memeorandum: McCain beats Romney to win Fla. primary (Associated Press)

8:30 AM ET, January 30, 2008

Top Items:

Krooney / The Page:

THE “STOP ROMNEY” COALITION — Giuliani to endorse McCain Wednesday in California — Now that the Sunshine has set, two old friends come to an understanding. — McCain topper Rick Davis quietly negotiated the agreement. — Giuliani, in Florida concession speech …

The Corner:

It's All Over — Assuming there is no shocking revelation or health issue, the GOP nomination is over. Conservatives need to start practicing the phrase “Nominee presumptive John McCa....." — Sorry, I can't say it. Not yet. — But it's true. When the campaign comes here to Massachusetts …

Discussion: Commentary, Right Wing News, michellemalkin.com, Jules Crittenden, NW Republican, The Daily Dish, Crooked Timber, PoliGazette, No More Mister Nice Blog, alicublog, Matthew Yglesias, Babalu Blog and Viking Pundit

New York Times:

For Giuliani, a Dizzying Free-Fall — As Rudolph W. Giuliani ponders his political mortality, many observers point to the hubris and strategic miscalculations that plagued his campaign.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Political Radar, Los Angeles Times, TalkLeft, NY Daily News, LiberalOasis, Liberal Values, American Power, The Anonymous Liberal and Roger Ailes

MSNBC:

NBC: Giuliani to endorse McCain — Former New York City mayor prepares exit after distant third in Florida — ORLANDO, Fla. - Rudy Giuliani, who bet his presidential hopes on Florida only to come in third, prepared to quit the race Tuesday and endorse his friendliest rival, John McCain.

Discussion: Shakespeare's Sister

John Hood / The Corner:

The Huck Factor — Looking at the exits, it seems clear to me that if John McCain edges Mitt Romney tonight, it will be because of the effect of Mike Huckabee splitting the base conservative vote with Romney. You can see it on the abortion questions, the church-going questions, and others.

Discussion: HorseRaceBlog

Associated Press:

McCain beats Romney to win Fla. primary — MIAMI - Sen. John McCain won a breakthrough triumph in the Florida primary Tuesday night, seizing the upper hand in the Republican presidential race ahead of next week's coast-to-coast contests and lining up a quick endorsement from soon-to-be dropout Rudy Giuliani.

Discussion: Outside The Beltway, Pantagraph, theneweditor.com and The Moderate Voice

John Podhoretz / Commentary:
Ridiculous Early Analysis

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and Weekly Standard

Sara Just / Political Radar:
Giuliani to Drop Out, Endorse McCain

Discussion: TPM Election Central, Attytood, Gristmill, Gateway Pundit and Outside The Beltway

New York Times:
McCain Defeats Romney in Florida Vote

Discussion: The Swamp and RADAMISTO

Washington Post:
After Romney's Barrage, McCain Stands Tall

Discussion: The Corner

Associated Press:
McCain Beats Romney in Florida GOP Race

Discussion: Redstate and Donklephant

Mark Finelli / Newsweek: Coming Home — A Marine and 9/11 survivor on his journey back to John McCain.

Associated Press:
Romney vows to carry on campaign

Discussion: American Street and AMERICAblog

Rudy Giuliani / CNN:
Sources: Giuliani will endorse McCain

Discussion: Daimnation!

CNN:
Exit polls: Conservatives choose Romney over McCain

Discussion: You Decide 08!, New York Times, The Carpetbagger Report, Captain's Quarters, The Politico, The Swamp, DownWithTyranny! and RADAMISTO

Washington Post:
McCain Beats Romney in Florida

Discussion: About.com US Conservative … and Wall Street Journal

Ed Morrissey / Captain's Quarters:

On Closed Primaries — A number of commenters in my threads from Florida's primary seem confused about what a closed primary means, and what its limits are. Michelle Malkin and Flip Pidot also blogged about this overnight, but miss the point of exit polling showing voter inclinations and not actual registration.

HillaryClinton.com:

MEMO: A Significant Victory in Florida — Hillary Clinton won a significant victory today in the Florida primary with the biggest turnout in Florida Democratic primary history. She will end up with more votes than John McCain, the winner of the Republican primary.

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, The Fix, Ben Smith's Blogs, The Democratic Daily, Donklephant, Democratic Strategist, TalkLeft and New Hampshire Union Leader

Frank James / The Swamp:
Clinton ‘wins’ Florida Democratic primary

Discussion: New York Times, The Reaction and The Democratic Daily

Eric Boehlert / Media Matters for America:

Fox News is in for a very rough 2008 — My guess is that Fox News guru Roger Ailes has been reaching for the Tums more often than usual early in the New Year, and there are lots of reasons for the hovering angst. — Let's take an extended multiple choice quiz.

Discussion: Outside The Beltway

Danny / Beltway Blogroll:

All Good Blogs Must Come To An End — OK, ya'll get to decide whether Beltway Blogroll has been a good blog, but it is coming to an end. — My tenure at National Journal ends tomorrow with the final issue of Technology Daily, where I served as the managing editor for six years …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters and Tapscott's Copy Desk

Ramesh Ponnuru / The Corner:

How McCain Won — Rich, you may recall that we talked about McCain's chances in early December. I said that he could still win the nomination, but that if he did, we wouldn't be saying, Wow, what a brilliant strategy. We'd be wondering just how the heck that happened.

Discussion: Vox Popoli and INSTAPUTZ

Donald Lambro / Washington Times:

Talk radio impugns McCain's liberal record — Conservative talk radio is ganging up on presidential candidate John McCain, attacking him for joining Democrats to push liberal legislation and opposing bedrock Republican positions from tax cuts to immigration.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, The Strata-Sphere, Time, Talking Points Memo and RADAMISTO

Faiz / Think Progress:

Scarborough: McCain's Platform Is ‘Less Jobs And More Wars’ — During the coverage of this evening's Florida primary results, MSNBC's Joe Scarborough discussed the impact of John McCain's victory with Pat Buchanan. The Republican establishment will rally around McCain and say “he's the guy …

Discussion: The Daily Dish, Firedoglake, Brilliant at Breakfast, Matthew Yglesias and democracyarsenal.org

Byron York / The Corner:

Re: Two-Americas Analysis — Kathryn - On this “two Americas” analysis of the Romney campaign versus the other candidates, the simple fact is that Romney's personal fortune has allowed him to avoid making some of the hard decisions that other campaigns had to make. Big TV buy here or stepped-up voter contact effort there?

Discussion: Cadillac Tight

Philip Shenon / New York Times:

Mukasey Offers View on Waterboarding — WASHINGTON — Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey said Tuesday that the harsh C.I.A. interrogation technique known as waterboarding was not clearly illegal, and suggested that it could be used against terrorism suspects once again if requested by the White House.

Discussion: The Politico, CNN, The Crone Speaks and At-Largely

Jim Kuhnhenn / Associated Press:

Obama Gives Away Money Tied to Donor — Barack Obama is giving to charity more than $70,000 in contributions linked to an indicted Chicago businessman whose past connections to the Democratic presidential candidate have created a distraction and raised questions about his judgment.

Discussion: Connecting.the.Dots