memeorandum: Democrats See Enthusiasm Gap in Their Favor (Carl Hulse/New York Times)

9:50 AM ET, January 12, 2008

Top Items:

Clintons Move to Tamp Down Criticism From Blacks About Recent Comments — WASHINGTON — The Clinton campaign moved Friday to try to quell a potentially damaging reaction to recent comments by Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton that have drawn criticism from African-Americans …

Discussion: The Politico, Political Machine, Outside The Beltway, Jules Crittenden, TPM Election Central, BizzyBlog, News Hounds, Macsmind and Connecting.the.Dots

Sam Roberts / New York Times:

Obama Giving Clinton a Race in Her Backyard — With Senator Barack Obama vowing to challenge Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on her home turf, the Democratic presidential primary in New York on Feb. 5 is shaping up as the state's most competitive since 1992, when Bill Clinton took up a rival's mantra …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters and Prairie Weather

Ronald Brownstein / NationalJournal.com:

The Road Ahead — This could go on for a while. — That was the overriding message from the dramatic comeback victories in the New Hampshire primary by Republican John McCain and Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton. — Combined with the outcomes of the Iowa caucuses, the New Hampshire results leave …

Discussion: Ross Douthat

CNN:
SC's Republican governor praises Obama candidacy

Discussion: All Spin Zone, THE LIBERAL JOURNAL and The Huffington Post

Kathleen Hennessey / Associated Press:
Obama vows to help struggling homeowners

Discussion: michellemalkin.com and Right Wing Nut House

Dan Balz / Washington Post:
Edwards Will Face a Moment of Truth After South Carolina Primary

Discussion: The Huffington Post

Navy Times:

‘Filipino Monkey’ may be behind radio threats, ship drivers say — The threatening radio transmission heard at the end of a video showing harassing maneuvers by Iranian patrol boats in the Strait of Hormuz may have come from a locally famous heckler known among ship drivers as the “Filipino Monkey.”

Discussion: SWJ Blog, New York Times, American Street, Emptywheel, CANNONFIRE, Middle Earth Journal, michellemalkin.com and Slate

In From the Cold:

What Happened in the Strait of Hormuz, Revisited — If you want to see the latest example of Bush Derangement Syndrome (DRS), look at the comments on today's Washington Post article that offers more details last weekend's naval encounter between U.S. and Iranian forces.

Discussion: Macsmind

Ed Morrissey / Captain's Quarters:

De-Baathification Reform Law Passes In Iraqi Parliament — Note: I'm leaving this post on top for the morning; newer posts are below. — Those who claim that the surge strategy in Iraq has paid no dividends because it hasn't met Congressional benchmarks may wish to skip to the next post.

Discussion: Associated Press

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal:

Drop in violence levels only first step in Iraq — Re: The Commentary page column “Top Story of 2007: The surge, the military, and the news media” by syndicated columnist Michelle Malkin (A-J, Dec. 30). — Bush's Asian-babe PR shill does it again, extolling the glories of the “surge.”

New York Times:

Bush and Congress Seen Pushing for Stimulus Plan — WASHINGTON — The Bush administration and Congressional leaders, increasingly concerned about a possible recession, are moving closer to agreeing that an economic stimulus package is needed soon, Washington officials said Friday.

Discussion: On Deadline, The Reaction and michellemalkin.com

Economist:
Up in the air — America wants change; it just can't work out what sort of change

Discussion: BAGnewsNotes and Times of London

Daniel Gross / Newsweek:
Mitt vs. Michigan

Discussion: Hot Air and MLive.com

Larry Kudlow / The Corner:
Are We All Democrats Now? — Peace and prosperity are age-old winning campaign issues.

Discussion: RADAMISTO and New York Times

Eric Kleefeld / TPM Election Central:

Clinton Aide: Obama Is For People Who Want “Imaginary Hip Black Friend” — An anonymous Clinton adviser made an interesting comment to The Guardian, explaining the difference between Hillary supporters and Obama supporters. — “If you have a social need, you're with Hillary,” the aide said.

Discussion: Atlas Shrugs, Oliver Willis, Guardian, Spin Cycle, Rox Populi, The Strata-Sphere and Too Sense

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
TAKING A DEEP BREATH

Discussion: Democrats.com, The Democratic Daily and Open Left

Paul Steinhauser / CNN:

Poll: McCain rockets to front-runner status — CNN Deputy Political Director — WASHINGTON (CNN) — John McCain's victory in Tuesday's New Hampshire primary appears to be paying off. — The senator from Arizona is the front-runner in the battle for the Republican presidential nomination …

Discussion: Outside The Beltway, American Power, PoliGazette, The Moderate Voice, Captain's Quarters, Macsmind, alicublog, Power Line, Political Machine, Boston Globe, Don Surber, Taegan Goddard's …, Pollster.com and Hot Air

Mark R. Levin / National Review:
The Real McCain Record

Discussion: TownHall Blog, THE LIBERAL JOURNAL, Flopping Aces, PoliGazette, PrestoPundit and Washington Post

Glenn Kessler / Washington Post:

Baghdad Embassy Is Called A Fire Risk — ‘Serious’ Problems Were Ignored, Says State Dept. Official — The firefighting system in the massive $736 million embassy complex in Baghdad has potential safety problems that top U.S. officials dismissed in their rush to declare construction largely completed …

Discussion: Prairie Weather

Robert Barnes / Washington Post:

Supreme Court to Review ‘Millionaires’ Amendment' — The Supreme Court announced yesterday that it will review the constitutionality of the so-called Millionaires' Amendment, which allows opponents of some self-funded congressional candidates to raise more money than federal law normally allows.

Rick Hasen / Election Law:
BREAKING NEWS: SUPREME COURT AGREES TO HEAR CAMPAIGN FINANCE CASE THIS TERM

Discussion: Betsy's Page

Washington Post:

Fears About Economy Increase — Debt Crisis Grows; Top Mortgage Firm Sold at a Bargain — Major banks and mortgage companies yesterday sharply accelerated an industry consolidation that is set to change the landscape of American lending, while a convergence of events exposed fresh worries about the U.S. economy.

Discussion: The Democratic Daily

Carl Hulse / New York Times:

Democrats See Enthusiasm Gap in Their Favor — It used to be the credibility gap that afflicted politicians. Now Republicans and Democrats are peering over the edge of the enthusiasm gap. — The term doesn't refer to the chasm between how politicians see themselves and their actual public standing.

Discussion: The Newshoggers and Prairie Weather

Associated Press:

When snow falls in Baghdad ... Well it did! Iraqi capital wakes up to first snowfall in memory — An Iraqi man and his child enjoy light snow fall in eastern Baghdad on Friday. — Snow falls in Baghdad — Jan. 11: It was a rare scene in Baghdad today as snow fell in the Iraqi capital.

Discussion: Jules Crittenden, Dr. Sanity and Blue Crab Boulevard