memeorandum: Woman calls Bush ‘bastard,’ Hillary Clinton smiles (Glenn Thrush/Chicago Tribune)

11:25 AM ET, February 4, 2008

Top Items:

Paul Steinhauser / CNN:

Poll: Obama erases Clinton's lead — WASHINGTON (CNN) — Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton is losing ground to Sen. Barack Obama in a national CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released on the eve of critical Super Tuesday presidential primaries and caucuses. — The two are virtually tied …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Firedoglake, Spin Cycle, The Carpetbagger Report, The Strata-Sphere, USA Today, CBS News and Talking Points Memo

Zogby:

Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby Poll: McCain on a Roll; Clinton, Obama Neck-and-Neck in Key Super Tuesday States — Pollster John Zogby: “The Mac Attack appears ready to launch on Super Tuesday. McCain's leads are commanding, except for in California where Romney leads in Southern California and among women, investors, and voters over 50.

Discussion: Reuters, Raising Kaine, TalkLeft, Buck Naked Politics, The RBC, ABCNEWS, Daily Kos, Gateway Pundit, Political Machine, politburo diktat 2.0, American Prospect and Riehl World View

Zogby:

Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby Poll: Ahead of Super Tuesday, McCain Dominates Everywhere Except California; Obama Enjoys a Super Sunday — UTICA, New York - Republican Arizona Sen. John McCain leads in three out of four key Super Tuesday states - winning more than 50% support in New York and New Jersey …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, Redstate, Pajamas Media, Commentary, Truthdig, Pensito Review and Raising Kaine

William Kristol / New York Times:

Dyspepsia on the Right — The prospect of John McCain as the likely Republican presidential nominee has produced a squall of anger on the right. Normally reserved columnists and usually ebullient talk-radio hosts vie to express their disgust with McCain, and their disdain for the Republicans who are about to nominate him.

Discussion: The Jawa Report, Macsmind, Don Surber, The Glittering Eye, The Other McCain, rubber hose, democracyarsenal.org, Bark Bark Woof Woof, American Power, Rox Populi, Weekly Standard, Blue Crab Boulevard and Daily Pundit

John Whitesides / Reuters:

Obama expands lead on Clinton in California — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama opened narrow leads on Hillary Clinton in California and Missouri one day before crucial “Super Tuesday” nominating contests in 24 states, according to a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll released on Monday.

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, The Trail, The Daily Dish, Hot Air, Open Left, TownHall Blog, Donklephant and Gateway Pundit

Paul Kane / Washington Post:

GOP Senators Reassess Views About McCain — His Old Foes Still Wary Of His Pugnacious Style — John McCain once testified under oath that a Senate colleague inappropriately used tobacco corporation donations to sway votes on legislation. He cursed out another colleague in front …

Discussion: TownHall Blog, The Carpetbagger Report, Betsy's Page, The Caucus and National Review

Wall Street Journal:

McCain and the Supreme Court — The conservative movement has made enormous gains over the past three decades in restoring constitutional government. The Roberts Supreme Court shows every sign of building on these gains. — Yet the gulf between Democratic and Republican approaches …

Discussion: Patterico's Pontifications and The American Mind

Real Clear Politics:

OBAMA CLOSES ON CLINTON IN NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY LIKELY VOTER POLLS FIND; McCAIN HAS BIG LEADS IN BOTH STATES — NEW YORK: Clinton 53 - Obama 39; McCain 54 - Romney 22 — NEW JERSEY: Clinton 48 - Obama 43; McCain 52 - Romney 30 — Illinois Sen. Barack Obama …

Michelle Malkin:
24 hours 'til Super Tuesday: Mitt-mentum?

Discussion: NewsBusters.org, Sister Toldjah and Power Line

Jeff Jacoby / Boston Globe:
A conservative's case for McCain

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, Jules Crittenden, The Corner, The New Editor, American Power and Classical Values

Jodi Kantor / New York Times:

In Democratic Families, Politics Makes for Estranged Bedfellows — Maria Shriver woke up Sunday morning and decided to surprise the audience at a rally for Barack Obama in Los Angeles, materializing alongside Oprah Winfrey and telling the crowd she was throwing her support behind Senator Obama …

Discussion: South, The Osterley Times, New York Sun, Wonkette and Outside The Beltway

Mark Z. Barabak / Los Angeles Times:
Maria Shriver endorses Obama

Discussion: Roger L. Simon, Tim Blair and Booman Tribune

Michelle Malkin:
All in the family: Politics and perspective

Discussion: Captain's Quarters

Erica Jong / Washington Post:

Hillary vs. the Patriarchy — “Look, the only people for Hillary Clinton are the Democratic establishment and white women,” said Bill Kristol yesterday on Fox News Sunday, one of the many “news” outlets to expose Kristol's reliable sexism. “The Democratic establishment would be crazy …

Discussion: Norwegianity and Greatscat!

Agence France Presse:

Quarter of Brits think Churchill was myth: poll — LONDON (AFP) - Britons are losing their grip on reality, according to a poll out Monday which showed that nearly a quarter think Winston Churchill was a myth while the majority reckon Sherlock Holmes was real.

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, Wizbang, GINA COBB and Outside The Beltway

Mark Steyn / The Corner:
Fictional Heroes — If I lived in contemporary Britain …

Discussion: Vox Popoli

Paul Krugman / New York Times:

Clinton, Obama, Insurance — The principal policy division between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama involves health care. It's a division that can seem technical and obscure — and I've read many assertions that only the most wonkish care about the fine print of their proposals.

Discussion: The Agonist, HillaryClinton.com, Taylor Marsh, Marginal Revolution, The Democratic Daily, Make Them Accountable, Tennessee Guerilla Women, Corrente, Liberal Values, The Crone Speaks, The Sideshow, The RBC, New York Post, RADAMISTO, NO QUARTER and Chronicle of the Conspiracy

Alice Dembner / Boston Globe:
Subsidized care plan's cost to double

Discussion: Megan McArdle, EconLog, Viking Pundit and Wizbang

Carol D. Leonnig / Washington Post:

HUD Chief Accused of Retaliation — Philadelphia Officials Sue After Land Dispute — Housing Secretary Alphonso Jackson demanded that the Philadelphia Housing Authority transfer a $2 million public property to a developer at a substantial discount, then retaliated against the housing authority …

Discussion: Think Progress, The Carpetbagger Report, PBD, cab drollery, Keystone Politics and At-Largely

Andrew Malcolm / Los Angeles Times:

Questioner calls Bush ‘the bastard,’ Hillary Clinton smiles — Over the weekend there was an as yet little-noticed incident in Bridgeton, Mo., just outside St. Louis. Sen. Hillary Clinton addressed a town hall meeting there and was taking questions from the audience.

Discussion: NewsBusters.org

Glenn Thrush / Chicago Tribune:
Woman calls Bush ‘bastard,’ Hillary Clinton smiles

Discussion: Hot Air

New York Times:

Leak on Cross-Border Chases From Iraq — WASHINGTON — American military forces in Iraq were authorized to pursue former members of Saddam Hussein's government and terrorists across Iraq's borders into Iran and Syria, according to a classified 2005 document that has been made public by an independent Web site.

Discussion: Commentary, Early Warning and Attytood

Matt / Think Progress:

McCain's stand up comedy routine. — During a campaign stop in Boston this morning, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) elicited very little laughter from his audience with a series of awkward jokes about his age, southern accents, and lawyers. Watch it: — What shouldn't be funny to this guys is the …