memeorandum: The NRA's New Friend — Having followed the National Rifle … (Marc Ambinder)

9:15 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: TalkLeft, Sister Toldjah, Tom Watson, No More Mister Nice Blog, Hot Air, The Jed Report, Corrente, TVNewser, Shakesville and PoliGazette

The Caucus:

Edwards Endorses Obama — “The reason I am here tonight is because the Democratic voters of America have made their choice and so have I,” Mr Edwards said. — Officials announced the news of Mr. Edwards's endorsement shortly after Mr. Obama landed here late this afternoon.

Discussion: TPM Election Central, Shakesville, Wake up America, Open Left, Progress Illinois, Bang the Drum, The Mahablog and Riehl World View

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, Political Radar, Liberty Street and MyDD

New York Times:

John Edwards Endorses Barack Obama — At a rally in Grand Rapids, Mich., on Wednesday evening, John Edwards endorsed Barack Obama, who was on the stage with him, to be the Democratic nominee for president. — Sounding a theme of a nation divided into parts by walls, Mr. Edwards said …

Discussion: Political Insider

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:

Edwards to Endorse Obama — Former Sen. John Edwards (N.C.) will endorse Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) tonight in Grand Rapids, Michigan, ending a long period of neutrality for the two-time presidential candidate and giving the Illinois senator another boost of momentum as he draws ever closer to the nomination.

Discussion: Power Line, Pandagon and Pam's House Blend

Chuck Babington / Associated Press:

Edwards gives long-awaited endorsement to Obama — GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Democrat John Edwards endorsed former rival Barack Obama on Wednesday, a move designed to help solidify support for the party's likely presidential nominee even as Hillary Rodham Clinton refuses to give up her long-shot candidacy.

Discussion: The Page and The Washington Independent

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 and Daily Kos

Randyj / The Page:
Ready to Choose?

Discussion: Marc Ambinder, Salon, Political Machine and Hot Air

CNN:
Obama gets Edwards' endorsement

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, The Jawa Report, Truthdig and Gothamist

Logan Murphy / Crooks and Liars: BREAKING: John Edwards Endorses Barack Obama - UPDATED With Video

WXYZ-TV:

Obama Apologizes to WXYZ Reporter — UPDATE: Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama has apologized to WXYZ reporter Peggy Agar for calling her “sweetie” during a campaign stop Wednesday in Sterling Heights. — Obama apologized in a voicemail he left on Agar's cell phone at 3:16 p.m:

Discussion: The Jawa Report, The Swamp, Ben Smith's Blogs, Shakesville, Spin Cycle, The Caucus and Comments from Left Field

Marc Ambinder:
Obama Appears To Call Reporter “Sweetie”

Discussion: Redstate

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Dept. of media relations

Discussion: Associated Press, Hot Air, Confederate Yankee and Commentary

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, MyDD, The Caucus and Balloon Juice

Rasmussen Reports:

38% of Democrats Want Clinton to Drop Out — Thirty-eight percent (38%) of Democratic voters nationwide now believe that Hillary Clinton should drop out of the race for the White House. That's up slightly from 34% in late April, 32% earlier in April and 22% in late March.

Discussion: Eunomia

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: Washington Post, protein wisdom, Real Clear Politics, The Iconic Midwest, Quinnipiac University, Shakesville, DownWithTyranny!, Gateway Pundit, The Strata-Sphere, NO QUARTER, Spin Cycle, The Campaign Spot and The Moderate Voice

CNN:
Rendell: Obama should ask Clinton to be VP

Discussion: New York Post, Ben Smith's Blogs, Marc Ambinder and The Swamp

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: Real Clear Politics, Think Progress, The Swamp, The Crypt's Blogs, Daily Kos, The Other McCain, The Huffington Post, AFL-CIO NOW BLOG, Firedoglake, Swing State Project, The Nation and HorsesAss.Org

Domenico Montanaro / MSNBC:
GOPERS STOMPING MAD OVER PROSPECTS

Discussion: Balloon Juice, Daily Kos and First Draft

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 and American Spectator

Barbara Stocking / Guardian Unlimited:
Drop the air drops

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

Jim Kuhnhenn / Associated Press:

McCain's wife sells Sudan-related investments — WASHINGTON - Cindy McCain, whose husband has been a critic of the violence in Sudan, sold off more than $2 million in mutual funds whose holdings include companies that do business in the African nation. — The sale on Wednesday came …

Discussion: Think Progress, The Caucus, Oliver Willis, The Page and Emptywheel

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: The Trail, Macsmind, The Page and Commentary

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

Anita Singh / Telegraph:

Sean Penn warns Barack Obama at Cannes Film Festival opening — The Cannes Film Festival got off to a lively start with Sean Penn, president of this year's jury, sounding off about US Presidential hopeful Barack Obama and the opening movie almost being upstaged by a bunch of performing pandas.

Discussion: Don Surber and Classical Values

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:

Malcolm blasts NARAL — A rift in the women's movement, as the head of Emily's List — a key Clinton backer — attacks Naral for endorsing Obama:

Discussion: Pandagon and AMERICAblog

Marc Ambinder:
EMILY's List Hits Back At NARAL

Discussion: The New Republic and The Page

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

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:

Tomorrow It Is — The marriage decision in California is imminent. As I've said before, in some ways I'd prefer this to wait. But the process has been going on a long time. We had an initiative in 2000, domestic partnership since, a premature breakthrough in San Francisco …

Discussion: Washington Monthly and Comments from Left Field