memeorandum: Kind words for Obama (Ben Smith/Ben Smith's Blogs)

6:10 PM ET, May 14, 2008

Top Items:

Edwards To Endorse Obama — ABC News' Kate Snow, Raelyn Johnson, Sunlen Miller, and Rick Klein Report: Former Sen. John Edwards is endorsing Sen. Barack Obama's presidential candidacy Wednesday evening, in a dramatic attempt by the Obama campaign to answer concerns regarding Obama's appeal …

Discussion: Hot Air, The Jed Report and TVNewser

The Caucus:

Edwards to Endorse Obama — GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — John Edwards, the former senator from North Carolina who bowed out of the presidential race in January, is expected to endorse Senator Barack Obama at a rally being held here tonight. — Officials announced the news shortly after Mr. Obama landed here late this afternoon.

Discussion: Marc Ambinder, Bang the Drum, TPM Election Central, Riehl World View, Shakesville and Slog

John Edwards / CNN:

Edwards to endorse Obama — From CNN Political Producer Mike Roselli, CNN's Suzanne Malveaux — (CNN) — CNN has confirmed that former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards will endorse Barack Obama shortly at a Michigan campaign event. — The endorsement could help Obama reach …

Discussion: The Swamp

Marc Ambinder:

Hints, Hints, Hints — I don't know if John Edwards is endorsing Barack Obama today. — Here are some hints, though. — So who's staffing Edwards today? A hint: this is Jennifer Palmieri's out-of-office message... Ms. Palmieri is a family favorite and has been called upon to staff …

Discussion: The Field, Reason Magazine, Daily Kos and Swampland

Randyj / The Page:

Ready to Choose? — Ready to hope?

Discussion: Marc Ambinder, Salon, Political Machine, Hot Air and TPM Election Central

Chuck Babington / Associated Press:

Edwards gives long-awaited endorsement to Obama — GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Democrat John Edwards is endorsing former rival Barack Obama, fresh signs of the party establishment embracing the likely nominee even as Hillary Rodham Clinton refuses to give up her long-shot candidacy.

Discussion: The Page and The Washington Independent

Chris Cillizza / The Fix: Edwards to Endorse Obama

MSNBC: Edwards to endorse Obama

Charles Hurt / New York Post:
PLOTTING HER PATH FOR 2012 — CHARLESTON, W.Va. …

Discussion: David Corn, MoJoBlog and MSNBC

John Aravosis / AMERICAblog:

Go away you horrible human being — IT'S NOT CLOSE. YOU FREAKING LOST THE NOMINATION, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? — Good God. What is wrong with her? The Clintons and their campaign staff don't give a damn that they are now hurting our electoral chances in the fall against McCain and against the Republicans in Congress.

Discussion: The Strata-Sphere, Shakesville, The Campaign Spot, The Moderate Voice and NO QUARTER

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:

UPCOUNTRY — If the exit polls (and the pre-election polls) are accurate, Hillary Clinton is set to win West Virginia by roughly a 2 to 1 margin over Barack Obama. Oregon, next Tuesday, favors Obama. But Kentucky, which votes the same day, seems likely to yield a similar margin for Sen. Clinton.

Discussion: New York Times, TalkLeft, The Huffington Post, The Talent Show, Slog, The Carpetbagger Report, American Street, Washington Monthly, Taylor Marsh, Gawker, The Other McCain, The Daily Dish and No More Mister Nice Blog

Dana Milbank / Washington Post:

This Is an Ex-Candidate — C ustomer: “Look, matey, I know a dead parrot when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now.” — Pet-shop owner: “No, no he's not dead, he's — he's resting! Remarkable bird, the Norwegian blue, isn't it, aye? Beautiful plumage!”

Discussion: The Carpetbagger Report, Spin Cycle, Liberal Values, American Spectator and GINA COBB

The Hill:

Analysis: House GOP hits new low, faces bleak Nov. — The sky is falling on House Republicans and there is no sign of it letting up. — The GOP loss in Mississippi's special election Tuesday is the strongest sign yet that the Republican Party is in shambles.

Discussion: Think Progress, The Swamp, The Crypt's Blogs, The Other McCain, Daily Kos, Swing State Project, The Opinionator, Firedoglake, The Huffington Post, AFL-CIO NOW BLOG, The Nation and Connecting.the.Dots

Domenico Montanaro / MSNBC:
GOPERS STOMPING MAD OVER PROSPECTS

Discussion: Balloon Juice, Pam's House Blend, First Draft and Daily Kos

Reid Wilson / Real Clear Politics:
GOP Stunned By Loss in Mississippi

Discussion: The Corner, Firedoglake, Hot Air, Politics Nation, Eunomia, Reason Magazine, Donklephant, HorsesAss.Org, Sister Toldjah, The Strata-Sphere and Marc Ambinder

CNN:

Clinton: It'd be a ‘grave error’ to pick McCain over Obama — (CNN) — Hillary Clinton on Wednesday reiterated her vow to stay in the Democratic presidential race, but she said it would be a “terrible mistake” for her supporters to vote for John McCain over Barack Obama.

Discussion: TPM Election Central, The Caucus, MyDD and Balloon Juice

James Pitkin / Willamette Week:
Six Minutes With Barack

Discussion: The Swamp, TownHall Blog, Wonkette and The Page

CNN:
Rendell: Obama should ask Clinton to be VP

Discussion: Marc Ambinder, The Swamp and No More Mister Nice Blog

Michael Calderone / The Politico:

WaPo's Broder taking buyout; becomes contract writer in '09 — Veteran Washington Post political columnist David Broder is going to take a buyout from the paper. As of Jan 1, 2009, he will become a contract employee of the Post. — Here's a note sent to Broder's column clients this morning, obtained by Politico.

Discussion: New York Observer, Philly.com and Outside The Beltway

Michael Calderone / The Politico:
Rumors swirl over Post buyout deal

Discussion: New York Observer and FishBowlDC

CBN.com:

Obama and the Cross — I have been telling Brody File readers for months that if Barack Obama becomes the Democratic nominee he will make a pitch to win over independent/moderate Evangelicals. Well, we now have evidence. — The Obama campaign has consistently believed that their candidate can compete for the “religious vote”.

Discussion: TownHall Blog, The Page and Commentary

Rich Lowry / The Corner:

A Humanitarian Invasion of Burma? — I asked a friend who has experience at all levels of this kind of thing, from humanitarian delivery to high-level government deliberations, whether it makes sense to go into Burma without permission. His response:

Discussion: Ross Douthat

Barbara Stocking / Guardian Unlimited:
Drop the air drops

Discussion: New York Times, Matthew Yglesias, UN Dispatch and Lawyers, Guns and Money

Nina Bernstein / New York Times:

Italian's Detention Illustrates Dangers Foreign Visitors Face — He was a carefree Italian with a recent law degree from a Roman university. She was “a totally Virginia girl,” as she puts it, raised across the road from George Washington's home. Their romance, sparked by a 2006 meeting …

Discussion: Washington Post, Blue Girl, Red State, Amygdala, Reason Magazine, Balkinization, Slog and The Sideshow

Marc Ambinder:

Good Timing For Jim Webb — How 'bout that? Sen. Jim Webb's new book will be released on May 15, just as reporters like me start to speculate about his chances of becoming Sen. Barack Obama's vice presidential nominee. — “A Time To Fight: Reclaiming a Just And Fair America” …

Discussion: THE GUN TOTING LIBERAL™, Taegan Goddard's …, Donklephant and race42008.com