memeorandum: Found in Translation — FBI whistleblower Sibel Edmonds spills her secrets. (Philip Giraldi/The American Conservative)

1:45 AM ET, January 23, 2008

Top Items:

Fred Thompson Quits Presidential Race — NAPLES, Fla. (AP) - Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson quit the Republican presidential race on Tuesday, after a string of poor finishes in early primary and caucus states. — “Today, I have withdrawn my candidacy for president of the United States.

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:

With Thompson Out, Who Benefits Most? — The decision by former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson to end his candidacy for the GOP presidential nomination removes a conservative voice from the field even as the remaining Republican candidates crisscross Florida in search of votes in advance of the state's Jan. 29 primary.

Discussion: Power Line, Examiner, Time, Eunomia, TownHall Blog and The Reaction

Carl Cameron / Cameron's Corner:

Now it can be told- The Thompson story — Back in March of 07 at the CPAC convention in DC several former Fred Thompson Congressional staffers told me Fred Thompson was thinking about a run. Some of his Tennessee cronies had been talking him up too. — I reported first that he was eyeing a White House bid.

Discussion: New York Post, Hot Air, Riehl World View and Macsmind

Marc Ambinder:

Thompson Decides To Drop Out — Ex-Sen. Fred Thompson has told several Republicans that he has decided to drop out of the presidential race and will make public his intentions by close of business. — Thompson does not plan to endorse any rivals for now, even though one of his best friends is Sen. John McCain.

Discussion: The Campaign Spot, Hot Air, Captain's Quarters, American Power, QandO, protein wisdom, Balloon Juice, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, GreenMountainPolitics1 and Eunomia

Sewell Chan / City Room:

The Death of Heath Ledger — The actor Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday afternoon in an apartment in Manhattan, according to the New York City police. Signs pointed to a suicide or an accidental overdose, police sources said. Mr. Ledger was 28. [Now online: Comprehensive coverage prepared for Wednesday editions of The Times.]

CNN:

Actor Heath Ledger dies at 28 — NEW YORK (CNN) — Actor Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday of a possible drug overdose in a Lower Manhattan apartment, the New York Police Department said. — The Academy Award nominated actor was 28. — “Pills were found in the vicinity of the bed,” police spokesman Paul Browne told CNN.

Discussion: Sister Toldjah, The World Wide Rant, Alterdestiny, My Two Sense, The Democratic Daily, Shakespeare's Sister and New York Times

The State:

Obama most likely Democrat to unify America — THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY in South Carolina this year offers voters an unusual choice. Earlier votes have winnowed out the most experienced candidates, leaving a field with fewer accomplishments and differences on policy, but including two candidates …

Discussion: MyDD, The Palmetto Scoop, Political Radar, The Democratic Daily, PoliGazette and Boston Globe

Gabor Steingart / Spiegel Online:
The End of the Obama Revolution

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, The Moderate Voice, FRAMESHOP, The Democratic Daily, Washington Post and The Heretik

CNN:
Anti-Obama push-polling alleged in South Carolina

Discussion: Change of Subject, The Huffington Post, TPMmuckraker, Wonkette, D-Day and Ben Smith's Blogs

Eric Boehlert / Media Matters for America:

The blog swarm Chris Matthews never saw coming — “I get it." — Chris Matthews, January 17 — When Chris Matthews' long-winded monologue at the opening of the January 17 Hardball program eventually touched down with an apology to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) …

Discussion: Firedoglake

Digby / Hullabaloo:
Endorse This — I hate meta-bloggy discussions with a passion …

Discussion: Open Left, skippy the bush kangaroo and Hold Fast

Jane Hamsher / Firedoglake:

Senator Edwards, We Need You To Lead — John Edwards should challenge his rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to go back to Washington, DC and fight against retroactive immunity for the telecoms. — The Republicans are not going to let Reid punt and extend the Protect America Act …

Discussion: DC Download, Crooks and Liars, Sadly, No!, Hold Fast and The Seminal

Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
Will the Democratic presidential candidates adhere to their rhetoric?

Discussion: DownWithTyranny!

Eric Lichtblau / New York Times:
Democrats Try to Delay Eavesdropping Vote

Discussion: The Politico

Philip Giraldi / The American Conservative:

Found in Translation — FBI whistleblower Sibel Edmonds spills her secrets. — Most Americans have never heard of Sibel Edmonds, and if the U.S. government has its way, they never will. The former FBI translator turned whistleblower tells a chilling story of corruption at Washington's highest levels …

Discussion: The BRAD BLOG, The Belmont Club, The Huffington Post and At-Largely

Kevin Drum / Washington Monthly:

OBAMA vs. CLINTON....AGAIN....It's possible — likely, even — that everyone is tired of conversations about whether Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton would be more effective if they win the presidency. That's doubly true since it's essentially unknowable at this point.

Discussion: TalkLeft, Right Wing Nut House, D-Day, Donklephant and The Carpetbagger Report

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
Clinton's Key Strength

Discussion: Crunchy Con

The Brody File:

Barack Obama Talks to The Brody File — I just finished my sit-down interview with Sen. Barack Obama here in Greenville, S.C. We talked about everything from last night's debate, his troubles with Sen. Hillary Clinton and continuing Internet rumors that he's a Muslim.

Discussion: beliefnet, The Plank and Spin Cycle

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Obama: Muslim smear a “systematic political strategy”

Discussion: The Raw Story

John H. Cushman Jr / New York Times:

Web Site Assembles U.S. Prewar Claims — WASHINGTON — Students of how the Bush administration led the nation into the Iraq war can now go online to browse a comprehensive database of top officials' statements before the invasion, connecting the dots between hundreds of claims …

Discussion: RADAMISTO and Pressing Issues

Associated Press:
Study: False statements preceded war

Discussion: Corrente

Jo Mannies / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

Gov. Blunt won't seek second term — Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, a Republican, just announced that he's not running for re-election this fall. — In a statement that shocked political leaders, in both parties, Blunt released a TV address “announcing that having achieved virtually everything …

Discussion: Fired Up! Missouri, DownWithTyranny!, Gateway Pundit, AMERICAblog and Swing State Project

Amanda / Think Progress:

Petraeus: I Need Another Six Months To Determine Whether 'We've Reached A Turning Point' — In the past few months, conservatives such as Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) have been quick to declare victory in Iraq. In November, McCain said that “we've succeeded militarily.”

Discussion: Firedoglake, The Carpetbagger Report, Daily Kos, Hullabaloo and Hot Air