memeorandum: Influential Democrats Waiting to Choose Sides (Dan Balz/Washington Post)

1:55 PM ET, March 9, 2008

Top Items:

Foster takes seat from GOP — Democrat to succeed Hastert in Republican stronghold — In a stunning upset Saturday that could be a sign of trouble for Republicans this fall, a little-known Democratic physicist won the special election for a far west suburban congressional seat long held by former GOP House Speaker Dennis Hastert.

Discussion: The Swamp, The Moderate Voice, Cogitamus, Raising Kaine, Below The Beltway and American Street

Mike Allen / The Politico:

Feith at war; Bush in song (and hat) — BREAKING NEWS - “AP Exclusive: U.S. troops may have become sick in Iraq from contaminated water” - The Pentagon inspector general says dozens of U.S. troops in Iraq fell sick at bases using “unmonitored and potentially unsafe” water supplied by contractor KBR …

Glenn Greenwald / Salon:

Various items — (updated below) — (1) A special election was held in Illinois yesterday for the Congressional seat occupied forever by retiring GOP former House Speaker Denny Hastert. The district is bright red, having re-elected Hastert in 2006 with 60% and having voted for Bush's 2004 re-election by a 55-45% margin.

Discussion: Julian Sanchez, Crooks and Liars, Open Left, Unqualified Offerings and Hold Fast

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
House Dems Score Special Election Upset

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, Buck Naked Politics, DownWithTyranny!, Booman Tribune and ArchPundit

Monica Davey / New York Times:
Democrat Wins Seat Once Held by G.O.P. Speaker

Discussion: The Newshoggers, Booman Tribune, Marc Ambinder, The Carpetbagger Report, The Glittering Eye and Althouse

Josh Kraushaar / The Crypt's Blogs:
Democrats pick up Hastert's seat

Discussion: Prairie Weather, The Swamp, michellemalkin.com and The Hill

David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo:
DEMS TAKE OLD HASTERT SEAT

Discussion: Shakesville, Hullabaloo and The Reaction

Washington Post:

Ex-Defense Official Assails Colleagues Over Run-Up to War — In the first insider account of Pentagon decision-making on Iraq, one of the key architects of the war blasts former secretary of state Colin Powell, the CIA, retired Gen. Tommy R. Franks and former Iraq occupation chief L. Paul Bremer …

Discussion: Emptywheel, PrairiePundit, abu muqawama, LewRockwell.com Blog, American Street and First Draft

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:

The Monster Mash — I was covered in barbecue sauce, somewhere over Texas, when Barack Obama loped down the aisle of the plane to chat with reporters. — I felt guilty, because I had been covering his speeches urging parents to make their kids give up chips and Popeyes.

Discussion: The New Editor, Whiskey Fire, American Street, Suburban Guerrilla and Prairie Weather

Sarah Baxter / Times of London:

Hillary Clinton sets her sights on three ways to win — Clinton aims to win the popular vote, secure reruns in Florida and Michigan and undermine Obama's credibility as the candidate to beat McCain — FRESH from her victories in three out of four states last week and surging back in the national polls …

Discussion: Fox News, Don Surber and Political Machine

Times of London:

Hamas wages Iran's proxy war on Israel — A Hamas leader admits hundreds of his fighters have travelled to Tehran — The Hamas commander was in a hurry. Hunched forward in a navy-blue parka, with the wind-chapped skin and drawn eyes of someone who had been outdoors all night, he had just returned from the front line with Israel.

Discussion: Hot Air, Commentary, The Strata-Sphere, A Blog For All and PrairiePundit

Dan Balz / Washington Post:

Influential Democrats Waiting to Choose Sides — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's trio of victories over Sen. Barack Obama last week appears to have convinced a sizable number of uncommitted Democratic superdelegates to wait until the end of the primaries and caucuses before picking a candidate …

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Prairie Weather, On Deadline, TalkLeft and The Page

Associated Press:

AP Exclusive: US troops may have become sick in Iraq from contaminated water — WASHINGTON: Dozens of U.S. troops in Iraq fell sick at bases using “unmonitored and potentially unsafe” water supplied by the military and a contractor once owned by Vice President Dick Cheney's former company, the Pentagon's internal watchdog said.

Discussion: American Street and Buck Naked Politics

Hilzoy / Obsidian Wings:

Hillary Clinton And Rwanda — Bill Clinton claims that Hillary Clinton urged him to intervene militarily in Rwanda: … When Hillary Clinton was asked whether this was true, she said “It is.” — I have no idea whether or not this is true. But I do know a couple of related things.

Discussion: Balloon Juice, The Huffington Post, American Street and The RBC

Tina Brown / Newsweek:

Hillary and the Invisible Women — Up Against the Wall: Clinton is at her best when things look grim, as they did before the Texas vote, when her traveling press corps was stashed in a men's room … Hillary Clinton's run-up to the Texas and Ohio primaries was the political equivalent of Hell Week for a Navy SEAL.

Discussion: Taylor Marsh and NewsBusters.org

Ryan Sabey / News of the World:

Terror moles at the Met — MI5 target four cops in undercover op — A NEST of Al-Qaeda terror spies has been uncovered in Britain's top police force. — MI5 agents have identified FOUR London Met officers after searching for a cell of fanatics passing Scotland Yard's secrets.

Discussion: The Jawa Report, JammieWearingFool and The Strata-Sphere

Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:

Obama Wins Wyoming, Networks Say — CNN and NBC call Wyoming for Obama. With 91% reporting, it's 58%-41%. — CNN's estimate has it that seven delegates go to Obama, and four to Hillary, with one left. So what's outstanding is whether Obama has a net gain over her of two delegates, or four.

Discussion: The Carpetbagger Report and Donklephant