memeorandum: Growing Opposition to Iraq Security Pact (New York Times)

3:15 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: Ben Smith's Blogs, Firedoglake, The Moderate Voice, The Swamp, Marc Ambinder, Sister Toldjah, The Field, Wake up America and MyDD

Lanny J. Davis / Wall Street Journal:

The Argument for Nominating Hillary — After the votes are in from Puerto Rico tomorrow and South Dakota and Montana on Tuesday, neither Barack Obama nor Hillary Clinton will be able to make a facts-based case that they represent a significant majority of grass-roots Democrats.

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, NO QUARTER, Hot Air and Oliver Willis

Nedra Pickler / Associated Press:

Obama, Clinton camps seek end to delegate dispute — 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, Wake up America, FREEDOM EDEN 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: The Democratic Daily

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

Discussion: TIME.com and The Other McCain

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

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

Discussion: Tennessee Guerilla Women

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

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Corrente, Balloon Juice, The Mahablog, New York Times and Bang the Drum

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: Democracy Project and Nitpicker

Ryan Grim / The Politico:
Exclusive: McClellan pitch softer on Bush

Discussion: TIME.com

Fox News:
Newt Gingrich Responds to McClellan Book

Discussion: Redstate, MSNBC and The Corner

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, Ed Driscoll.com, Hot Air and Gateway Pundit

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: The Caucus, Pam's House Blend, TownHall Blog, Prairie Weather and The Political Carnival

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

Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:

Obama Hits McCain Again: “We Don't Need More Leaders Who Can't Admit They've Made A Mistake” — On the trail today in South Dakota, Barack Obama will keep up the pressure on John McCain for wrongly saying that the troop numbers in Iraq are now at “pre-surge” levels, using McCain's refusal …

Discussion: The Daily Dish, The Carpetbagger Report, Eschaton and Talking Points Memo

Lauren Frayer / Associated Press:

Al-Qaida's stance on women sparks extremist debate — CAIRO, Egypt - Muslim extremist women are challenging al-Qaida's refusal to include — or at least acknowledge — women in its ranks, in an emotional debate that gives rare insight into the gender conflicts lurking beneath one of the strictest strains of Islam.

Discussion: Unqualified Offerings and JammieWearingFool

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