memeorandum: Is Hillary Done? — As midnight approached, things … (Howard Kurtz/Washington Post)

8:35 AM ET, May 8, 2008

Top Items:

Clinton makes case for wide appeal — Hillary Rodham Clinton vowed Wednesday to continue her quest for the Democratic nomination, arguing she would be the stronger nominee because she appeals to a wider coalition of voters — including whites who have not supported Barack Obama in recent contests.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Pam's House Blend, Too Sense, The Jed Report, American Street, Comments from Left Field, The RBC and Blog of the Moderate Left

Nicholas D. Kristof / New York Times:

The Too-Long Goodbye — After the Tuesday primaries, Hillary Rodham Clinton now has maybe a 2 percent chance of winning the Democratic nomination. But if she pursues her losing battle, she has perhaps a 20 percent chance of costing the Democrats the presidency in the fall.

Discussion: Real Clear Politics, Los Angeles Times, Prairie Weather and NewsBusters.org

John M. Broder / New York Times:

Amid Talk of the End and Boos From the Crowd, Clinton Carries On — SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. — Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's greatest gift may be her ability to remain upright and smiling as chaos and chagrin surround her. — On what was probably one of the toughest days of her campaign so far …

New York Times:

Support for Clinton Wanes as Obama Sees Finish Line — Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton struck a publicly defiant posture on Wednesday about continuing her presidential bid despite waning support from Democratic officials and donors. Some of her advisers acknowledged privately that they remained unsure …

Discussion: Washington Post, Commentary, The Page, New York Times, BizzyBlog, NewsBusters.org, FiveThirtyEight.com and AMERICAblog

Marc Ambinder:
7 Reasons Why Clinton Should Stay In The Race**

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns and Money, The Sideshow, CNN, American Power, FiveThirtyEight.com, TalkLeft, Commentary and The Huffington Post

ABCNEWS:

George's Bottom Line on Clinton for Veep — Clinton Might Be Negotiating Spot on '08 Ticket, George Says — Is Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., staying in the race to get the vice presidential slot? — George thinks so. — Clinton vowed to fight on today, despite a growing chorus …

Discussion: Hot Air and Patterico's Pontifications

Thomas B. Edsall / The Huffington Post:

Big Rewards Await Clinton If She Ends Campaign Now — Clinton Fundraising, Clinton Dropping Out, Hillary Clinton, Hillary Dropping Out, Politics News — She has ruled it out, but a prompt withdrawal from the contest for the Democratic nomination offers Sen. Hillary Clinton the prospect of major rewards.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Alexander Mooney / CNN:

Limbaugh now wants ‘weaker’ Obama — WASHINGTON (CNN) — He has publicly urged Republicans to vote for Sen. Hillary Clinton to keep the divisive Democratic nomination fight alive, but talk radio host Rush Limbaugh said Wednesday he really wants Sen. Barack Obama to be the party's nominee.

Discussion: Preemptive Karma

Oliver Willis:

Barack Obama's Big Mistake: He's Getting Too Many Votes — Following in the footsteps of other bloggers like Jeralyn Merritt and Armando, I must urge the superdelegates, the media and other creative class left blogs to be aware of something before it is too late.

Chadwick Matlin / Slate:
The Hillary Deathwatch — MCGOVERN, LOANS, AND SUPERDELEGATES …

Discussion: Associated Press, Trailhead, The New Republic and Personal Democracy Forum

Jeralyn / TalkLeft:
Why Did Obama Do Worse in N.C. Than Virginia?

Discussion: MyDD

Marc Ambinder:
Clinton's Next Moves

Discussion: Pam's House Blend

Sam Stein / The Huffington Post:

Ed Koch: Obama Is A Sure Loser, Clinton Should Fight On — As Democrats coalesce around Sen. Barack Obama, one of Hillary Clinton's must outspoken supporters is not mincing words: the party is walking needlessly and unaware into a general election buzzsaw. — “I believe Obama probably will win …

Discussion: Comments from Left Field and Hot Air

Howard Kurtz / Washington Post:
Is Hillary Done? — As midnight approached, things …

Discussion: Firedoglake and New York Times

Don Campbell / USA Today:

Wright story: What took so long? — The controversial reverend's 20-year relationship with Obama was left to simmer for a year. In our 24/7 media age, how could this have happened? — Barring some really strange math or a lot of second thoughts, the Democrats seem poised to nominate …

Discussion: Betsy's Page, NewsBusters.org and PrestoPundit

Bryan Caplan / New York Times:

The 18-Cent Solution — BOTH Hillary Clinton and John McCain say that we should suspend the 18-cent-per-gallon federal gas tax this summer. After her beating at the polls Tuesday, there may not be much reason left to worry about what Senator Clinton thinks, but the McCain proposal is alive and well.

Discussion: Marginal Revolution and EconLog

David Leonhardt / New York Times:

Seeing Inflation Only in the Prices That Go Up — Next week, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will release its monthly report on inflation, and it sure is going to sound strange. Wall Street is expecting the bureau to announce that the Consumer Price Index rose just three-tenths of a percentage point in April.

Discussion: Outside The Beltway

Ryan Singel / Threat Level:

FBI Targets Internet Archive With Secret ‘National Security Letter’, Loses — The Internet Archive, a project to create a digital library of the web for posterity, successfully fought a secret government Patriot Act order for records about one of its patrons and won the right to make the order public …

Discussion: About.com US Politics and All Spin Zone

New York Times:

The Tax Trickery Spreads — It was bad enough when Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain decided to engage in some petty pandering by calling for a suspension of the federal gas tax over the summer. What they suggested would reduce needed tax revenues and hamper efforts to combat global warming.

Victor Davis Hanson / The Corner:

What's Wrong with Republicans? — On this great debate, I tend to agree with Mark Levin and others that conservatives should reach out with conservative principles better framed and presented, rather than change the message for the perceived advantage of the hour.