memeorandum: DNC Committee meets behind closed doors and ends without agreement (James W. Pindell/Politicker)

2:10 PM ET, May 31, 2008

Top Items:

Sources: DNC Florida Compromise Reached, Michigan Hangs In Balance — stumble digg reddit del.ico.us news trust buzz up — Two sources, including a high-ranking official with the Florida delegation, have confirmed that the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee reached an agreement last night …

Discussion: Firedoglake, Marc Ambinder, The Moderate Voice, The Swamp, The Field, Sister Toldjah, Wake up America and MyDD

Nedra Pickler / Associated Press:

Democrats consider Fla., Mich. delegate plans — WASHINGTON - Supporters for Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton staked out competing positions Saturday as Democrats searched for a compromise to seat disputed convention delegations from Florida and Michigan and clear the way for a smooth end …

Discussion: Washington Wire, The Moderate Voice, TRAIL BLAZERS, FREEDOM EDEN, Wake up America and The Democratic Daily

James W. Pindell / Politicker:

DNC Committee meets behind closed doors and ends without agreement — WASHINGTON — Setting the stage for what could be a full day of testimony, voting, and planned protests, members of the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee held a private, behind closed doors meeting Friday night …

Discussion: MoJoBlog, TIME.com, Spin Cycle and USA Today

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:

The Michigan Case Begins — INSIDE THE RULES AND BYLAWS COMMITTEE MEETING — Mark Brewer, the chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, has taken his seat in the eye of the storm to make a pitch for the full recognition of the Wolverine State. — Solving Michigan is likely to prove far trickier …

Discussion: Prairie Weather

Amy Chozick / Wall Street Journal:
Tuesday May Not End Democratic Fight

Discussion: TIME.com and The Other McCain

Lanny J. Davis / Wall Street Journal:
The Argument for Nominating Hillary

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, Hot Air and Oliver Willis

Eric Kleefeld / TPM Election Central:
Do Florida And Michigan Primaries Really Reflect The Will Of The People?

Discussion: AMERICAblog, Talking Points Memo, Electoral-vote.com, The Caucus and Slog

Jim Tankersley / The Swamp:
Clinton's ‘briar patch’ scenario

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and New York Times

Katharine Q. Seelye / The Caucus:
Democrats Meet Over Fla., Mich. in Late-Night Session

Discussion: Tennessee Guerilla Women

Marni Soupcoff / National Post:

David Frum on Scott McClellan's new book: George Bush got the team he deserved — Except maybe for MSNBC's wild-eyed commentator Keith Olbermann, nobody in politics or media seems to have a good word to say for Scott McClellan, the former George W. Bush press secretary turned ferocious Bush critic.

Discussion: Nitpicker and Democracy Project

Ryan Grim / The Politico:

Exclusive: McClellan pitch softer on Bush — Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan has been arguing that his much-discussed memoir turned out to be a harsher verdict of President Bush than the one he initially set out to deliver. — The more muted tone of his confidential book proposal …

Discussion: TIME.com

Fox News:
Newt Gingrich Responds to McClellan Book

Discussion: Redstate, MSNBC and The Corner

Fox News: Bob Dole Calls Scott McClellan a ‘Miserable Creature’

Jonah Goldberg / National Review:
What Happened? — Not since America's most revered feckless …

Discussion: Sadly, No!

Kenneth P. Vogel / The Politico:

Bill Clinton's enemies list? — Listen to audio of Bill Clinton's conference call below. — With Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign on the verge of defeat, Bill Clinton has been placing blame on enemies including a brazenly biased media that tried to suppress blue-collar votes …

Discussion: TownHall Blog, The Caucus, Prairie Weather and The Political Carnival

Tom Raum / Associated Press:

Obama says his ears too big for Rushmore — MOUNT RUSHMORE NATIONAL MEMORIAL, S.D. (AP) — Democrat Barack Obama paid an unscheduled late-night visit to Mount Rushmore Friday, visiting the national memorial at closing time and joking that his ears were too big to ever be included in such a display.

Discussion: Power Line, The Corner and Gateway Pundit

Thomas Joscelyn / Weekly Standard:

Are We Serious? — They're at war, we're catching crooks. — A Memoir of the Jihad — by Andrew C. McCarthy — Encounter, 250 pp., $25.95 — In the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks, America has tried to understand how she could have been so blind.

Discussion: Power Line and protein wisdom

Publius / Obsidian Wings:

Hillary's Choice — Perhaps I'm being melodramatic, but tomorrow is one of the most critical events of the 2008 election. At this point, you're thinking “aha, rules committee meeting.” But that's not actually what I'm talking about. The truly truly critical event tomorrow …

Discussion: The Daily Dish, The Carpetbagger Report and The Moderate Voice

Gordon Rayner / Telegraph:

Irish referendum could scupper EU treaty — In 1973, when Ireland joined what is now the European Union, it was the poorest country on the continent. — Today, thanks in no small part to £32 billion in EU grants, it is the second richest per capita (after Luxembourg).

Discussion: Vox Popoli

Carol J. Williams / Los Angeles Times:

Judge critical of Guantanamo war crimes case is dismissed — Army Col. Peter Brownback III had threatened to suspend proceedings unless prosecutors handed over key records to the defense. — MIAMI — A judge hearing a war crimes case at Guantanamo Bay who publicly expressed frustration …

Discussion: New York Times and Think Progress

Emptywheel:

Howard, This Is Not About You, This Is About Your Country — Howard Dean has kicked off this meeting with a great speech. He emphasized the superb turnout Democrats have had this year. And he emphasized how strong we are to be able come together and disagree.