memeorandum: 3 soldiers die in Baghdad (MSNBC)

6:30 AM ET, April 7, 2008

Top Items:

Clinton Chief Strategist Pushed Out — ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, Jake Tapper and Eloise Harper Report: Mark Penn has been pushed out as chief strategist of Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign after his work on a Colombian free-trade agreement that Clinton opposes, sources tell ABC News.

Discussion: The Reaction, Washington Wire, Marc Ambinder, Political Punch, HillaryClinton.com, The New Republic, SocraticGadfly, Taylor Marsh, BuzzFlash.org, The Trail, Salon, Donklephant, Talking Points Memo, Gateway Pundit, PunditGuy and Wonkette

John M. Broder / New York Times:

Chief Strategist of Clinton Campaign Steps Down — ALBUQUERQUE — Mark Penn, the architect of much of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign, has been replaced as the campaign's chief strategist in the wake of revelations that he lobbied on behalf of a trade treaty with Colombia that Mrs. Clinton opposes.

Discussion: Washington Post, Time, Commentary, The Page and AMERICAblog

Beth Fouhy / Associated Press:

Penn out as Clinton senior strategist — ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Mark Penn, the pollster and senior strategist for Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential bid, left the campaign Sunday after it was disclosed he met with representatives of the Colombian government to help promote a free trade agreement Clinton opposes.

Discussion: Hot Air, Say Anything and MyDD

Dylan Loewe / The Huffington Post:
Mark Penn Finally Fired

Discussion: The Reaction, NY Daily News and Associated Press

John M. Broder / New York Times:
Top Clinton Aide Leaving His Post Under Pressure

Discussion: KIKO'S HOUSE, Gateway Pundit and marbury

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Penn sidelined

Discussion: The Swamp and TPM Election Central

Ari Melber / The Nation:
CLINTON DROPS PENN, SORT OF...

Discussion: Daily Kos, Comments from Left Field, The Washington Independent, Firedoglake and The American Mind

Joe Gandelman / The Moderate Voice:
Clinton Campaign's Controversial Mark Penn Ousted As Chief Strategist

Discussion: Reuters and Newsday

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Penn Is Out As Clinton's Chief Strategist

Discussion: The Campaign Spot, Patterico's Pontifications and The Trail

CNN:
Clinton's top strategist quits

Discussion: Wake up America and Balloon Juice

Jim Tankersley / The Swamp: PENN QUITS CLINTON PERCH

New York Times:

Iraqi Forces and Militia Clash in Baghdad — BAGHDAD — Sharp fighting broke out in Baghdad's Sadr City district on Sunday as American and Iraqi troops sought to control neighborhoods used by Shiite militias to fire rockets and mortars into the nearby Green Zone.

Discussion: Balkinization, War in Context and Matthew Yglesias

MSNBC:

3 soldiers die in Baghdad — Rocket, mortar strikes follow clashes that left at least 16 dead in capital — A militiaman loyal to cleric Muqtada al-Sadr watches others converge on the scene where militiamen attacked and destroyed an Iraqi military vehicle on Sunday in the Sadr City neighborhood of Baghdad.

Discussion: Mercury Rising and Reuters

Lindsey Ellerson / Political Radar:

Dan Senor: Condoleezza Rice Is Pursuing the VP Spot — ABCNews' Mary Bruce Reports: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is actively courting the vice presidential nomination, Republican strategist Dan Senor said. — “Condi Rice has been actively, actually in recent weeks, campaigning for this …

Discussion: Comments from Left Field, Buck Naked Politics, THE LIBERAL JOURNAL, Political Machine, The Strata-Sphere, The News Buckit, Macsmind, Patterico's Pontifications, American Street, Althouse and Donklephant

Nicole Belle / Crooks and Liars:

CNN Reporter Doesn't Know The Difference Between A Legitimate Question & Heckling, Defends McCain. Again. — It is such an indictment on the pathetic notions of journalism from a journalist-especially when it comes to dealing with media darling John McCain-that CNN reporter Jim Acosta …

Discussion: Comments from Left Field, TBogg, Orcinus and Hullabaloo

CBS News:

Insider: Iraq Attack Was Preemptive — Pentagon Insider Tells 60 Minutes U.S. Attack On Iraq Was Anticipatory Self-Defense; Not 9/11 Retaliation — In his memoir, “War and Decision,” due out this week, Feith writes there was one potential problem the Pentagon seriously underestimated …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:

The Spiritual Side Of Atheism — I finally read Hitch's book on God a little while before my breather. I'm relieved to say I liked it much more than I was expecting to. A huge amount of his criticism of organized religion over the centuries is surely valid. I feel no hesitation in agreeing.

Discussion: The American Scene

The Big Trunk / Power Line:

A WORD FROM OUR MAN IN BAGHDAD — One of our most faithful readers writes from Baghdad, where he is serving as an officer in the Army Reserve: … Our reader has asked us to preserve his anonymity, for obvious reasons. We salute his service and note that his observations provide …

Discussion: Associated Press

Associated Press:

Over 25,000 Pakistanis Rally Against Anti-Koran Film, Prophet Cartoons — KARACHI, Pakistan — More than 25,000 people rallied Sunday in the largest protest in Pakistan so far against an anti-Koran film made by a Dutch lawmaker, urging their government to expel the Netherlands ambassador.

Discussion: Jihad Watch, Little Green Footballs and Gateway Pundit

John Harwood / New York Times:

In Superdelegate Count, Tough Math for Clinton — The hill that Hillary Rodham Clinton must climb to beat Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination will grow a little steeper on Monday, as it has most days lately. — Margaret Campbell, a Montana state legislator …