memeorandum: Live from CPAC: McCain into the lion's den; Armey disses Coulter … (Michelle Malkin)

5:45 PM ET, February 7, 2008

Top Items:

Krooney / The Page:

Romney Quits Race — Says time of war is not the right time to continue GOP fight: “I feel I have to stand aside.” — Read full remarks from CPAC conference here. … AP: Decision effectively cedes nomination to McCain. … HALPERIN'S TAKE: TEN THINGS MITT ROMNEY COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY The Page, 2:12 PM

Mark Halperin / The Page:

Transcript of Romney's Speech Withdrawing From the Race — Governor Romney's Address to the Conservative Political Action Committee - February 7, 2008 — I want to begin by saying thank you. It's great to be with you again. And I look forward to joining with you many more times in the future.

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias, The New Republic, The Daily Dish, Power Line, Shakespeare's Sister, SFGate, FP Passport, Democratic Strategist, Political Machine, TBogg, The RBC, GINA COBB and Wake up America

John King / CNN:

GOP sources: Romney to suspend campaign — (CNN) — Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will suspend his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, GOP sources tell CNN. — Romney had won 270 delegates in through the Super Tuesday contests, compared with front-runner John McCain's 680.

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, New York Times, Washington Wire, The Carpetbagger Report, Burnt Orange Report, The Strata-Sphere, American Street, Think Progress, BizzyBlog, Buck Naked Politics, PoliGazette, Buckeye State Blog, Middle Earth Journal and Citizen Orange

Byron York / The Corner:

Romney Pulling Out? Campaign Doesn't Want “To Look Destructive At What Might Be The End.” — We are beginning to see signs that Mitt Romney might be preparing to pull out of the Republican race. — Everyone is looking for tea leaves from the campaign, and we'll know more about the governor's state …

Discussion: Boston Globe, Pajamas Media, TownHall Blog, Weekly Standard, Redstate, TIME, Power Line, Wonkette, Classical Values, The New Republic and TigerHawk

New York Times:

Romney Drops Out of Presidential Race — Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who sought to position himself as the true conservative choice for the Republican presidential nomination, announced Thursday afternoon that he had ended his campaign. — Mr. Romney, who had vowed …

Discussion: The Swamp and Jonathan Martin's Blogs

Eric Pianin / The Fix:
Romney Drops Out of GOP Race

Discussion: Washington Wire, Threat Level and Comments from Left Field

The Politico:
Romney ends bid, eyeing 2012

Discussion: The Swamp, City Room and The Carpetbagger Report

You Decide 08!: ROMNEY DROPS PRESIDENTIAL BID, CEDES FLOOR TO MCCAIN AT CPAC

Matt / Think Progress:
Romney: Dem victory would ‘mean attacks on America.’

Discussion: Hoffmania! and L'ennui mélodieux

The Caucus:
Romney Quits Presidential Race

Discussion: The New Republic, The Moderate Voice, Where's the Outrage?, PrawfsBlawg and All Spin Zone

Adam Nagourney / The Caucus:
With Romney Gone, What Will McCain Do?

Discussion: USA Today, The Seminal, The Carpetbagger Report and Group News Blog

Hugh Hewitt / TownHall Blog: Governor Romney is an incredibly gifted man —intelligent …

Amanda / Think Progress:

McCain booed at CPAC. — Speaking to a right-wing crowd at CPAC today, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) was loudly booed when he mentioned his push for comprehensive immigration reform last year. (A position he has since given up.) … Watch it: — This morning, Politico reported that CPAC organizers …

Discussion: The Politico, Jonathan Martin's Blogs, The Mahablog, Shakespeare's Sister and The Washington Note

Anne Schroeder Mullins / Anne Schroeder's Blogs:

CPAC to all CPAC-ers: Don't boo McCain — John McCain may have it easier than he expected today when he commandeers the podium at CPAC this afternoon. Conservatives from all over will predictably fill the room to the brim to listen to what the now GOP front-runner has to say, despite a hate/love relationship with the guy.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Daily Kos, BobKrumm.com, The Sundries Shack, Salon, Classical Values, The Impolitic, Born at the Crest … and Macsmind

Rick Moran / Right Wing Nut House:

“EXCLUSIVE!” JOHN McCAIN CPAC SPEECH — A secret operative working for this website has gotten a hold of the speech John McCain will deliver to attendees of the Conservative Political Action Conference. She says I shouldn't ask how she got it although she mentioned that she had a real …

Discussion: michellemalkin.com, Captain's Quarters, Cheat Seeking Missiles and The Newshoggers

Michelle Malkin:

Live from CPAC: McCain into the lion's den; Armey disses Coulter, George Allen, Tom Coburn endorse McCain; Mac: “We should do this more often;” to shamnesty opponents: “I respect your opposition” — 2:34pm Eastern. The main ballroom is full again in anticipation of John McCain's speech.

Discussion: TownHall Blog, Confederate Yankee, Captain's Quarters, Right Wing Nut House, Wizbang, JunkYardBlog, Macsmind and Gateway Pundit

Terry Frieden / CNN:

Mukasey won't investigate ‘waterboarding’ — WASHINGTON (CNN) — Attorney General Michael Mukasey told lawmakers Thursday he will not open a criminal investigation into the CIA's acknowledged use of “waterboarding” on terror suspects. — House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers …

David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo:

MARK THIS DAY — Attorney General Michael Mukasey is back on the Hill today, testifying to the House Judiciary Committee. Paul Kiel is covering it at TPMmuckraker. — So far, he's dropped two big bombshells. DOJ will not be investigating: — (1) whether the waterboarding, now admitted to by the White House, was a crime; or

Discussion: The Newshoggers, Hold Fast and D-Day

Paul Kiel / Muckraker:
Mukasey: No, I Will Not Investigate Waterboarding

Discussion: The Newshoggers and The Carpetbagger Report

Jennifer Parker / Political Punch:

And Obama Wept — Inspiration is nice. But some folks seem to be getting out of hand. — It's as if Tom Daschle descended from on high saying, “Be not afraid; for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day in the city …

Discussion: The New Republic, The Moderate Voice, JustOneMinute, The Corner, Liberal Values, Washington Monthly, The Osterley Times, Redstate, Taylor Marsh, Commentary and PunditGuy

Will / Attytood:
The Villagers see passion for a candidate...and decide it must be “a cult”

Discussion: Crooks and Liars

Joe Klein / Time:
Inspiration vs. Substance

Discussion: Firedoglake

Kate Snow / ABCNEWS:

Clinton Campaign Staffers Not Going Without Pay — Staff Had Offered to Go Without Pay to Save Campaign Money But Never Did — So it turns out the Clinton campaign may not be so cash-strapped after all — at least not at this very moment. — After offering on Wednesday to go without paychecks …

Discussion: Political Punch and Ben Smith's Blogs

Marc Ambinder:
Money Pours In For Clinton, Obama

Discussion: TPM Election Central, MyDD, my.barackobama.com and The Democratic Daily

Joe Pappalardo / Popular Mechanics:

Sun Stays Sluggish as Weathermen Fight for Anti-Ice Age Funding — Every day, scientists hoping to see — an increase in solar activity train their instruments at the sun as it crosses the sky. This is no idle academic pursuit: A lull in solar action could potentially drive …

Discussion: Weekly Standard, protein wisdom, Clayton Cramer's BLOG and Don Surber

Steven Aftergood / NiemanWatchdog.org:

The next president should open up the Bush Administration's record — By now no one expects the Bush Administration to make itself accountable for its controversial and possibly illegal practices. But the next President will have a unique opportunity to reveal what has been kept hidden for the last seven years.

Discussion: protein wisdom, Firedoglake and Secrecy News