memeorandum: Kumbya Convo — Mary Matalin had some creative thinking … (Kathryn Jean Lopez/The Corner)

7:10 PM ET, February 6, 2008

Top Items:

Obama claims delegate lead — In a surprise twist after a chaotic Super Tuesday, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) passed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) in network tallies of the number of delegates the candidates racked up last night. — Clinton was portrayed in many news accounts …

The Politico:

Five reasons Hillary should be worried — Hillary Clinton survived a Super Tuesday scare. But there are five big reasons the former first lady should be spooked by the current trajectory of the campaign. — Longtime Clinton friends say she recognizes the peril in careening between near …

Discussion: Marc Ambinder, The Daily Dish, TIME, Redstate, The Rude Pundit, Prairie Weather, The Belmont Club and Viking Pundit

Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:

Obama Directly Attacks Bill's Presidency, Blames It For Massive Dem Losses — In what may be Obama's most direct and aggressive criticism of Bill Clinton's presidency yet, the Obama campaign dropped a new mailer just before Super Tuesday that blasts “the Clintons” for wreaking massive losses …

Discussion: TalkLeft, protein wisdom, Taylor Marsh, The Carpetbagger Report, The Newshoggers, Cogitamus, Oliver Willis, The Democratic Daily and The Raw Story

Hillary Clinton / CNN:

Obama, Clinton separated by 0.4 percent on Super Tuesday — NEW YORK (CNN) — Just how sharply are Democrats divided between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton? — Of all the votes cast on Super Tuesday for the two candidates nationwide, the two candidates are only separated by 0.4 of a percentage point.

Discussion: Washington Wire, The Newshoggers and Born at the Crest …

Brian Maloney / The Radio Equalizer:
Talk Radio Emerges As Real Super Tuesday Winner

Discussion: Accuracy in Media, New York Times and Think Progress

Mark Murray / MSNBC:
FIRST THOUGHTS: A DEM SPLIT DECISION

Discussion: Washington Post, Taegan Goddard's …, American Prospect, Open Left, The New Republic, Balkinization, RealClearPolitics, Democratic Strategist, NewsBusters.org and The Carpetbagger Report

Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:

Hillary Loaned Her Campaign $5 Million, Spokesperson Confirms — This morning, Mark Halperin floated an intriguing question: Are the Clintons financing Hillary's campaign with their own money? — Now the Clinton campaign has finally answered: Yes, they are. Hillary spokesperson Howard Wolfson sends over the following:

Discussion: TalkLeft, Reason Magazine, Firedoglake, D-Day and The Blue State

Marc Ambinder:

Clinton Weighs A Self-Loan To Finance Campaign — As first floated by The Page, I can confirm that, according to advisers to the campaign, Sen. Hillary Clinton is weighing a self-loan in order to finance a competitive race against Barack Obama over the next few weeks.

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blogs, The New Republic, MyDD, Salon, Open Left, politburo diktat 2.0, Donklephant, Political Radar and Hotline On Call

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:

Clinton loaned her campaign $5 million — Senator Hillary Clinton confirmed at a press conference in Virginia this afternoon that she'd loaned her campaign $5 million, and said, “The results last night proved the wisdom of my investment..” — Spokesman Howard Wolfson emailed with the news minutes earlier:

Discussion: The Swamp, The Field, The Corner, The Washington Note, Wonkette and Don Surber

Jeanne Cummings / The Politico:

Obama on pace to raise $30 mil in Feb — Barack Obama's campaign is on track to raise another $30 million in February, sources close to the Illinois senator say, while Hillary Rodham Clinton's spokesman revealed Wednesday that she had loaned her campaign $5 million.

Discussion: The Page and Political Radar

Krooney / The Page:
Page Exclusive: Some Clinton Senior Staff Working Without Pay**

Discussion: MyDD and Hot Air

Kate Phillips / The Caucus:
Clinton Lent Campaign $5 Million, Considers More

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias, Blue Crab Boulevard and Booman Tribune

Marc Ambinder:
Clinton Loaned Herself $5M In January

Discussion: Wizbang, Open Left and TIME: Swampland

Hugh Hewitt / Townhall.com:

Seven Reasons To Support The GOP's Nominee — As of this morning, McCain has earned 615 delegates and 4,220,296 votes; Romney 268 delegates and 3,497,341 votes, and Huckabee 169 delegates and 2,232,530 votes. — Senator McCain has a clear path to the nomination, Romney a very uphill battle …

Discussion: Riehl World View, The Strata-Sphere, Wizbang, Hot Air, Blue Crab Boulevard, Right Wing Nut House, Shakespeare's Sister, Salon, Middle Earth Journal, The Campaign Spot, Macsmind, Commentary and Fraters Libertas

Gallup:

Gallup Daily: Tracking Election 2008 — Based on daily polling from Feb. 3-5, 2008 — PRINCETON, NJ — The increase in support for Hillary Clinton at the national level that Gallup saw in interviewing conducted Sunday and Monday continued in interviewing Tuesday night.

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blogs, Wonkette and Donklephant

Charles Hurt / New York Post:

ONCE JOHN WINS, HE'LL MAKE A LEFT — RUNNING as a conserva tive, John McCain rolled up huge victories last night in New York, New Jersey and beyond. — But if history is any guide, the McCain we've seen of late on the campaign trail is the most conservative McCain we'll ever see.

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, The Moderate Voice, Vox Popoli, Middle Earth Journal, Tapscott's Copy Desk, protein wisdom, Pajamas Media, Maggie's Farm, Hot Air, Ross Douthat, Truthdig, Gateway Pundit and race42008.com

Mark R. Levin / The Corner:
One-Legged Stool — I wonder how many of us believe …

Discussion: PunditGuy, Hot Air, The Galloping Beaver and Firedoglake

Harold Meyerson / Washington Post:
The Repudiation of Rove — John McCain had a surprising …

Discussion: The Sideshow, Norwegianity, The New Republic, Political Machine and The Opinionator

Hindrocket / Power Line:
TIME FOR A REALITY CHECK — I've long been dismayed by the fury …

Discussion: Human Events, Pajamas Media and Roger L. Simon

Associated Press:

Haggard exits restoration process early — Recommend — New Life Church said Tuesday that former pastor Ted Haggard has prematurely ended a “spiritual restoration” process begun when he was fired for sexual misconduct. — Haggard was fired from New Life Church and resigned as president …

Discussion: Crooks and Liars

Cara DeGette / Colorado Confidential:
Ted Haggard Quits New Life ‘Restoration Team’

Discussion: Joe. My. God., Pandagon, The Democratic Daily, PageOneQ.com Latest, Unqualified Offerings and Politics Plus

Ramesh Ponnuru / The Corner:

McCain-Huckabee — The upsides are obvious. They're the first- and third- best vote-getters in the Republican field. Huckabee helps to make up for McCain's weakness with evangelical Protestants and, to a lesser extent, his weakness on domestic policy. The most frequently mentioned downside …

Discussion: New York Magazine

Deacon / Power Line:
FOR THE REPUBLICANS, MOSTLY HAZARDS

Discussion: Weekly Standard

Kathryn Jean Lopez / The Corner:

Kumbya Convo — Mary Matalin had some creative thinking for John McCain this morning, in conversation with NRO, based on the idea that “McCain still failing to win conservatives anywhere, even where he wins.” — A “trust but verify” strategy for McCain might include:

Discussion: Commentary, James Wolcott's Blog, PSoTD and Rising Hegemon

Josiah Ryan / CNSNews:

McCain Sends ‘Chill Down Spine,’ Reid Cites Cochran — On the Spot (CNSNews.com) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said the possibility of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) becoming president “sends a cold chill down my spine.” — Reid made his remarks Tuesday outside the Senate chambers …

Discussion: TownHall Blog, Riehl World View, Hot Air and PunditGuy

Faiz / Think Progress:

Buchanan: John McCain ‘Will Make Cheney Look Like Gandhi’ — On the NBC Today Show, liberal radio host Rachel Maddow, conservative pundit Pat Buchanan, and Democratic strategist Paul Begala discussed the importance of “change” in the upcoming election. Voters want a “clean break from Bush,” argued Maddow.

Discussion: CNN, The People's Republic …, Politics Plus, D-Day, Daily Kos and DownWithTyranny!

Annie Sweeney / Chicago Sun Times:

Voters are told pen had ‘invisible ink’ — When it comes to election shenanigans, Chicago has been accused of just about everything. — But invisible ink? — Twenty voters at a Far North Side precinct who found their ink pens not working were told by election judges not to worry.

Discussion: The New Editor, Wake up America and Patterico's Pontifications