memeorandum: Ohio: Note This... NBC News Political Director Chuck Todd … (Marc Ambinder)

1:45 AM ET, March 5, 2008

Top Items:

Jonathan Alter / Newsweek:

Hillary's Math Problem — Forget tonight. She could win 16 straight and still lose. — NEWSWEEK WEB EXCLUSIVE — Hillary Clinton may be poised for a big night tonight, with wins in Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island. Clinton aides say this will be the beginning of her comeback against Barack Obama.

Discussion: The Newshoggers, TownHall Blog, Wall Street Journal, The Gun Toting Liberal™, Threat Level, Donklephant, MyDD, The Raw Story, Comments from Left Field, Clive Crook, AMERICAblog, Obsidian Wings, Texans For Obama, Opinions You Should Have, Washington Post, Below The Beltway, Talking Points Memo and The Democratic Daily

Ben Smith / The Politico:

Obama lawyer ambushes Clinton conference call — Barack Obama's top lawyer, Bob Bauer, made an unexpected appearance on the Clinton campaign's conference call this evening, calling in on a line intended for reporters to challenge Clinton aides' claims of irregularities in several Texas precincts.

Discussion: The Corner, 2008Central.net, TownHall Blog, Trailhead, The Page, Political Machine, The Huffington Post, Hotline On Call, Taylor Marsh, TPM Election Central and Donklephant

The Politico:

Clinton scrambles to freeze defectors — A behind-the-scenes battle broke out late Tuesday over superdelegates who had secretly committed to Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), with Clinton campaign officials scrambling to “freeze” them before they announced support for him.

Discussion: New York Times, Talking Points Memo, Firedoglake, Spin Cycle, Trailhead and Oliver Willis

Gary Langer / Associated Press:

EXIT POLL: ‘Change’ Tops 'Experience"... Again — In Vermont, Obama Wins Across All Demographic Groups — The theme of change continues to resonate in Ohio and Texas, but not by as wide a margin as in most previous primaries. The ability to “bring needed change” beats “experience” …

Discussion: The Daily Dish, Tammy Bruce, TPM Election Central, Donklephant and Texans For Obama

2008Central.net:

Obama General Counsel Crashes Clinton Press Call On Voting Irregularities In Texas; Engages In Heated Exchange With Clinton Staff — This evening, the Clinton Campaign held an urgent press call to discuss reported incidents of voting irregularities and intimidation taking place at primary conventions …

Discussion: American Spectator, The Opinionator, Firedoglake, The Trail, Trailhead and The Democratic Daily

Marc Ambinder:

Caucus Problems In Texas — The Clinton campaign said tonight that Obama precinct workers illegally obtained caucus packets in the following Texas caucus precincts: — Precinct 2316 in Tarrant County — Precinct 1205 in Dallas County — Precinct 3127 in Bexar County — Precinct 3082 in Ft. Bend County

Discussion: Trailhead and Taylor Marsh

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:

The Clintons Win Ohio — It's done. We all have to endure this: … I couldn't watch it. Sorry. Ambers notes, poignantly: … To keep oneself from despair, it does seem to me to be valid (and not just Obama spin) to recall that a short time ago, Clinton was supposed to crush Obama in both Texas and Ohio.

Discussion: Althouse

Marc Ambinder:
Livewire — 11:42: Obama puts focus on McCain; McCain …

Discussion: Riehl World View

Sam Youngman / The Hill:
Clinton cries foul in Texas; Obama lawyer hijacks call

Discussion: The Politico, Political Radar, New York Times, National Review, Hot Air, NO QUARTER and Redstate

Marc Ambinder:
Obama Attorney Crashes Clinton Campaign Conference Call

Discussion: Taylor Marsh

Marc Ambinder:
Ohio Secretary Of State's Office Rebukes Obama Campaign

Discussion: TalkLeft, Postcards, Ben Smith's Blogs, Taylor Marsh, PoliTex, QandO, Tennessee Guerilla Women, Commentary and Ohio Daily Blog

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
EARLY EXITS — I'm looking at the second wave of exit polls.

Discussion: Comments from Left Field

Marc Ambinder:
Early Views From The Clinton/Obama Campaigns

Discussion: Open Left, TalkLeft and MyDD

Adamsorensen / The Page:
GET YOUR EXIT POLL DATA HERE**

Discussion: Truthdig

CNN:
CNN: Clinton will win Ohio; McCain secures nomination

Discussion: Corrente, Political Machine, Buck Naked Politics, skippy the bush kangaroo, Truthdig, Gristmill and Flopping Aces

Eric Pianin / Live Coverage:
Clinton Wins in Ohio While Texas Race Remains Tight

Discussion: Wonkette

MSNBC:
Clinton revives campaign with Ohio, Texas wins

Discussion: Comments from Left Field, The Moderate Voice and The Reaction

Jodi Kantor / New York Times:
As Four States Vote, Clinton Talks About a Long Battle

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blogs, CNN, The Politico, Below The Beltway and The Carpetbagger Report

New York Times:

McCain Clinches Race as Foe Concedes; Democrats Battle Over 2 Crucial States — Senator John McCain, a one-time insurgent whose campaign was all but dead seven months ago, locked up the Republican presidential nomination on Tuesday night after he defeated former Gov. Mike Huckabee in the Texas …

Discussion: Live Coverage, Feministing and Gateway Pundit

OPENERS:

GOP voters crossing over in large numbers — Poll watchers throughout Ohio are noting large numbers of Republican voters crossing over to vote in the Democratic Primary between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. — In the Republican roost of Chagrin Falls, veteran poll worker Liz McFadden …

Discussion: CNN, TalkLeft, The Caucus, DownWithTyranny!, MyDD, Blue Crab Boulevard, TPM Election Central and Ohio Daily Blog

MSNBC:

‘The contest begins tonight,’ McCain says — His 4 wins projected to surpass 1,191 delegates needed to win nomination — Sen. John McCain of Arizona claimed the GOP nomination Tuesday after rolling up one-sided victories in primaries in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Secular Blasphemy, The Opinionator, Comments from Left Field, The Garlic and The Democratic Daily

CNN:

Exit polls: Did Limbaugh influence Democratic race? — (CNN) — There were concerns that Republican voters would participate in large numbers in the Democratic primaries in Ohio and Texas Tuesday and cause mischief, following a call by Rush Limbaugh for listeners to vote for Hillary Clinton.

Discussion: Fox News, Political Machine, Ben Smith's Blogs and The Campaign Spot

ABCNEWS: Huckabee Quits Presidential Race

Gallup:
Gallup Daily: Obama 45%, Clinton 45%

Discussion: Washington Post, Taylor Marsh, MyDD, Riehl World View and Donklephant

CNN:
Huckabee: Wednesday will be a ‘planning day’

Discussion: New York Times, The Politico, The Swamp, The Campaign Spot and PunditGuy

Matthew Yglesias:

The Crucial Racist Vote — According to MSNBC exit polls, it seems to have put Hillary Clinton over the top. — Relatedly, I don't understand why they're not calling Ohio for Clinton. The exit polls look unambiguous to me — she's won it. Obama made up a lot of ground over the past two weeks …

Discussion: culturekitchen, The Agonist, Cogitamus and THE LIBERAL JOURNAL

David Weigel / Reason Magazine:

The Mini Tuesday Primary Thread: Paul Triumphs, Clinton Endures, Mike Huckabee Splatters Against the Wall — UPDATE 8:36: Ron Paul has been re-elected to Congress in the Fourteenth District of Texas. — Campaign manager Mark Elam: “Chris Peden is toast. It's just a question of how big the margin is.”

Discussion: Wonkette

Jeff Greenfield / Slate:

Bugs Bunny vs. Daffy Duck — WHY VOTERS ALWAYS CHOOSE THE WASCALLY WABBIT FOR PRESIDENT. — How did we reach the point at which Sen. Clinton, the clear Democratic front-runner six months ago, needs clear winds in Texas and Ohio to mute the calls for her to end her campaign?

Discussion: Northman's Fury, bustardblog, The Volokh Conspiracy and The Mahablog