Top Items:
Joe Gandelman / The Moderate Voice:
Democratic And Republican Critics Blast Obama's “Small-Town” Comments Calling It Presidential Disqualifier — If someone wanted to see how early 21st century American politics operates, they need look no further than the current (growing) flap over politically flat-footed comments Senator Barack Obama …
RELATED:
Victor Davis Hanson / The Corner:
The McGovernization of Obama — I still believe that by August, Obama, the half-term rookie Senator, will have become the second George McGovern. Cf. his latest declaration to the Marin County faithful (coming on the heels of the crazy anti-Semitic rant of Rev. Eric Lee, a prominent LA Obama supporter):
Dotcomabc / Political Radar:
Obama Explains ‘Bitter’ Comments, but Rivals Pile On — ABC News' Sunlen Miller and Eloise Harper report: Barack Obama, D-Ill., went further than he has before in admitting that he did not express himself as well as he could have in his initial comments at a San Francisco fundraiser this week about …
Mark Steyn / The Corner:
Hicks nix clique's shticks — I'm about done with Obama over this mill-closures-drive-small-town-losers- to-guns-and-God business. If you're running as a glamorous blank slate on which people project their own utopian fantasies, you've got to be very careful not to give the game away …
Hindrocket / Power Line:
IS OBAMA'S CAMPAIGN OVER? — It may be. I don't see how anyone known to have uttered these words can be elected President: … Barack Obama's arrogance has been evident for some time, and it's no shock, perhaps, to learn that that he shares this bigoted opinion, common among urban liberals, of people who live in “small towns.”
Discussion:
Reason Magazine, Political Punch, Comments from Left Field, Althouse, alicublog, NewsBusters.org, Hot Air, Outside The Beltway, Fox News, Right Wing Nut House, The Mahablog, QandO, TBogg, Swampland, Booman Tribune, FOX Embeds, American Power, Argghhh!, USA Today, TownHall Blog, Real Clear Politics, Donklephant, NO QUARTER, Independent Liberal, marbury, The Daily Dish, The Page, Shakesville and Macsmind
Shailagh Murray / The Trail:
Obama Expands on ‘Bitter’ Pennsylvanians Comment
Obama Expands on ‘Bitter’ Pennsylvanians Comment
Discussion:
Matthew Yglesias
Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit.com:
MORE ON OBAMA'S SMALL-TOWN SCREWUP, from Tom Maguire.
MORE ON OBAMA'S SMALL-TOWN SCREWUP, from Tom Maguire.
Discussion:
Commentary, Bill Hobbs, TigerHawk, This ain't Hell …, Chicago Boyz, Ace of Spades HQ and Sister Toldjah
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Hillary hits Obama on faith, guns — Yesterday, Clinton hit Obama for calling Pennsylvanians “bitter,” ground on which he fairly ably engaged. — Today, she's onto the other half of his San Francisco remarks, in which he linked economic frustration to clinging to religion and guns …
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Obama concedes remarks were ill chosen — MUNCIE, Ind. - Democrat Barack Obama on Saturday conceded that comments he made about bitter working class voters who “cling to guns or religion” were ill chosen, as he tried to stem a burst of complaints that he is condescending.
Jeff Zeleny / New York Times:
Obama Tries to Limit Fallout Over ‘Bitter’ Remark — MUNCIE, Ind. — Senator Barack Obama on Saturday rebutted criticism that has enveloped his campaign over a comment he made last Sunday that many working-class voters are angry and bitter over economic conditions in America …
Discussion:
The Caucus
CNN:
Clinton backer: Superdelegates need to consider ‘bitter’ remark — INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (CNN) — Sen. Evan Bayh, Hillary Clinton's top backer in the May 6 primary state of Indiana, argued Saturday that superdelegates need to evaluate Barack Obama's “bitter” remarks when deciding who to back for the Democratic nomination.
Jeff Zeleny / New York Times:
Opponents Call Obama Remarks ‘Out of Touch’
Opponents Call Obama Remarks ‘Out of Touch’
Discussion:
The Swamp, TalkLeft, JustOneMinute, The New Republic, The Carpetbagger Report, Big Brass Blog and MSNBC
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Obama on tradition — In Muncie, he takes another pass …
Obama on tradition — In Muncie, he takes another pass …
Discussion:
Commentary
Ezra Klein / American Prospect:
OBAMA TURNS ALL THOMAS FRANK ON US. — I'm not really sure what the big deal over Obama's comments in SF is supposed to be (save that the media and Clinton and McCain are saying they will be a big deal, and thus making them a big deal), but Marc Ambinder has the least hysterical rundown I've seen …
Discussion:
TalkLeft
RELATED:
Noam N. Levey / Los Angeles Times:
Clinton's record shows trade support — On the trail, the candidate has made a point of critiquing free trade agreements, saying they cost U.S. jobs. — WASHINGTON — Campaigning across Pennsylvania and other sections of the Rust Belt in recent months, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has stressed …
RELATED:
Mark Z. Barabak / Los Angeles Times:
Why Gov. Bill Richardson didn't endorse Clinton
Why Gov. Bill Richardson didn't endorse Clinton
Discussion:
The Page
Spencer S. Hsu / Washington Post:
Administration Set to Use New Spy Program in U.S. — Congressional Critics Want More Assurances of Legality — The Bush administration said yesterday that it plans to start using the nation's most advanced spy technology for domestic purposes soon, rebuffing challenges by House Democrats over the idea's legal authority.
Karen DeYoung / Washington Post:
Iran Top Threat To Iraq, U.S. Says — Last week's violence in Basra and Baghdad has convinced the Bush administration that actions by Iran, and not al-Qaeda, are the primary threat inside Iraq, and has sparked a broad reassessment of policy in the region, according to senior U.S. officials.
RELATED:
Michael Luo / New York Times:
Great Expectations for a Conservative Group Seem All but Dashed — The conservative group Freedom's Watch, headlined by two former senior White House officials, had been expected to be a deep-pocketed juggernaut in this year's presidential election, heralded by supporters on the right …
Discussion:
Think Progress, The Caucus, The Carpetbagger Report, Blue Girl, Red State, Balloon Juice, Oliver Willis, American Power and TBogg