memeorandum: Plan Jericho — As always, and probably even more so than usual … (Al Giordano/The Field)

4:15 PM ET, March 21, 2008

Top Items:

Story behind the story: The Clinton myth — One big fact has largely been lost in the recent coverage of the Democratic presidential race: Hillary Rodham Clinton has virtually no chance of winning. — Her own campaign acknowledges there is no way that she will finish ahead in pledged delegates.

Discussion: MyDD, Taylor Marsh, Dick Polman's American Debate, Cliff Schecter, Balloon Juice, The Page and AMERICAblog

Ben Smith / The Politico:

Can Clinton win popular vote, superdelegates? — The apparent collapse of planned new votes in Florida and Michigan could push victory on a key symbolic measure — the primary season popular vote — beyond Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's grasp. — Clinton's top supporters, including her husband …

Discussion: Washington Post, TalkLeft, Power Line, Booman Tribune, Democratic Strategist and Prairie Weather

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
PRETTY MUCH — As Jim Vandehei and Mike Allen argue in this piece …

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias and Eschaton

New York Times:
Passport Files of 3 Candidates Breached, Officials Say

Discussion: Patterico's Pontifications

E. J. Dionne Jr / Washington Post:

Another Angry Black Preacher — Let's ask the hard question about the Rev. Jeremiah Wright: Is he as far outside the African American mainstream as many of us would like to think? — Because Barack Obama's speech on race in America was so candid about both the legitimacy of black and white grievances …

Discussion: The Democratic Daily, Commentary, American Power, American Street, No More Mister Nice Blog and Washington Wire

Charles Krauthammer / Washington Post:

The Speech: A Brilliant Fraud — The beauty of a speech is that you don't just give the answers, you provide your own questions. “Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes.” So said Barack Obama, in his Philadelphia speech about his pastor …

Discussion: The New Republic, Weekly Standard Blog, Achenblog, Real Clear Politics, TPMCafe, Swampland, Too Sense, Cold Fury, Sadly, No!, Dr. Sanity and Discriminations

Peggy Noonan / Wall Street Journal:

A Thinking Man's Speech — I thought Barack Obama's speech was strong, thoughtful and important. Rather beautifully, it was a speech to think to, not clap to. It was clear that's what he wanted, and this is rare. — It seemed to me as honest a speech as one in his position could give within the limits imposed by politics.

Discussion: Townhall.com, PoliGazette, Comments from Left Field, Donklephant, Cheat Seeking Missiles, alicublog and MSNBC

Gary Reese / Southern Political Report:

New InsiderAdvantage Poll — Obama's speech meets unsympathetic ears with Americans — Barack Obama's speech about race on Tuesday impressed many who witnessed it or read it. But most of America did neither, and many of them — white and black — were less persuaded of the speech's capacity …

Discussion: The Confluence, The New Republic and Donklephant

Hindrocket / Power Line:
IT ISN'T ONLY JEREMIAH WRIGHT — The Barack Obama campaign …

Discussion: Riehl World View and PrestoPundit

Ezra Klein / American Prospect:
NOT GONNA SAY IT. — As the Daily Show clip I posted …

Discussion: Washington Monthly

CNN:

All three candidates' staffs briefed on passport breaches — (CNN) — The security of the passport files of the three remaining presidential candidates was breached, the State Department admitted Friday. — Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Sen. Barack Obama's files had been viewed three times …

ABCNEWS:

Passport Security Breach on McCain, Clinton & Obama — State Department Contract Employees Fired, Another Disciplined for Looking at Passport File — An embarrassed State Department admitted today that the passport files of all three presidential candidates — Sens. John McCain …

Discussion: Associated Press, TownHall Blog, Fox News, The Swamp, The Jawa Report, Redstate, Time, Wonkette and Buck Naked Politics

Michelle Malkin:
First, Obama's passport...now, Hillary's breached, too; 12:13pm …

Discussion: Associated Press, Washington Post and The American Mind

Krooney / The Page:
State Dept: All Three Candidates' Passport Files Breached

Discussion: Cato-at-liberty

WSJ.com:

Clinton Aide Says Richardson's Endorsement Is Insignificant — Susan Davis reports on the presidential race. — New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson finally made up his mind and endorsed Sen. Barack Obama today, but a senior adviser to Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign — which likewise spent months courting …

Discussion: culturekitchen, TPM Election Central and Wonkette

Marc Ambinder:

Stage Directions Anyone? — The Obama campaign distributed Gov. Bill Richardson's endorsement speech...note the stage direction:

Discussion: Wonkette

Jeff Zeleny / New York Times:

Richardson Endorses Obama — PORTLAND, Ore. — Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico delivered a forceful endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for president on Friday, urging Democrats to unite behind his candidacy to move the nation beyond its racial and partisan divide.

Discussion: The New Republic, Breaking News Updates …, The Swamp, Marc Ambinder, PoliPundit.com, Washington Post, Wonkette, Guardian Unlimited, Top of the Ticket, DownWithTyranny!, The Confluence, The Caucus, American Spectator, Riehl World View, Matthew Yglesias and ScrappleFace

Matt Apuzzo / Associated Press:
NM Gov. Bill Richardson endorses Obama

Discussion: Firedoglake, TownHall Blog, Buck Naked Politics, Comments from Left Field, CNN, Pandagon, THE LIBERAL JOURNAL, The Democratic Daily and Liberal Values

Jane Hamsher / The Huffington Post:
A Few Unanswered Questions About Bill Richardson's Obama Endorsement

Discussion: Corrente

Logan Murphy / Crooks and Liars: BREAKING: Bill Richardson Endorses Barack Obama

Gallup:

Gallup Daily: Clinton Now at 47% to Obama's 45% — Clinton's recent surge among national Democrats appears to be receding — PRINCETON, NJ — Hillary Clinton's recent lead over Barack Obama in national Democratic nomination preferences has dwindled to the point that the two are now nearly tied …

Discussion: Gateway Pundit and TPM Election Central

Michael Barone / US News:
State by State, Obama and Clinton Stack Up Differently Against McCain

Discussion: Weekly Standard Blog

ABCNEWS: Obama Campaign Claims Clinton Has ‘Character Gap’

Jennifer Parker / Political Punch:
Keystone Democrats Set to Defect

Discussion: American Spectator and No More Mister Nice Blog

Fred Lucas / CNSNews:
Poll: Divisive Dem Contest Could Boost McCain

Discussion: rubber hose, Commentary, Sadly, No!, And Still I Persist, The Strata-Sphere, Roger L. Simon and Don Surber

Think Progress:

Fox's Chris Wallace Takes Fox And Friends ‘To Task’ For ‘Two Hours Of Obama Bashing’ — On Fox and Friends this morning, hosts Steve Doocy, Brian Kilmeade, and Gretchen Carlson spent multiple segments sensationalizing a comment Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) made yesterday, in which he referred …

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, The Huffington Post, Taylor Marsh and News Hounds

Paul Krugman / New York Times:

Partying Like It's 1929 — If Ben Bernanke manages to save the financial system from collapse, he will — rightly — be praised for his heroic efforts. — But what we should be asking is: How did we get here? — Why does the financial system need salvation? — Why do mild-mannered economists have to become superheroes?

Discussion: The Agonist, Corrente, American Spectator, DownWithTyranny!, The Glittering Eye, The American Mind and The Confluence

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:

What I Got Wrong About Iraq — Slate asked me to reflect on my own failings of judgment on the fifth year of the war. Maybe the day we Christans are called to atonement is a good day for publishing it. It's cross-posted here. — I think I committed four cardinal sins. — Historical Narcissism.

Discussion: Buck Naked Politics