memeorandum: Senate passes House-backed stimulus package (CNN)

9:00 PM ET, February 7, 2008

Top Items:

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: The New Republic, TBogg, Shakespeare's Sister, Power Line, Matthew Yglesias, Done With Mirrors, The RBC, Democratic Strategist, Political Machine, SFGate, GINA COBB and FP Passport

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. — Obama, kicking Romney as he heads out the door, criticizes him for saying Democrats are soft on terror.

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, The Carpetbagger Report, American Street, Burnt Orange Report, Washington Wire, Buck Naked Politics, The Strata-Sphere, Middle Earth Journal and Citizen Orange

Brian Maloney / The Radio Equalizer:

Randi Rhodes Airs Unhinged Anti-Romney Skit — ‘KILLING RAMPAGE’ — Rhodes Skit Says Romney Supporters Will Kill Innocent People — *** EXCLUSIVE To The Radio Equalizer *** — Apparently unable to learn from past mistakes, or just too unhinged to know better, Air America Radio host Randi Rhodes …

Discussion: You Decide 08!, Hot Air and NewsBusters.org

New York Times:
Romney Drops Out of Presidential Race

Discussion: The Politico, The Crypt's Blogs, The Swamp, Commentary and Jonathan Martin's Blogs

Byron York / The Corner:
Romney Pulling Out? …

Discussion: You Decide 08!, michellemalkin.com, Boston Globe, The Truth Laid Bear, Pajamas Media, TIME, Redstate, Classical Values and Weekly Standard

The Politico:
Romney ends bid, eyeing 2012

Discussion: Think Progress, Hot Air, The Swamp, The Carpetbagger Report, Hold Fast, City Room, Marc Ambinder and THE LIBERAL JOURNAL

PERRspectives Blog:
Mitt Romney's Greatest Hits

Discussion: Crooks and Liars

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

Discussion: Washington Wire and Threat Level

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, Crooks and Liars, Comments from Left Field, The Mahablog, Shakespeare's Sister, Jonathan Martin's Blogs and Brains and Eggs

Anne Schroeder Mullins / Anne Schroeder's Blogs:
CPAC to all CPAC-ers: Don't boo McCain

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

Mary Katharine Ham / TownHall Blog:
Mr. McCain Comes to CPAC

Discussion: Right Wing Nut House and Hot Air

Redstate:
Liveblogging John McCain

Discussion: Middle Earth Journal

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 …

Discussion: Muckraker, Comments from Left Field, The Heretik, Bad Attitudes and Truthdig

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: Emptywheel, The Newshoggers, Hold Fast, The Carpetbagger Report and D-Day

Dan Eggen / Washington Post:
Mukasey Rejects Criminal Probe Into Waterboarding

Discussion: Newsweek and PERRspectives Blog

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: JustOneMinute, Sister Toldjah, The Moderate Voice, Comments from Left Field, Right Wing News, Taylor Marsh, Liberal Values, The Democratic Daily, The Corner, The Osterley Times, Hot Air, The New Republic, PunditGuy and Washington Monthly

Joe Klein / Time:
Inspiration vs. Substance

Discussion: bustardblog and Firedoglake

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

Discussion: Crooks and Liars

This Is London:

BROWN SLAPS DOWN ARCHBISHOP'S CALL FOR ISLAMIC SHARIA LAW TO OPERATE IN BRITAIN — The Archbishop of Canterbury caused consternation yesterday by calling for Islamic law to be recognised in Britain. — He declared that sharia and Parliamentary law should be given equal legal status …

Discussion: Pajamas Media, JOSHUAPUNDIT and Blue Crab Boulevard

Johnathan Pearce / Samizdata.net:
The Archbishop of Canterbury is an ass

Discussion: Dean's World and Telegraph

BBC:
Sharia law in UK is ‘unavoidable’

Discussion: Tim Blair, Biased BBC, Wake up America, JammieWearingFool, Bookworm Room, The Jawa Report, Blue Crab Boulevard, Hot Air and Neptunus Lex

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, The New Republic and Taylor Marsh

Ari Melber / The Nation:

OBAMA DOWNLOADS $7.9 MILLION FROM MOVEON AND WEB DONORS... Barack Obama just shattered another grassroots fundraising record, drawing over $7.9 million in a two-day juggernaut ending Thursday. The large haul, driven by two separate Internet campaigns, fortifies Obama's political operation …

Discussion: Open Left and Salon

Marc Ambinder:
Money Pours In For Clinton, Obama

Discussion: TPM Election Central, Liberal Values, MyDD and The Democratic Daily

Mark Naymik / OPENERS:

Obama agrees to debate Clinton in Ohio — It's on! — Barack Obama said he will debate Hillary Clinton in Ohio before the March 4 primary. — “I think we said we will do two more debates, and at least one of them will be in Ohio,” he told Plain Dealer editors and reporters Thursday afternoon during a phone interview.

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, DownWithTyranny! and Secrecy News

Real Clear Politics:

John McCain's CPAC Speech — ARLINGTON, VA — U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today released the following remarks by John McCain as prepared for delivery: Thank you. Thank you for inviting me. It's been a little while since I've had the honor of addressing you, and I appreciate very much your courtesy to me today.

Discussion: Dick Polman's American Debate and FP Passport

Kathryn Jean Lopez / The Corner:

It Needs to Be Said — This McCain speech would not have been given today, if it weren't for folks like Mark Levin, Rush Limbaugh, Andy McCarthy, Sean Hannity, and Laura Ingraham. Can I thank them on behalf of America?

Discussion: Balloon Juice