memeorandum: Hundreds Held in Iraqi Sweep (Sudarsan Raghavan/Washington Post)

4:35 PM ET, May 18, 2008

Top Items:

Powerful Video of Ugly Sexist Vilification of Hillary Clinton — Sexism is alive and well in America. — One exit poll I saw had almost twice as many voters having trouble voting for a woman for president than voting for a black man. — The New York Times had a long piece about a future woman president today, Kate Zernike writes:

Discussion: Liberal Values, Open Left and Balloon Juice

Kate Zernike / New York Times:

Step Right Up: She Just Might Be President Someday — If fate and voters deny Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton the distinction of becoming the first female president, another woman will see if the mantle fits.

Discussion: JustOneMinute, No More Mister Nice Blog, Swampland and Althouse

Libby Spencer / Newshoggers.com:

Better messaging please — Man, I really don't want to step into this but it just really bothers me. Yes, the blatant sexism in this Youtube is horrible. It's unfair, but so is the central message the video seems to be conveying, at least to me. — I'm hearing that I should be blaming Obama for not solving sexism.

Mike Allen / The Politico:

Another top McCain official resigns — Former Rep. Thomas G. Loeffler, a Texan who is among the McCain campaign's most important advisers and fundraisers, has resigned as a national co-chair over lobbying entanglements, a Republican source told Politico on Sunday.

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias, Balloon Juice, Blue Girl, Red State, Obsidian Wings, The Other McCain and RADAMISTO

Michael Isikoff / Newsweek:

Mccain vs. Lobbyists — Stung by the news that two aides once lobbied for the Burmese junta, John McCain last week rolled out a sweeping new conflict-of-interest policy for his campaign, requiring all staffers to fill out questionnaires identifying past or current clients that “could be embarrassing for the senator.”

Discussion: Think Progress, Booman Tribune, The Carpetbagger Report, Emptywheel and Wonk Room

Ali / Think Progress:

Webb: Bush Would Be First President In History To Veto Benefits For Vets — On NBC's “Meet the Press” this morning, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) discussed his 21st Century GI Bill, which would dramatically expand educational benefits for returning veterans. President Bush, however, has vowed to veto the bill.

Discussion: Crooks and Liars and Big Brass Blog

MSNBC:

May 18: Sen. Chris Dodd (D-VA), political roundtable — Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA), Harold Ford, Jr., Mike Huckabee, Mike Murphy, Bob Shrum — MR. TIM RUSSERT: Our issues this Sunday, John Edwards endorses Barack Obama after Hillary Clinton's landslide victory in West Virginia.

Discussion: Shakesville and Top of the Ticket

Larry Rohter / New York Times:

Obama to Return to Iowa, Possibly to Claim Victory — Senator Barack Obama has chosen to spend Tuesday night not in Kentucky or Oregon, the two states that will be holding their primaries that day, or even at his home in Chicago. Instead, Mr. Obama's staff announced on Saturday …

Discussion: The Jed Report, The Page, TalkLeft, Jeff Mapes on Politics and Political Radar

Jeralyn / TalkLeft:

Obama To Spend Tues. Night in Iowa, Possibly Will Claim Victory — Barack Obama will return to Iowa Tuesday night. The New York Times says it may be to “claim victory” and declare himself the Democratic nominee. His campaign views winning a majority of 2025 pledged and unpledged delegates victory.

Discussion: Denver Post and NO QUARTER

CBS News:

Bush An “Appeaser,” Says Egyptian Press — Critics Raise Questions About Credibility Of U.S. Role In Middle East — (CBS/AP) Egypt's state-owned press opened fire Saturday on U.S. President George W. Bush as he arrived for talks with regional leaders at the conclusion of a five-day Mideast tour.

Discussion: Newshoggers.com, RADAMISTO, Israel Matzav and Raw Story

Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:
The Middle East in the Year 2068? Some Presidential Prognostications

Discussion: Commentary and The Impolitic

John Amato / Crooks and Liars:

Mike Huckabee thought McCain's ‘bomb, bomb, bomb Iran’ song was funny. — Tim Russert asked Huckabee about the very dangerous joke he he told about Barack Obama at the NRA dinner in Kentucky. The one where Obama gets assassinated. … He responds by bringing up Bobby Knight …

Zzaki / Political Radar:
Obama: Bush, McCain Should ‘Explain Why They Have a Problem With JFK’

Discussion: The Carpetbagger Report

Maura Dolan / Los Angeles Times:

California chief justice says same-sex marriage ruling was one of his toughest — Ronald M. George, a moderate Republican who voted with the majority, likens the case to civil rights battles. — SAN FRANCISCO — In the days leading up to the California Supreme Court's historic same-sex …

Discussion: Real Clear Politics, American Spectator, NewsBusters.org, American Power, The Other McCain, Patterico's Pontifications and On Deadline

Michael Levenson / Boston Globe:
Celebration, then strategizing in Calif.

Discussion: ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES

The Poor Man Institute:

The problem — Andrew Sullivan cites some worthy reader “dissent”: … Bush = good. Muslims = evil. The government is owed our unconditional support. It is our duty to defeat the false religions. It's all sensible because I choose to believe it. I am very brave for saying so.

Discussion: First Draft and Alternate Brain

Nicole Belle / Crooks and Liars:

SNL Weekend Update: John McCain Give Advice To Democrats — John McCain appeared on SNL's Weekend Update to give a little advice to the Democratic voters out there. — Download | Play Download | Play (h/t Bill W)