memeorandum: McCain seeks his share of the spotlight (Jonathan Martin/The Politico)

11:10 AM ET, March 29, 2008

Top Items:

Howard Dean 2004: The Medals Matter — Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., launches a biography tour next week, which looks to tell the American people about his days as a POW in Vietnam, at least based on his new TV ad (watch HERE) introduced today in New Mexico. — In response, Democratic National …

Discussion: Hot Air, QandO, Outside The Beltway, Jules Crittenden, Tammy Bruce and Political Radar

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:

McCain seeks his share of the spotlight — SAN FRANCISCO — The double-wide press bus is gone. Once-long waits to be patted down by TSA agents on frozen tarmacs have been reduced from minutes to moments. And the old JetBlue charter warhorse has been replaced by a sleeker and smaller plane …

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, BLOGS FOR JOHN McCAIN and New York Times

Adam Nagourney / New York Times:

Endorsement of Obama Points Up Clinton's Obstacles — The surprise endorsement of Senator Barack Obama by a popular senator in a battleground state on Friday underlined the ferment in the Democratic nominating race and the serious obstacles facing Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton as she tries to rescue her candidacy.

Discussion: The Caucus, Washington Post, The Sleuth, Booman Tribune, marbury and Prairie Weather

Jeff Zeleny / The Caucus:
Clinton Says She's in It for the Long Haul

Discussion: The Huffington Post, The Democratic Daily, The Talent Show, MSNBC and TPM Election Central

Jennifer Parker / Political Radar:
Obama: Primary ‘A Good Movie That Lasted About A Half An Hour Too Long’

Discussion: Althouse

James Carville / Washington Post:

Disloyalty That Merits An Insult — Last Friday the New York Times asked me to comment on New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama for president. For 15 years, Richardson served with no small measure of distinction as the representative of New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District.

John Heilemann / New York Magazine:

Who'll Stop the Pain? — Gore and Edwards may have the most party clout. But there's only one person Hillary will finally listen to. Her name isn't Bill. — In the days after John Edwards's withdrawal from the Democratic race, the political world expected his endorsement of Barack Obama would be forthcoming tout de suite.

Discussion: Swampland and The Current

Jonathan Alter / Newsweek:

Hillary's Consolation Prize? — Some Dems float the New York Statehouse as an option. — Some Democrats terrified that their bloody primary campaign will doom them in November are floating a consolation prize for Hillary Clinton: governor of New York. — The travails of New York …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Hot Air and Democracy in America

Edmund L. Andrews / New York Times:

Treasury Dept. Plan Would Give Fed Wide New Power — WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department will propose on Monday that Congress give the Federal Reserve broad new authority to oversee financial market stability, in effect allowing it to send SWAT teams into any corner of the industry …

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, The Glittering Eye, Once Upon a Time, Forum: News/Activism and RADAMISTO

David Cho / Washington Post:
Treasury Wants to Reshape Regulation

Discussion: Balkinization

Juan Cole / Informed Comment:

Police Mutiny, Refuse to attack Sadrists; Clashes continue in Basra; Sadrists open New fronts throughout Shiite South — Police Mutiny, Refuse to attack Sadrists; — Clashes continue in Basra; — Sadrists open New fronts throughout Shiite South — Mahdi Army Militiamen, courtesy Al-Zaman of Baghdad.

Discussion: Angry Bear

Barbara Starr / CNN:
Analysis: Iraqis' Basra fight not going well

Discussion: The Newshoggers, ParaPundit, PoliBlog (TM) and Vodkapundit

Dennis Overbye / New York Times:

Asking a Judge to Save the World, and Maybe a Whole Lot More — More fighting in Iraq. Somalia in chaos. People in this country can't afford their mortgages and in some places now they can't even afford rice. — None of this nor the rest of the grimness on the front page today will matter a bit …

Discussion: Althouse

Adam Nossiter / New York Times:

Freed Alabama Ex-Governor Sees Politics in His Case — MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Former Governor Don Siegelman of Alabama, released from prison today on bond in a bribery case, said he was as convinced as ever that politics played a leading role in his prosecution.

Discussion: Cliff Schecter.com, Macsmind, Firedoglake, Daily Kos, Think Progress, AMERICAblog and The Raw Story

Scott Horton / Harper's:
Court of Appeals Sets Governor Siegelman Free As Congress Calls …

Discussion: The Rachel Maddow Show

Lisa Lerer / The Politico:

McCain guru linked to subprime crisis — The general co-chairman of John McCain's presidential campaign, former Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Texas), led the charge in 1999 to repeal a Depression-era banking regulation law that Democrat Barack Obama claimed on Thursday contributed significantly to today's economic turmoil.

Discussion: Macsmind

Victor Davis Hanson / The Corner:

The Chickens of Identity Politics Come Home to Roost? — Watching the parade of apologists for Rev. Wright's hatred—"garlic noses"; “KKK of A;” “God Damn America;” “Condamnesia;” the U.S. deserved 9/11; America is no different from al-Qaeda; we caused the AIDs virus; Israel is a “dirty word” …

New York Post:

GOP ACHILLES HEEL — HOW REPUBLICANS LOST WEST — CHEERED as Republicans may be by the Clinton-Obama wars, the fact is that long-term trends still favor the Democrats this fall. To see the problem, consider the interior West - the eight states between the Midwest and the Pacific Coast …

Discussion: Eunomia, Middle Earth Journal, TownHall Blog and RADAMISTO

Michael M. Phillips / Wall Street Journal:

Buyers' Revenge: Trash the House After Foreclosure — Banks Pay People Off To Deter Home Rage; Loose Pets, Paint Spills — LAS VEGAS — Eddy Buompensiero noticed eight pairs of shoes outside the door of the modest house on Mother of Pearl Street, evidence that the former owners were still living …

Discussion: Megan McArdle, The American Mind and Outside The Beltway

Media Matters for America:

Wash. Post claimed McCain “most aggressive” of the three major candidates in “identifying ways to reduce spending,” ignoring cost of Iraq policy — A March 28 Washington Post article, headlined “As Candidates Warm to Bush Tax Cuts, Economists Warn of Long-Term Effects,” claimed that “[o] …

Lori Montgomery / Washington Post:
As Candidates Warm to Bush Tax Cuts, Economists Warn of Long-Term Effect

Discussion: The Daily Howler, The Liberal Avenger and USA Today