memeorandum: INITIAL POST-DEBATE TAKE...OBAMA IS THE FOCUS (Chuck Todd/MSNBC)

3:30 AM ET, January 22, 2008

Top Items:

The Clinton-Obama exchange — CNN is providing transcript, and the full transcript of their first exchange is after the jump. — It began with this line from Obama, on his taxing and spending plans: “What she said wasn't true." — MODERATOR: She says that the new programs that she proposes she essentially

Discussion: The Daily Dish, The RBC, TalkLeft, The Democratic Daily, Spin Cycle, Taylor Marsh, QandO, Liberal Values, the talking dog and Shakespeare's Sister

Ben Smith / The Politico:

Bill Clinton jabs playing well with voters — So maybe Bill Clinton isn't quite so far off-message as we had assumed. — After two weeks of reports on the former president's temper, the former first lady's supposed inability to keep him on script, and the ostensibly dire impact on his legacy …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, New York Times, Guardian, The Trail, Houston's Clear Thinkers, Pat Dollard, American Power, The Belmont Club, Taylor Marsh and The Democratic Daily

Chuck Todd / MSNBC:

INITIAL POST-DEBATE TAKE...OBAMA IS THE FOCUS — From NBC's Chuck Todd — This was easily the most heated debate to date. The candidates, particularly Obama and Clinton were, well, angry and it got personal. Obama, in particular, seemed to have a lot he wanted to get off his chest.

Discussion: Vodkapundit, New York Daily News Blogs and Open Left

Leroy Chapman Jr / The State:
Obama: Is national media correcting inaccuracies?

Discussion: MSNBC, Political Punch, TPM Election Central and The Democratic Daily

Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:
Hillary Adviser Wolfson: Obama's Claim That Bill Is Fibbing Is A …

Discussion: Ross Douthat, The Corner, The Fix, The Trail, Liberal Values, American Prospect, The Moderate Voice, The Carpetbagger Report, Wonkette, Watching Those We Chose, Prairie Weather, Matthew Yglesias, Open Left, D-Day and Spin Cycle

Larry Margasak / Associated Press:
Obama calls Bill Clinton untruthful

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, Washington Wire and Weekly Standard

Aaron Gould Sheinin / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Atlanta mayor takes political shot at Bill Clinton

Discussion: CNN, Political Radar, Captain's Quarters, The Daily Whim, The Trail, Los Angeles Times, The Page and Riehl World View

CNN:

CNN readers respond angrily to ‘race or gender’ story — (CNN) — Within minutes of posting a story on CNN's homepage called “Gender or race: Black women voters face tough choices in South Carolina,” readers reacted quickly and angrily. — Many took umbrage at the story's suggestion …

Discussion: GINA COBB, michellemalkin.com, Wonkette, Macsmind, Media Blog and Althouse

CNN:

Clinton-Obama barbs dominate S.C. debate — MYRTLE BEACH, South Carolina (CNN) — Discussions about proposals on the economy and health care were overshadowed by heated exchanges between rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama during Monday night's Democratic debate.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, The Caucus, Yahoo! News, TigerHawk, MyDD, Lonewacko, Gateway Pundit and Riehl World View

New York Times:

Obama and Clinton Tangle at Debate — In the most intense and personal exchange of the presidential campaign, Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama assailed each other's integrity and voting records during a televised debate on Monday in South Carolina, the site of a critical primary in five days.

Discussion: The Fix, The Politico, Los Angeles Times, Spin Cycle and Liberal Values

Randi Kaye / CNN:
Gender or race: Black women voters face tough choices in S.C.

Discussion: Say Anything, Samizdata.net, Preemptive Karma and Vodkapundit

Rick Klein / Political Radar: Live-Blogging from Democratic Debate by Rick Klein

Scott Conroy / CBS News:

“Who Let The Dogs Out?" Mitt Romney Wants To Know — From CBS News' Scott Conroy: — JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA — Mitt Romney was greeted warmly by a largely African-American crowd at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Parade in Jacksonville. He shook hands with several dozen parade-goers and even hugged a few of them.

Discussion: Hullabaloo, Wonkette, The Right's Field, The Garlic and Jonathan Martin's Blogs

Shushannah Walshe / FOX Embeds:

Romney: Who Let the Dogs Out? — Governor Romney paid tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. when speaking to a group of employees at Gate Petroleum today and then shook hands and posed for photos with African-American families at a parade. — The presidential hopeful met a friendly crowd at the Martin Luther King, Jr. parade here.

Discussion: Hot Air, protein wisdom, NewsBusters.org, Crunchy Con, The Caucus and Slog

Nicole Belle / Crooks and Liars:
Martin Luther King III to John Edwards: I challenge all candidates …

Discussion: John Edwards for President

Rasmussen Reports:

Election 2008: New York Republican Presidential Primary — New York: McCain 26% Giuliani 20% Romney 13% — When Rudy Giuliani and his campaign team came up with the strategy to skip the early states and wait until Florida before entering the fray, they probably never expected to be trailing in New York State.

Discussion: Rasmussen Reports and Don Surber

David Brooks / New York Times:
The Voters Revolt — The Reagan administration had its pragmatists …

Discussion: Wall Street Journal and Eunomia

Zogby:
Zogby New York Poll: McCain Leads Rudy in Giuliani's Home State

Discussion: Marist Poll

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS — It's hard for me to think of much good from this debate. If you view debates like a boxing match, I guess it was lively and perhaps entertaining, in the sense that a good boxing match can be, though the fighting was more intense than well executed.

Discussion: The Daily Dish and Middle Earth Journal

New York Post:

BILL HAS A ‘DREAM’ — EX PREZ NODS OFF DURING MLK AWARD PRESENTATION — Bill Clinton showed yesterday why he made it into the book “The Art of Napping." — During an appearance at the Convent Avenue Baptist Church in Harlem, the former president was caught nodding off.

Discussion: Sister Toldjah, Pirate's Cove, The Jawa Report, Blue Crab Boulevard, Sweetness & Light, Gateway Pundit and The Colossus of Rhodey

Hugh Hewitt / Townhall.com:

McCain's Straight Talk For Florida: There Are Some Homes That Won't Be Coming Back — Taking a page from his Michigan strategy, John McCain lets Florida homeowners know he won't be there for them the next time an Andrew comes ashore: … UPDATE: — Politico's Jonathan Martin adds on the insurance issue:

Discussion: Naked Politics, Jonathan Martin's Blogs, Ankle Biting Pundits and Punditry

Liz Sidoti / Associated Press: McCain Woos Cuban Vote

Michelle Malkin:

SC Democrat debate: Punch, Judy, and Silky; Update: Squabbling, mud-slinging, the gloves are off! — Update 10:55pm Eastern. I agree with every word of this: … As I noted below, Hillary's answer to the question about whether she wants to end the war or win it (she channeled Cindy Sheehan's …

Discussion: TownHall Blog, Hot Air, Riehl World View, FOX Embeds, UrbanGrounds, TVNewser and Sister Toldjah

Kevin Drum / Washington Monthly:

THE FED-UP FEMALE....Reader Mary S. emails to echo something that I've heard from more than a few women:

Discussion: Corrente and The Democratic Daily

usmc.mil:

Scarlett Johansson boosts morale in Kuwait — If anyone has wondered what can make a battle hardened Marine act like a love-struck high-schooler, the answer is simple—a meet and greet with Scarlett Johansson. — The 23-year-old bombshell met with nearly 600 service members at Camp Buehring …

Discussion: The Jawa Report, Cliff Schecter, Op For, Captain's Quarters, The Reaction and NY Daily News

Ben Pershing / Capitol Briefing:

Despite Blog Support, Flake Bid a Long-shot — Every so often, the liberal or conservative blogospheres will get excited and mobilized to make something happen that probably never will. Such is the case with the growing movement to get Arizona Rep. Jeff Flake (R) onto the House Appropriations Committee.

Discussion: Daily Pundit