Top Items:
Charles Krauthammer / Washington Post:
Losing Ugly — There's losing. There's losing honorably. And then there's John Edwards. — Mike Huckabee is not going to be president. The loss in South Carolina, one of the most highly evangelical states in the union, made that plain. With a ceiling of 14 percent among nonevangelical Republicans …
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Captain's Quarters, Betsy's Page, Blue Crab Boulevard, democracyarsenal.org, Fausta's blog and Redstate
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Zogby:
Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby Poll: Obama's Lead Shrinks in SC — Edwards continues to advance, nips at Clinton's heels — UTICA, NY - Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's lead over New York Sen. Hillary Clinton narrowed yet a little more in South Carolina with just two days to go before the primary …
Discussion:
TalkLeft, Marc Ambinder, Taegan Goddard's …, Open Left, Outside The Beltway, MyDD and TPM Election Central
E. J. Dionne Jr / Washington Post:
The Ideas Bill Forgot — It was a remarkable moment: A young, free-thinking presidential hopeful named Bill Clinton sat down with reporters and editors at The Post in October 1991 and started saying things most Democrats wouldn't allow to pass their lips. — Ronald Reagan, Clinton said, deserved credit for winning the Cold War.
Discussion:
Power Line, TalkLeft, Democratic Strategist, Ben Smith's Blogs, Commentary, Sister Toldjah, Betsy's Page and TIME: Swampland
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Peggy Noonan / Wall Street Journal:
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do — We begin, as one always must now, again, with Bill Clinton. The past week he has traveled South Carolina, leaving discord in his wake. Barack Obama, that “fairytale,” is low, sneaky. “He put out a hit job on me." The press is cruelly carrying Mr. Obama's counter-jabs.
New York Times:
Primary Choices: John McCain — We have strong disagreements with all the Republicans running for president. The leading candidates have no plan for getting American troops out of Iraq. They are too wedded to discredited economic theories and unwilling even now to break with the legacy of President Bush.
Discussion:
TPMmuckraker, The Jawa Report, DownWithTyranny!, The Trail, Macsmind, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, IMAO.US, NY Daily News, The Corner, The Campaign Spot, The Politico, MSNBC, Pam's House Blend, The Strata-Sphere, TownHall Blog, Shakespeare's Sister, NewsBusters.org, Hot Air, Pat Dollard, Time, Gateway Pundit, The Huffington Post, LewRockwell.com Blog, Truthdig, Washington Wire, Roger L. Simon, Commentary, Riehl World View, Flopping Aces, TalkLeft, American Power and FOX Embeds
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New York Times:
Primary Choices: Hillary Clinton — This generally is the stage of a campaign when Democrats have to work hard to get excited about whichever candidate seems most likely to outlast an uninspiring pack. That is not remotely the case this year. — The early primaries produced …
Discussion:
Norwegianity, The Politico, QandO, Gawker, URGENT AGENDA, Prairie Weather, You Decide 08!, RADAR, The Plank, NO QUARTER, TalkLeft, Buck Naked Politics, The Democratic Daily, Daily Kos, The American Scene, The Peking Duck, Boston Globe, MyDD, Ed Driscoll.com, The Swamp, Ben Smith's Blogs, American Power, TPM Election Central and Hotline On Call
The Hill:
Weldon will not seek reelection — Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.) announced Friday that he will retire from Congress at the end of this session, citing a desire to return to his medical practice. — “I want to thank my wife Nancy and my kids for all the support over these many years …
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Josh Kraushaar / The Crypt's Blogs:
Weldon won't be seeking re-election — Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.) will be announcing his retirement today, according to a GOP operative, becoming the 25th House Republican not to run for re-election this election cycle. — Weldon, a physician, was elected in the Republican wave of 1994 …
Discussion:
Think Progress
Patrick Healy / New York Times:
Clinton's Campaign Sees Value in Keeping Former President in Attack Mode — ANDERSON, S.C. — Advisers to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton say they have concluded that Bill Clinton's aggressive politicking against Senator Barack Obama is resonating with voters, and they intend to keep …
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Nitya / Political Radar:
Obama: Clinton ‘Knives’ Came Out After Iowa
Obama: Clinton ‘Knives’ Came Out After Iowa
Discussion:
TPM Election Central
Pew Research Center:
An Even More Partisan Agenda for 2008 — Election-Year Economic Ratings Lowest Since '92 — Summary of Findings — With the economy slowing and the stock market reeling, there is greater agreement among Republicans and Democrats that strengthening the nation's economy should be a top priority …
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John Amato / Crooks and Liars:
Was that a whisper in Romney's Ear? — What's a debate without a little blogging fun? During the GOP Presidential Debate on MSNBC, a very curious thing happened during a Tim Russert question to Mitt Romney. You can hear what seemed like an on air-whispered answer directed at Romney …
The Fact Hub:
Fact Sheet: Tony Rezko — Today, NBC aired an undated photo of Hillary and Bill Clinton taken with Tony Rezko and tried to compare that picture to Sen. Obama's 17-year relationship with the indicted influence peddler. Over the course of her career, Hillary has probably taken tens of thousands of photos.
Associated Press:
Christian author has problem with conservatives — ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — Donald Miller still loves God and Jesus. Don't misunderstand him. — His problem is with Christianity, at least how it's often practiced. — “It's a dangerous term so I try to avoid it,” said Miller …
Discussion:
Pam's House Blend
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
YEP, HE SAID IT — Seems McCain did say that. — Here's the video to refresh your memory ... TPM Reader BY just sent in this clip from the Boston Globe ... I guess it was too much to ask to have Russert crash and burn on this one. — Russert's quote was: “I know a lot less …
Michael Mandel / Business Week:
How Real Was the Prosperity? — We're just beginning to figure out how much of the nation's recent growth was the result of a credit-induced frenzy. Here are some guideposts — Mark it down. Clear the slate. Get it all behind us. That's what the big banks are trying to do now.
Eric Lichtblau / New York Times:
In Senate, a White House Victory on Eavesdropping — WASHINGTON — A White House plan to broaden the National Security Agency's wiretapping powers won a key procedural victory in the Senate on Thursday, as backers defeated a more restrictive plan by Senate Democrats that would have imposed more court oversight on government spying.
Discussion:
TPMmuckraker, The Swamp, Commentary, Washington Post, The Strata-Sphere, American Street and The Huffington Post