memeorandum: A McCain cabinet could bear shades of Teddy Roosevelt (USA Today)

3:55 AM ET, February 19, 2008

Top Items:

Clinton aide accuses Obama of plagiarism — Howard Wolfson, the Clinton campaign's communications director, today accused Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) of committing “plagiarism” in a speech in Milwaukee on Saturday night. — Wolfson made the explosive charge in an interview with Politico …

Mark Halperin / The Page:

Obama Release on Clinton's Languge — Here are a couple of places Clinton freely borrowed rhetoric from Obama... Clinton Stole The Phrase “Fired Up And Ready To Go” From Obama. “We are fired up and we are ready to go because we know America is ready for change and the process starts right here in Iowa.”

Greg Veis / The New Republic:

Former Clinton Speechwriter Weighs In On Plagiarism-Gate — We asked former Bill Clinton speechwriter David Kusnet if today's plagiarism accusations against Barack Obama were justified. In his mind, was what Obama did acceptable, or a violation of speechmaking ethics? Here are his thoughts ...

Discussion: Associated Press, Burnt Orange Report, TalkLeft, The American Mind, Ben Smith's Blogs, Taylor Marsh and The Anonymous Liberal

Jennifer Parker / Political Punch:
The Clinton Campaign Just Now... In a conference call …

Discussion: BlueOregon, THE LIBERAL JOURNAL, Political Machine, American Street, The Huffington Post and Spin Cycle

Joe Gandelman / The Moderate Voice:
Is Barack Obama The Quintessential Barack Oboomer?

Discussion: Tom Watson

Joe Gandelman / The Moderate Voice:
Clinton Campaign Can't Say It Never “Borrowed” Anyone Else's Rhetoric

Discussion: The Newshoggers and Lawyers, Guns and Money

David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo:
IT'S ALL ABOUT AUTHENTICITY

Discussion: New York Times, The New Republic, The Moderate Voice, Comments from Left Field, Suburban Guerrilla, The Daily Dish and USA Today

Sasha Issenberg / Boston Globe:

Pride in the name of self-love — MILWAUKEE — So what did Michelle Obama think of the United States before her husband decided he wanted to run the place? — “For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country,” she told a Milwaukee crowd today, “because it feels like hope is making a comeback.”

Discussion: Suburban Guerrilla, NewsBusters.org, Political Punch, The Sundries Shack, The Huffington Post, Patterico's Pontifications, Lonewacko, Spin Cycle and Done With Mirrors

John Podhoretz / Commentary:

She Said What? — Michelle Obama today said that “for the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change. I have been desperate to see our country moving in that direction.”

Discussion: Althouse, PrestoPundit, Power Line and Gateway Pundit

Bryan / Hot Air:
Michelle Obama hasn't been proud of America in at least 26 years?

Discussion: The Corner

Paul Steinhauser / CNN:

Texas poll shows dead heat among Dems — CNN deputy political director — (CNN) — It's all tied up in Texas. — A new CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll suggests the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination between Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois …

Discussion: Calitics, BBC NEWS, Burnt Orange Report, American Street, Sister Toldjah, The Reaction, Wonkette, Booman Tribune, MyDD, Hot Air, Faithful Progressive and Dick Polman's American Debate

Andrew Fell / Weasel Zippers:

BBC: Al-Qaeda Would Back McCain...... This is via Justin Webb, the BBC's North American editor. Who displays the insanely hard-left slant the BBC is known for and even embraces, as is painfully evident here..... ZIP — Bookmark Weasel Zippers (Click Here Then Press CTRL+D)

Justin Webb / BBC NEWS:

Al-Qaeda's choice — Bedd Gelert and Vagueofgodalming may well be right about Rees Mogg. — My own concern about his piece is this. He writes: “There are, of course, hypothetical events that could change everything. There could be an attack on Mr Obama himself, but he is protected by the Secret Service.

Discussion: USS Neverdock

Rasmussen Reports:

Florida 2008 Presidential Election — Florida: McCain Leads Clinton and Has Bigger Lead Over Obama — The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in Florida shows John McCain holding a six-percentage point lead over Hillary Clinton and an even larger lead—sixteen percentage points—over Barack Obama.

Discussion: SurveyUSA, The Huffington Post, AMERICAblog and Wake up America

Big Tent Democrat / TalkLeft: What The DNC FL Fiasco Can Cost Us: FL In The GE

USA Today:

A McCain cabinet could bear shades of Teddy Roosevelt — PHOENIX — Democrats already are regularly attacking John McCain for offering what they characterize as a third George W. Bush term. — But a new Theodore Roosevelt presidency might be closer to the mark.

Discussion: Shakespeare's Sister, Hullabaloo, DownWithTyranny! and JammieWearingFool

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.

Ben Smith / The Politico:

Who's calling who a second-class delegate? — A co-chairman of Hillary's Michigan campaign and has a line that's sure to drive a whole bunch of red state governors up the wall: — “Superdelegates are not second-class delegates,” says Joel Ferguson, who will be a superdelegate if Michigan is seated.

Discussion: Booman Tribune, protein wisdom, Burnt Orange Report, QandO, IntoxiNation, Wonkette, D-Day, Hot Air, The New Republic, Daily Kos and Blue Crab Boulevard

Mike Lux / Open Left:

Jim Cooper Scares Me — I have been beating up on the Clinton campaign pretty hard lately because I haven't been crazy about the kind of campaign they have been running. And I will admit that my heart has been won by the enthusiasm of all those young and passionate Obama supporters.

Discussion: Liberal Values and The Agonist

Paul Krugman:
Bad health care omens

Discussion: Open Left, Corrente, TalkLeft and Grasping Reality …

CNN:

Admiral: Al Qaeda in Iraq ‘killing off’ former allies — BALAD, Iraq (CNN) — Video provided to CNN shows an al Qaeda in Iraq firing squad executing one-time allies — fellow Sunni extremists — who were not loyal enough to the terror organization, coalition military analysts said.

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, The Jawa Report, Sister Toldjah, RADAMISTO and A Blog For All

Kevin Sack / New York Times:

Study Finds Cancer Diagnosis Linked to Insurance — ATLANTA — A nationwide study has found that the uninsured and those covered by Medicaid are more likely than those with private insurance to receive a diagnosis of cancer in late stages, often diminishing their chances of survival.

Discussion: The Carpetbagger Report and First Draft

New York Times:

Winners Uncertain as Violence Mars Pakistan Vote — LAHORE, Pakistan — Fearful of violence and deterred by confusion at polling stations, Pakistanis voted Monday in parliamentary elections that may fail to produce clear winners and could result in protracted postelection political skirmishing.