memeorandum: Bush Presses for G.O.P. Unity; Party Set to Focus on Security (New York Times)

10:50 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, Outside The Beltway and TPM Election Central

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 Rodham Clinton in which he defended his appearance and refused demands to apologize.

Discussion: Althouse, FishBowlDC, TVNewser and The Page

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, skippy the bush kangaroo, Angry Bear, Hot Air, NewsBusters.org, TalkLeft and TVNewser

Digby / Hullabaloo:
Here We Go Again — I have taken a fair amount of grief …

Discussion: Media Matters for America, SteveAudio, Attytood, Jules Crittenden, The Garlic, The Democratic Daily, Daily Kos, The Huffington Post, Wake up America, Pandagon, Eschaton, Shakespeare's Sister and Firedoglake

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

Discussion: Weekly Standard, NewsBusters.org, Roger L. Simon, Sister Toldjah and Feministing

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, Flopping Aces, Wake up America, Hotline On Call, Outside The Beltway and Macsmind

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

Discussion: Tammy Bruce, Macsmind, American Spectator and Stop The ACLU

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

Discussion: Firedoglake and Think Progress

New York Times:

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, Pajamas Media and MSNBC

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

Discussion: Donklephant

Chris McGann / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Gregoire endorses Obama

Discussion: Sister Toldjah 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, PoliGazette and Gateway Pundit

Howie / The Jawa Report:
Adam Gadahn Still Missing, Taliban Worried

Discussion: Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler

William Kristol / Weekly Standard:

Good News for Conservatives — We have a great opportunity in 2008. — What a moment! Having learned nothing from the left's Bush Derangement Syndrome, the conservative movement's big talkers spent the days before Super Tuesday indulging in a fiery display of McCain Derangement Syndrome.

Discussion: The Corner

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

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

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

Serge F. Kovaleski / New York Times:

Friends Say Drugs Played Only Bit Part for Obama — 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, The Reaction and Reason Magazine

Dan Balz / Washington Post:

Sanctioned States Put Democrats in Quandary — The clever people in Michigan who decided to get into a game of chicken with New Hampshire last fall over the timing of their Democratic primary should be having second thoughts this weekend. — Had Michigan Democrats not engaged in gamesmanship …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, Jules Crittenden, Blue Crab Boulevard and Right Voices

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

New York Times:

Bush Presses for G.O.P. Unity; Party Set to Focus on Security — WASHINGTON — Offering a preview of the general election campaign, President Bush sought on Friday to unify the Republican Party behind its presumptive nominee and said the contest would present the country with a stark ideological choice at a time of war.

Discussion: Big Brass Blog

Ariel Alexovich / The Caucus:

Paul Concedes Race, Sort Of — In a message to supporters sent just before 11 p.m. Friday night, Representative Ron Paul, a long-shot G.O.P. candidate from Texas, basically conceded that he's not going to win the party's nomination. — That said, he's scaling back his campaign — but not entirely.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

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