memeorandum: Controversial minister leaves Obama campaign (Alex Johnson/MSNBC)

9:35 AM ET, March 15, 2008

Top Items:

On My Faith and My Church — The pastor of my church, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who recently preached his last sermon and is in the process of retiring, has touched off a firestorm over the last few days. He's drawn attention as the result of some inflammatory and appalling remarks he made about our country …

Discussion: ABCNEWS, The Gun Toting Liberal™, The Carpetbagger Report, The Garlic, Steve Sailer's iSteve Blog, The Reaction, NYCweboy, Matthew Yglesias, MSNBC, The Corner, Donklephant, alicublog, Spin Cycle, QandO, Booker Rising, Ben Smith's Blogs, Slublog, The Jed Report, The New Republic, Shakesville, protein wisdom, TownHall Blog, Stop The ACLU, Jack and Jill Politics, TBogg, The Confluence, The Campaign Spot, The Jawa Report, Pat Dollard, AMERICAblog, DownWithTyranny!, Boston Globe, Interesting Times, PoliGazette, No More Mister Nice Blog, Washington Wire, The Swamp, NewsBusters.org, American Street, Little Green Footballs, Political Machine, JammieWearingFool, Maggie's Farm, Obsidian Wings, The Opinionator, PrestoPundit, Marc Ambinder, TPM Election Central, The Huffington Post, American Power, Sweetness & Light, Political Byline, Hot Air, Roger L. Simon, Hoffmania! and MyDD

Jodi Kantor / New York Times:

Obama Denounces His Pastor's Statements — In the handful of years Senator Barack Obama has spent in the national spotlight, his stance toward his pastor has gone from glowing praise to growing distance to — as of Friday — strong criticism. — On Friday, Mr. Obama called a grab bag …

Discussion: The Corner, The Moderate Voice and Outside The Beltway

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:

Wright leaves Obama campaign — Spokesman Tommy Vietor emails: — “Rev. Wright is no longer serving on the African American Religious Leadership Committee.” — That cuts Wright's only formal tie to Obama, and answers what was sure to be a question in Obama's interviews tonight …

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, Gateway Pundit, NO QUARTER, The Page, Jules Crittenden, MyDD and Patterico's Pontifications

Alex Johnson / MSNBC:

Controversial minister leaves Obama campaign — Presidential candidate condemns words but not ministry of former pastor — Editor's note: This article includes language some readers may consider inappropriate. — Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., condemned racially charged sermons …

Discussion: The Corner, URGENT AGENDA, Wake up America, Political Machine, The Other McCain, Macsmind, The Daily Dish, A NEWT ONE, The Jawa Report, Hotline On Call, Political Byline, TPM Election Central, The Jed Report and Donklephant

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:

What Obama Saw in Wright's Church — A reader says that we cannot know what is in Obama's heart, and to a certain extent, that's true. My reader believes therefore that Wright's racist anger is what Obama truly believes - and is now concealing. All I can say is that very …

Discussion: The Belmont Club and The Jed Report

Dennis Sanders / The Moderate Voice:

Notes From a Black Pastor — Well, considering that I am an African American pastor, I should say something about the whole affair concerning the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, Barack Obama's church. — I have to state, in the interest of full disclosure …

Discussion: ucc.org, Too Sense and The Glittering Eye

Rich Lowry / The Corner:

Wright in “Dreams of My Father” — Before he ever thought he would have to deploy Clintonesque spin to try to get himself out of a campaign controversy, Barack Obama wrote (an achingly good) memoir. In the book, Obama makes it clear that Wright when he first got to know him was pretty …

Discussion: Power Line, PrestoPundit and THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS

Hindrocket / Power Line:
OBAMA DISTANCES HIMSELF FROM WRIGHT

Discussion: The Huffington Post, The Moderate Voice, Political Radar, The Anonymous Liberal and Lynn Sweet

CBN.com:
Obama Sends Statement on Controversial Pastor to The Brody File

Discussion: American Spectator

Sister Toldjah:
Obama's version of the “iced tea” …

Discussion: Wizbang, NewsBusters.org, Hot Air, The Corner and Riehl World View

Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:
The Reconciliator's Judgment

Discussion: Guardian Unlimited, Tammy Bruce and Hot Air

Fox News:
Obama's Pastor's Sermon: ‘God Damn America’

Discussion: Right Wing Nut House, The Campaign Spot and American Power

David Jackson / Chicago Tribune:

Obama says Rezko played a bigger fundraising role — This corner lot at Hyde Park Boulevard and Greenwood Avenue in Chicago, formerly owned by Antoin “Tony” Rezko's wife, Rita, is next door to the home (right) of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama. (Tribune photo by Milbert O. Brown / March 6, 2008)

Discussion: Publius Pundit, NO QUARTER, The Blotter, Scared Monkeys, Corrente, Hot Air, Fox News, Pat Dollard, The Page, Spin Cycle, The Caucus and Rezko Watch

Jeralyn / TalkLeft:
Obama Says Rezko Played a Bigger Fundraising Role Than Previously Known

Discussion: The Swamp and Political Punch

Sam Stein / The Huffington Post: Hsu's Legal Process Continues As Rezko's Heats Up

New York Times:

Delegate Battles Embroil 2 States — Democrats in Michigan and Florida struggled Friday to resolve the impasse over their disputed January primaries, coming up with a plan to hold a June primary in Michigan while remaining deadlocked in Florida. — Reflecting how tense the situation has become …

Discussion: Don Surber, Oliver Willis, Electoral-vote.com, The RBC, Redstate and Classical Values

Stephen F. Hayes / Weekly Standard:

Saddam's Dangerous Friends — What a Pentagon review of 600,000 Iraqi documents tells us. — This ought to be big news. Throughout the early and mid-1990s, Saddam Hussein actively supported an influential terrorist group headed by the man who is now al Qaeda's second-in-command …

Discussion: Power Line

Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Breaking: Americans nab high-value Osama lieutenant

Discussion: The Long War Journal, The Belmont Club, A Blog For All, The Jawa Report, On Deadline, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, Macsmind and Associated Press

Jim Yardley / New York Times:

Violence in Tibet as Monks Clash With the Police — Chinese security forces in Lhasa, Tibet, took cover during a fifth day of protests. The banner overhead reads, “Strengthen public safety management, safeguard political stability.” Beijing is facing the most serious demonstrations in Tibet since the 1980s.

Discussion: cab drollery, Gothamist, Boing Boing, On Deadline, Matthew Yglesias and The Lede

Agence France Presse:
Deadly violence in Tibet as Buddhist monks lead protests

Discussion: The New Republic

Ben / Think Progress:

AP Says McCain Is A ‘Man Of The People’ For Taking Train Despite Noting He Rode First Class — Earlier this month, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) hosted a “thank you” Sunday cookout for over 40 reporters from a wide variety of news outlets at his vacation home in Arizona.

Discussion: Outside The Beltway, Random House, Associated Press and Oliver Willis

Mike Soraghan / The Hill:

Obey lays down the law on procedural votes — House Appropriations Chairman Dave Obey (D-Wis.) said Friday he canceled meetings with a New Orleans delegation because a Louisiana lawmaker had defied party leadership on a procedural vote the night before. — And he's warning others …

Discussion: Cato-at-liberty and Redstate