memeorandum: Why The Big States Matter (Big Tent Democrat/TalkLeft)

4:10 PM ET, February 19, 2008

Top Items:

Clinton targets pledged delegates — Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign intends to go after delegates whom Barack Obama has already won in the caucuses and primaries if she needs them to win the nomination. — This strategy was confirmed to me by a high-ranking Clinton official on Monday.

philly.com:

John Baer: How Pa. extension benefited Clinton — HERE'S A LITTLE political banana peel. — Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign failed to file a full slate of convention delegate candidates for Pennsylvania's April 22 primary. — This despite the possibility the primary proves critical …

Discussion: TalkLeft, Marc Ambinder, Matthew Yglesias, Daily Kos, Attytood and TIME

Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:

Clinton Spokesperson Rules Out Pursuit Of Obama's Pledged Delegates — Hillary spokesperson Phil Singer is adamantly denying a report this morning in The Politico quoting an anonymous campaign official suggesting that the Clinton campaign will pursue Obama's pledged delegates. Singer sends me this:

Discussion: The New Republic, Daily Kos, American Street, Salon, Political Machine, The Reaction and Wonkette

Atrios / Eschaton: Ready to Lead — confidence building. … Missing almost 10% of them.

Hilzoy / The Daily Dish:
Pennsylvania Delegates: More Than You Want To Know

Discussion: Eschaton and Hot Air

Ed Morrissey / Captain's Quarters:
The Silence Of The Saps — The voters in the Democratic primaries …

Discussion: The New Republic and Political Punch

Ed Morrissey / Captain's Quarters:
Which Populist Can Win Wisconsin?

Discussion: The Caucus and American Street

Joe Gandelman / The Moderate Voice:
The Politico: Hillary Clinton Campaign Targets Obama's PLEDGED Delegates (UPDATED)

Discussion: MoJoBlog, AMERICAblog and Daily Kos

Mosheh Oinounou / FOX Embeds:

Cindy McCain responds to Michelle Obama “proud” comments — Brookfield, WI — During her introduction of Sen. John McCain at a rally Tuesday, his wife Cindy responded to controversial comments made by another 2008 spouse yesterday. — “I am proud of my country. I don't know about you?

Discussion: michellemalkin.com, Taylor Marsh, BLACKFIVE, The Campaign Spot, Spin Cycle and Don Surber

Michelle Obama / CNN:

Cindy McCain, Michelle Obama in patriotism flap — (CNN) — Tuesday morning seemed to bring the debut of yet another McCain-Obama flap - this time, Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama. — As she introduced her husband John McCain, the likely Republican nominee, at a campaign event, Cindy McCain told the crowd I “am proud of my country.

Discussion: NPR Blogs

Jonathan V. Last / Weekly Standard:

Michelle's America — Mrs. Obama talks about herself and her country. — Madison, Wisconsin — Roughly 600 people gathered at the Capitol Theater in Madison's downtown Overture Center yesterday to listen to Michelle Obama make a pitch for her husband's presidential bid.

Discussion: The Corner, Redstate, GINA COBB and Political Machine

Ed Morrissey / Captain's Quarters:
Feels Like The First Time — Does a hostility about one's own …

Discussion: JustOneMinute, You Decide 08!, Outside The Beltway, Blogometer, Wonkette, UrbanGrounds and Washington Monthly

CNN:

Castro resigns as president, state-run paper reports — HAVANA, Cuba (CNN) — Fidel Castro announced his resignation as president of Cuba and commander-in-chief of Cuba's military on Tuesday, according to a letter published in the state-run newspaper, Granma.

Discussion: Washington Post, Reuters, Babalu Blog, MiamiHerald.com, michellemalkin.com, The Washington Note, The Impolitic, Wake up America, Comments from Left Field, Buck Naked Politics, Crooks and Liars, PoliBlog (TM), Captain's Quarters and Scared Monkeys

James C. McKinley Jr / New York Times:
Fidel Castro Resigns as Cuba's President

Discussion: Associated Press, Weekly Standard, The Huffington Post, The Politico, Shakespeare's Sister, American Prospect, Megan McArdle, JustOneMinute, The Corner, CNN, NewsBusters.org, The Daily Dish, Commentary and FP Passport

HillaryClinton.com:
Statement from Hillary Clinton on Fidel Castro

Discussion: TalkLeft and The Washington Note

CNN:
White House hopefuls on Castro's resignation

Discussion: Hullabaloo

Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:

Obama Gaining Among Middle-Aged, Women, Hispanics — Also running even with Clinton among core Democrats — PRINCETON, NJ — The momentum in the Democratic nomination race has clearly swung toward Barack Obama. Not only has he won all of the post-Super Tuesday contests …

Discussion: The Swamp, QandO, Spin Cycle, NPR Blogs, Stumper and Booman Tribune

Joe Gandelman / The Moderate Voice:
Gallup Poll: Obama Gains Among Hispanics, Women And Middle-Aged

Discussion: Dick Polman's American Debate

Jennifer Parker / Political Punch:

Deval Patrick's Timeline Doesn't Mesh with Reality — Speaking to the New York Times Sunday, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick attempted to excuse his friend Sen. Barack Obama's lifting of part of his October 2006 “Just words” speech. — “In a telephone interview on Sunday …

Discussion: The Corner, TownHall Blog, Salon, Hot Air, MyDD and TIME

Byron York / The Corner:
Clinton Campaign: A “Pattern” of Obama Borrowing

Discussion: The Huffington Post and The Newshoggers

Washington Post:
Clinton Steps Up Attacks on Obama

Discussion: MoJoBlog, The World According to Oatney, NY Daily News, New York Post, Boston Globe, Balloon Juice, MSNBC and Wonkette

Associated Press:

Top court rejects ACLU domestic spying lawsuit — Supreme Court decision doesn't explain reason for turning down appeal — WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court dealt a setback Tuesday to civil rights and privacy advocates who oppose the Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping program.

Discussion: ACLU, protein wisdom, Firedoglake, Daily Kos, Wake up America and Emptywheel

Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
The courts and Congress affirmatively conceal and protect lawbreaking

Discussion: Corrente and Daily Kos

Lyle Denniston / SCOTUSblog: Court to hear four appeals, plus an Original case

Will / Attytood:

A landmark day for bloggers — and the future of journalism — The George Polk Awards are kind of like the Golden Globes of American journalism . Not as well known as those Oscars of the news business, the Pulitzer Prize, the Polk Awards are nevertheless probably a close second in terms of prestige …

Discussion: New York Times, The New Republic, Outside The Beltway and Gawker

Steven Walters / JSOnline:

Obama, on eve of vote, says the time is now — Senator touches on economy, security in Beloit — Beloit - In an emotional last-minute appeal to Wisconsin Democrats, presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama borrowed another phrase from slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr …

Discussion: TalkLeft, Star Bulletin, MSNBC and NPR Blogs

ABCNEWS:
The Note: Blue Cheese

Discussion: JSOnline and The Fix

Jeralyn / TalkLeft:
Wisconsin Election Thread I

Discussion: Associated Press

WHIO-TV:

Obama Closes In On Clinton In Ohio — Democratic Poll: — Two Weeks to Must-Win Ohio, Clinton 9 Points Atop Obama: In a Democratic Primary for President of the United States in Ohio today, 2/16/08, two weeks till the votes are counted, Hillary Clinton defeats Barack Obama, 52% to 43% …

Big Tent Democrat / TalkLeft: Ohio: Now A Contest Too — A new Survey USA poll:

Big Tent Democrat / TalkLeft:

Sexism From Howard Fineman — Yes, it's me again. The PC police guy. And predictably, I have a problem with this: … (Emphasis supplied.) Yep, predictably, I see stating that a female candidate is merely a dummy for her ventriloquist husband is sexist. — I am predictable that way.

Discussion: MSNBC, Firedoglake and Politics Blog

Damozel / The Moderate Voice:

Has Obama Been Sufficiently Vetted to Survive the GOP Machine? — Larry C. Johnson of No Quarter has been arguing for quite some time that Obama is insufficiently vetted to withstand attacks from the right. In a recent piece in The Huffington Post, he discusses the basis of his concerns.

Discussion: The Huffington Post and The New Republic

Big Tent Democrat / TalkLeft:

Why The Big States Matter — I am asked why the big contested states should matter so much to me? I think it is pretty obvious but let me try it this way: — California - 55 EVs. Texas - 34 EVs. (A GOP stronghold) New York - 31 EVs. (A Dem stronghold) Florida - 27 EVs. (Thanks Howard and Donna.)