Top Items:
Zogby:
Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby Poll: McCain Lead Widens As Primary Election Day Dawns in Florida — Giuliani, Huckabee tied in battle for distant third place — UTICA, New York - Arizona Sen. John McCain's lead over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is growing wider as the Republican campaign ends …
Discussion:
MiamiHerald.com, Firedoglake, Pajamas Media, The Moderate Voice, MyDD, Outside The Beltway and Taegan Goddard's …
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Sam Stein / The Huffington Post:
McCain Accused Of Gay Baiting In Anti-Romney Attack — On the eve of the Florida Republican primary, Sen. John McCain launched a robo-call campaign attacking his rival Mitt Romney that some gay rights groups say amounts to gay baiting. — The call, which comes at the end of a hotly contested election …
Discussion:
Marc Ambinder
Kathryn Jean Lopez / The Corner:
Final Morning of Florida Polls — American Research Group released their latest Florida tracking survey this morning. The poll sampled 600 likely Republican primary voters from January 27-28 and has a MoE of +/- 4%. — Gov. Romney is statistically tied for the lead with 34%.
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Clinton, Obama steal Bush's final show — All eyes were on Democratic presidential frontrunners Sens. Barack Obama (Ill.) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) Monday night as spectators and pundits followed their every move during President Bush's final State of the Union address.
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David Brooks / New York Times:
The Kennedy Mystique — Something fundamental has shifted in the Democratic Party. — Last week there was the widespread revulsion at the Clintons' toxic attempts to ghettoize Barack Obama. In private and occasionally in public, leading Democrats lost patience with the hyperpartisan style of politics …
Los Angeles Times:
Kennedys for Clinton — She stands for Democrats and for the nation, these family members say. — This is a wonderful year for Democrats. Our party is blessed with the most impressive array of primary candidates in modern history. All would make superb presidents.
Carl Hulse / New York Times:
For Democrats, a Gleeful State of the Union — WASHINGTON — Democrats never seemed so elated about the prospect of a major speech by President Bush. Or of having it finished. — “I think everybody is ready to turn the page,” said Representative Mark Udall, Democratic of Colorado …
New Hampshire Union Leader:
Hillary's word: It's worth nothing — COURTING VOTERS in Iowa and New Hampshire, last August Sen. Hillary Clinton signed a pledge not to “campaign or participate” in the Michigan or Florida Democratic primaries. She participated in both primaries and is campaigning in Florida.
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Marc Ambinder:
Tonight: Clinton Parties In Florida — Note: polls close in Florida at 7...and 8. This event begins at 7. — Will this really help her? She is going to be overshadowed tonight by the GOP contest. This is would be like the New England Patiots celebrating a pre-season victory. Weird.
Washington Post / The Trail:
Richardson's Choice — SANTA FE, N.M. — Gov. Bill Richardson's phone has been ringing off the hook. Sen. Hillary Clinton called Sunday night. That was followed by a call from former president Bill Clinton, then a call from Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, who's supporting Clinton.
Discussion:
The New Republic, New York Times, Comments from Left Field, Donklephant, The Caucus, Balloon Juice, Slog and TPM Election Central
Dana Goldstein / American Prospect:
DISAPPOINTING SEBELIUS. — The Internet Gods chose last night, smack in the middle of the State of the Union, to crash the Prospect site, so please excuse our lack of live commentary on the speech. I had been excited about Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' official Democratic rejoinder, but her speech left me cold.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly
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Anne Applebaum / Slate:
Where Did All Those Gorgeous Russians Come From? — THE SAME PLACE AS THE UNGLAMOROUS ASSEMBLY-LINE WORKERS. — There was a particular historical moment, round about 1995 or so, when anyone entering a well-appointed drawing room, dining room, or restaurant in London was sure to encounter a beautiful Russian woman.
Carpetbagger / The Carpetbagger Report:
‘Pell Grants for Kids’ = Vouchers — In 2001, when the White House decided it would work with congressional Dems on No Child Left Behind legislation, Dems made one thing perfectly clear: no vouchers. Plenty of ideas were on the table, but there was simply no way Dems would support …
Chicago Tribune:
Cash to fugitive's family — Some of the $3.5 million went to pay off certain Rezko debts, while $20,000 went to the family of Alber Najjar, who also had extensive connections with Rezko's food companies but became a federal fugitive in 2004 when he fled to Lebanon following his indictment on bookmaking charges, prosecutors said.
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, Norwegianity, Taylor Marsh, The Huffington Post, The Trail, TPM Election Central, Associated Press, Wonkette and The Politico
Confederate Yankee:
Media Still Trying to Martyr Obama — We've covered this ground before. For reasons they will not openly disclose, media worldwide are hooked on the possibility that Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama will be assassinated. — As noted by Mark Finkelstein this morning on Newsbusters …
NOW-NYS, National Organization for Women …:
Search Site With — Women have just experienced the ultimate betrayal. Senator Kennedy's endorsement of Hillary Clinton's opponent in the Democratic presidential primary campaign has really hit women hard. Women have forgiven Kennedy, stuck up for him, stood by him …
Rich Lowry / The Corner:
Robert Kagan on the McCain/Romney Surge Controversy — Robert Kagan, a McCain advisor, writes in response to this post:
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Commentary