memeorandum: McCain's Pastor Problem: The Video (David Corn/MotherJones.com)

1:50 PM 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.

Mark Murray / MSNBC:

FIRST THOUGHTS: DOES HILLARY PLAY NICE? — From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro — *** Does Hillary play nice? The big question if Clinton stays in the race is this: Just how will she campaign? Yesterday, there were no negative TV ads or attack mailers.

Discussion: TalkLeft and Spin Cycle

The Hill:

Backs turn on Clinton — The tide turned against Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) on Capitol Hill Wednesday, as even some of her supporters said she should consider ending her White House bid. — Some uncommitted Democratic superdelegates refused to meet with the beleaguered candidate …

Discussion: The Crypt's Blogs and The Page

Washington Post:

Did Rush Limbaugh Tilt Result In Indiana? — Even as Barack Obama's campaign celebrated Tuesday's primary results, aides charged yesterday that they would have had an even stronger showing were it not for meddling by an unlikely booster of Hillary Rodham Clinton: the popular conservative radio host …

Discussion: New York Times, The Sleuth and Shakesville

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: PSoTD, Comments from Left Field, The Glittering Eye, MyDD and American Power

Roger Simon / The Politico:

Clinton's Death Star strategy — Rats don't swim toward sinking ships, and pols don't back no losers, and this is why Hillary Clinton is in such trouble. — In a relatively short amount of time, Clinton has gone from being the inevitable winner to being the underdog to being a dead woman walking.

Discussion: Slate and Prairie Weather

Michael Crowley / The New Republic:
Hillary's “White Americans”

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blogs and The Plank

George F. Will / Washington Post:
Yankee Fan Go Home

Discussion: Top of the Ticket, Political Machine, Outside The Beltway and Vodkapundit

Nicholas D. Kristof / New York Times:
The Too-Long Goodbye

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Real Clear Politics, NewsBusters.org and Reproductive Health

Dick Morris / The Hill:
Hillary won't adopt the Huckabee option

Discussion: The New Republic

Peter Nicholas / Los Angeles Times:
Obama's got a confident new strategy

Discussion: New York Times and NY Daily News

David Paul Kuhn / The Politico:

Obama plans to declare victory May 20 — Not long after the polls close in the May 20 Kentucky and Oregon primaries, Barack Obama plans to declare victory in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. — And, until at least May 31 and perhaps longer, Hillary Clinton's campaign plans to dispute it.

Discussion: The Jed Report, Sister Toldjah, The Caucus, Outside The Beltway and Corrente

Ed Henry / CNN:
Sources: Clinton supporter pressures Pelosi

Discussion: The Reaction

Kathy Barks Hoffman / Detroit Free Press:
Mich. Dems settle on how to split delegates

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blogs, Open Left, The Strata-Sphere and 2008 Democratic …

Big Tent Democrat / TalkLeft: Declaring Victory: Remember, Florida And Michigan Will Count In November

Los Angeles Times:
Hillary Clinton's strategy of last resort

Discussion: Associated Press, New York Times and The Page

Karen Tumulty / Time:

The Five Mistakes Clinton Made — For all her talk about “full speed on to the White House,” there was an unmistakably elegiac tone to Hillary Clinton's primary-night speech in Indianapolis. And if one needed further confirmation that the undaunted, never-say-die Clintons realize their bid might …

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blogs, The Raw Story, Talking Points Memo, Spin Cycle, TalkLeft, Dispassionate Liberal, TPM Election Central, Donklephant, MSNBC, Obsidian Wings, Democracy in America, Don Surber, marbury and Althouse

Karl Rove / Wall Street Journal:

It's Obama, Warts and All — Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama each took a state Tuesday. But the result was a damaging loss for the woman who was once the overwhelming front-runner for the Democratic nomination. Here are some observations on the race: — Mr. Obama is now the prohibitive favorite.

Discussion: Weekly Standard Blog, Marc Ambinder, The Radio Patriot, The Opinionator, The Page and Dean's World

David Corn / MotherJones.com:

McCain's Pastor Problem: The Video — WASHINGTON DISPATCH: In a taped sermon, the preacher McCain calls a “spiritual guide” calls on America to see the “false religion” of Islam “destroyed.” Still, the candidate won't reject Rod Parsley's endorsement. — During a 2005 sermon …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Think Progress, Informed Comment, The Huffington Post, THE GUN TOTING LIBERAL™, Democrats.com, The Raw Story and David Corn

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish: McCain's Latest Preacher Problem

Staten Island Advance:

Staten Island's Fossella admits he's the father of 'old friend's' child — Rep. Vito Fossella (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) has acknowledged that he is the father of a 3-year-old daughter with divorcee Laura Fay, the retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who picked him up from an Alexandria, Va., jail last week after he was busted for DWI.

Discussion: The Swamp, Open Left and New York Observer

The Hill:
Fossella admits to affair, out-of-wedlock child

Discussion: Crooks and Liars

The Hill:

Obama talks to superdelegates on House floor — The fight for Democratic superdelegates moved to the House floor on Thursday as Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) spoke to dozens of Democrats in the House chamber. — Obama, increasingly looking like the Democratic presidential nominee …

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blogs and Booman Tribune

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: Commentary, Marc Ambinder, Classical Values, Hot Air and Dean's World

Benjamin Svetkey / EW.com:

First Look: ‘W,’ Oliver Stone's Bush Biopic — Entertainment Weekly goes inside the director's dark, comic, and already controversial movie about George W. Bush's rise to power, starring Josh Brolin — “Where is George Bush's bedroom?” — Oliver Stone is flinging open French doors inside …

Discussion: The Hill's Blog Briefing Room, Wonkette, Swampland and Political Machine