memeorandum: Fred Thompson Backs McCain (Michael D. Shear/The Trail)

9:05 AM ET, February 9, 2008

Top Items:

Chelsea Remark Earns MSNBC Correspondent A Suspension — In case there was any doubt, using a prostitution metaphor for the daughter of a presidential candidate is not a good career move. — MSNBC suspended correspondent David Shuster yesterday for an undetermined period for making a disparaging on-air remark about Chelsea Clinton.

Discussion: Captain's Quarters and Outside The Beltway

Beth Fouhy / Associated Press:

MSNBC's Chelsea comment angers Clinton — SEATTLE - A distasteful comment about Chelsea Clinton by an MSNBC anchor could imperil Hillary Rodham Clinton's participation in future presidential debates on the network, a Clinton spokesman said. — In a conference call with reporters …

Discussion: The Trail, The Page, MyDD and Angry Bear

Digby / Hullabaloo:

Here We Go Again — I have taken a fair amount of grief for criticizing the campaign coverage on MSNBC over the past few months, most recently for what I saw as pretty obviously biased coverage on Super Tuesday. Up until recently the “illness” was mostly confined to Matthews, Carlson and Scarborough, particularly the first.

Discussion: Media Matters for America, SteveAudio, The Huffington Post, Daily Kos, Feministe, Eschaton, TVNewser, American Street, FishBowlDC, Buck Naked Politics, Wonkette and Liberty Pundit

Michael Calderone / The Politico:

Reporter initially defended Chelsea comment — Before MSNBC's David Shuster was suspended by the network Friday for on-air comments he made about Chelsea Clinton, the television reporter engaged in a heated correspondence with a spokesman for Hillary Clinton in which he defended his appearance and refused demands to apologize.

Discussion: Althouse and The Page

Chris / TVNewser:
Shuster Suspended For “Pimped Out” Comment

Discussion: Media Matters for America, New York Magazine, NewsBusters.org, The Democratic Daily, skippy the bush kangaroo, PoliGazette, Stop The ACLU, Patterico's Pontifications, Hotline On Call and Ed Driscoll.com

Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:
Breaking: Hillary Campaign Goes To War With MSNBC Over Chelsea “Pimp” Comment

Discussion: Attytood, Jules Crittenden, Liberal Values, TalkLeft, Wake up America, Shakespeare's Sister, Hot Air, Ben Smith's Blogs, The Carpetbagger Report, NewsBusters.org and Taylor Marsh

The Huffington Post:
MSNBC Reporter Begrudgingly Apologizes For Chelsea “Pimp” Comment

Discussion: TVNewser, Taylor Marsh, The Garlic, Pandagon, Media Matters for America, Firedoglake, Feministing, Sister Toldjah, Hoffmania!, Buck Naked Politics, TalkLeft and Feminist Law Professors

Media Matters for America:
MSNBC's Shuster falsely claimed he said “Americans should be proud …

Discussion: TVNewser, PoliticalBase.com Blog, Crooks and Liars and Booman Tribune

Beth Fouhy / Associated Press:
MSNBC's Chelsea Comment Angers Clinton

Discussion: Weekly Standard and Roger L. Simon

Michael D. Shear / The Trail:

Fred Thompson Backs McCain — Fred Thompson, the one-time Republican presidential candidate, endorsed Sen. John McCain Friday, calling on the party to “close ranks” behind the presumed nominee. — “This is no longer about past preferences or differences.

Discussion: michellemalkin.com, Hot Air, Outside The Beltway, Wake up America, Flopping Aces, Hotline On Call and Macsmind

Bryan / Hot Air:
Video: John Bolton makes the case for McCain at CPAC

Discussion: American Spectator, Tammy Bruce and Stop The ACLU

Sam Stein / The Huffington Post:
Bolton As McCain's Secretary Of State?

Discussion: Firedoglake and Think Progress

New York Times:

State of Washington Is the Contest du Jour — TACOMA, Wash. — Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama crisscrossed Washington State on Friday, drawing standing-room-only crowds as they campaigned only miles apart on the eve of Saturday's Democratic caucuses.

Discussion: The Politico, Booman Tribune, MSNBC and Pajamas Media

David Ammons / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Gregoire endorses Obama for president

Discussion: Donklephant

Chris McGann / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Gregoire endorses Obama

Discussion: Washington Times and THE LIBERAL JOURNAL

MSNBC:

Deep Background: Where is al-Qaida's American? — Where is accused terrorist Adam Gadahn? — That's what Taliban sources along the Afghan-Pakistan border are wondering about the American-born al-Qaida member. Gadahn, known as Azzam al-Ameriki (Azzam the American), joined al-Qaida in 2003 …

Discussion: The Long War Journal, Hot Air, Gateway Pundit and PoliGazette

Howie / The Jawa Report:

Adam Gadahn Still Missing, Taliban Worried — All Azzam's terrorist buddies are just so worried about him. … A bit early for the cowbell, but its looking more and more like something bad happened to Azzam. — How, Talibans might ask, is it possible that the strongest and best-equipped army …

Discussion: Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler

AJStrata / The Strata-Sphere:

Hannity's Afternoon Meltdown — Boy, oh boy. Something is happening with the ‘true’ conservatives on AM Talk Radio. I tuned into Hannity see what had happened today and the guy just went off on what can only be described as a lick-spittle tirade! Apparently Rich Galen wrote a piece today …

Discussion: RADAMISTO, News Hounds and Middle Earth Journal

Rich Galen / Townhall.com: Rush, Sean, and Laura

Serge F. Kovaleski / New York Times:

Old Friends Say Drugs Played Only Bit Part in Obama's Young Life — Nearly three decades ago, Barack Obama stood out on the small campus of Occidental College in Los Angeles for his eloquence, intellect and activism against apartheid in South Africa. But Mr. Obama, then known as Barry, also joined in the party scene.

Discussion: MSNBC and The Reaction

Colin Powell / CNN:

Colin Powell may support Democrat or Independent in '08 — WASHINGTON (CNN) - Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Republican who served under President Bush, said Friday he may not back the GOP presidential nominee in November, telling CNN that “I am keeping my options open at the moment.”

Discussion: Los Angeles Times

Gabriel Schoenfeld / Weekly Standard:

Not Every Leak Is Fit to Print — Why have federal prosecutors subpoenaed a New York Times reporter? — Investigations of national-security leaks in Washington are not all that rare. But until Judith Miller of the New York Times was sent to jail for 85 days by a special prosecutor digging …

Discussion: Power Line

Michelle Malkin:

“Stay positive and stay focused” — I wanted to share a message I received from a Republican staffer on the Hill-where they know John McCain best. Many GOP staffers will not support John McCain, but they share the principles I expressed yesterday in my Quo Vadis column:

Discussion: Riehl World View

Carpetbagger / The Carpetbagger Report:
When the GOP closes ranks

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, DownWithTyranny!, PoliticalBase.com Blog and Los Angeles Times

Leon Fleisher / Washington Post:

My White House Dilemma — I am a musician, one of five artists — the others being Brian Wilson, Steve Martin, Diana Ross and Martin Scorsese — honored recently by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. — The event, a deeply moving and gratifying tribute to the performing arts …

Discussion: The Corner

Arwa Damon / CNN:

Violations of ‘Islamic teachings’ take deadly toll on Iraqi women — BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — The images in the Basra police file are nauseating: Page after page of women killed in brutal fashion — some strangled to death, their faces disfigured; others beheaded. All bear signs of torture.

Discussion: Hoffmania! and Daily Kos

Karl / protein wisdom:

Dems 2008: Another reading from the Book of Obama — In the L.A. Times, Joel Stein delivers the latest chapter in the Book of Obama: … Proof of that — or of Stein's position on the political spectrum - is that Obama is not a “mainstream” politician at all. Obama was the most liberal member of the US Senate in 2007.

Discussion: Bookworm Room and Sister Toldjah