discussion: The Caucus, Talking Points Memo, Spin Cycle, Hot Air, Oliver Willis, Attytood, L.A. Times, Taylor Marsh, New York Magazine and Tammy Bruce

Ernie Paicopolos / Fox News:
FOX News Poll: McCain Makes Late Surge In New Hampshire—Takes Top Spot

Discussion: Pollster.com

The Politico:
Romney dials down expectations hard

Discussion: TIME: Swampland, The Hill, Hot Air, Captain's Quarters, TBogg, Brainster's Blog, UNCoRRELATED and GreenMountainPolitics1

Mark Leibovich / New York Times:
In New Hampshire, Bill Clinton Finds Less Spark

Discussion: Times of London, The Swamp, Salon, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Corner, New York Post, The Moderate Voice, Washington Times, TIME, Political Machine, Betsy's Page, Blue Crab Boulevard, Captain's Quarters and Wake up America

Dan / Riehl World View:
A Drudge Intrigue: Is Hillary Dropping Out?

Discussion: The Caucus

The Anchoress:
Will 2008 finish what 1968 began?

Discussion: Macsmind and Associated Press

Roger Simon / The Politico:
Can you win on dull? — NASHUA, N.H. — Two candidates …

Discussion: Weekly Standard, JustOneMinute, CBS News and Publius Endures

Michelle Malkin:

Duncan Hunter to make an announcement; Update: He's staying in, blasts media “knuckleheads” — Update 2:38pm Eastern. Rep. Hunter is staying in the race. He blasted “knucklehead, arrogant” TV execs at ABC and Fox for excluding him from the presidential debates this weekend.

Discussion: TVNewser, Los Angeles Times, Ground Game, Say Anything, Hot Air and Wake up America

CNN:

Struggling GOP candidate to stay in the race — (CNN) - Underdog GOP presidential candidate Duncan Hunter lashed out at “knucklehead media executives” who did not include him in this weekend's New Hampshire primary debates, telling reporters he was staying in the race despite widespread expectations he would announce his withdrawal.

Discussion: The Campaign Spot

Ed Morrissey / Captain's Quarters: Hunter Out? — Michelle Malkin forwards a notice from the …

Andrew Gray / Reuters:

Iranians threatened U.S. ships in Hormuz: Pentagon — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Five Iranian boats made aggressive maneuvers and showed hostile intent towards three U.S. Navy ships at the weekend in the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil shipping route in the Gulf, the Pentagon said on Monday.

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, FP Passport, The Newshoggers, Associated Press, The Glittering Eye, Corrente, Booman Tribune, CALIFORNIA YANKEE, Unqualified Offerings and Washington Times

MSNBC:
U.S.: Iran boats harassed warships

Discussion: The Lede, The Belmont Club, Jules Crittenden and On Deadline

Barbara Starr / CNN:
U.S. Navy: We were ready to fire at Iranians

Discussion: New York Times, Hot Air, The Blotter, ThreatsWatch, The Raw Story, Jihad Watch and Blogs of War

Pauline Jelinek / Associated Press:
Pentagon says ships harassed by Iran

Discussion: Cold Fury

Michael O'Hanlon / Wall Street Journal:

Obama and Iraq — One of Sen. Barack Obama's many strengths is his ability to inspire beyond party lines. Because he lacks the baggage of the past, and because his melodic message of hope speaks to many, he garnered much more support from independents in Iowa than either Hillary Clinton or John Edwards.

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias, Commentary, JustOneMinute, toohotfortnr, democracyarsenal.org and Captain's Quarters

Martin Lewis / The Huffington Post:
Obama may be ready - but is AMERICA ready?

Discussion: TalkLeft

Matthew Yglesias: Words and Things

William Kristol / New York Times:

President Mike Huckabee? — MANCHESTER, N.H. — Thank you, Senator Obama. You've defeated Senator Clinton in Iowa. It looks as if you're about to beat her in New Hampshire. There will be no Clinton Restoration. A nation turns its grateful eyes to you.

Matthew Yglesias: The Electable Huckabee — The trouble with having Bill Kristol …

Greg Sargent / Horses Mouth:
Whoopsie! Kristol's First New York Times Column Attributes Quote To Wrong Author

Discussion: The Opinionator

Jane Hamsher / Firedoglake:

Ron Paul Supporters Confront Frank Luntz — It's always great when Fox News calls for civility. After excluding Ron Paul (who is, per some polls, in a statistical tie for third in the GOP New Hampshire primary) from the debate last night, Fox's official pollster Frank Luntz's feathers …

Discussion: New Haven Independent, Crooks and Liars, The Supreme Irony of Life and Cameron's Corner

The Corner: How Shameful — Ron Paul supporters harrassed Sean Hannity in Manchester last night.

Joseph Curl / Washington Times:

Obama gets beefed-up protection — MANCHESTER, N.H. — Secret Service presence has increased for Sen. Barack Obama since his dramatic win in Iowa, amid fears over the safety of the man seeking to become America's first black president. — The Illinois senator's security now rivals that of President Bush …

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Liberty Pundit, The Carpetbagger Report, The Radio Equalizer, On Deadline and MSNBC

Atrios / Eschaton:

Conservative Victims — From Red State. This is pretty hilarious even for them. … There's more, but you get the idea. It's the fault of liberals that they can't run their website because... hell I don't know.

Discussion: Firedoglake, Redstate, The Supreme Irony of Life and Angry Bear

Mark R. Levin / Human Events:

Man of the Year: Rush Limbaugh — Rush Limbaugh's detractors never learn. They've tried everything to come between Rush and his more than 20 million listeners, intending to destroy his appeal and impact. But it's a hopeless, almost laughable endeavor. They led boycotts against his advertisers …

Discussion: The Corner and Think Progress