memeorandum: Consumers Lean on Rebate Checks for Bills and Gas (Peter S. Goodman/New York Times)

9:15 AM ET, June 1, 2008

Top Items:

Jane Hamsher / Firedoglake:

Clinton Supporter Shows Bruises She Received Being Ejected From Meeting — Deborah Foster, a Long Island school teacher and Hillary Clinton supporter who was ejected from the Rules & Bylaws Committee meeting on May 31, 2008 shows her bruises. Foster and others were shouting “Denver, Denver” …

Discussion: NO QUARTER, Flopping Aces, Tennessee Guerilla Women, Buck Naked Politics and Gateway Pundit

Mark Murray / MSNBC:

OBAMA HAD THE VOTES FOR 50-50 MI SPLIT — From NBC's Chuck Todd — Per multiple sources inside the closed Rules and Bylaws Committee lunch, Obama actually had the votes to get a 50-50 delegate split out of Michigan — but by just a vote or two. — However, it was decided to go with the 69-59 split to win a larger majority.

Discussion: The Carpetbagger Report, Spin Cycle, The Daily Dish and Daily Kos

Jane Hamsher / Firedoglake:

Clinton Supporter Ejected From Rules Meeting, “McCain Will Be Our Next President” — Things grew increasingly contentious toward the end of the Rules Committee meeting, and a Clinton supporter — who identified herself as Harriet Christian — was ejected from the room.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Wake up America, The Mahablog, The Jed Report and Stop The ACLU

New York Times:

Democrats Approve Deal on Michigan and Florida — WASHINGTON — To jeers and boos that showcased deep party divisions, Democratic Party officials agreed Saturday to seat delegates from the disputed Florida and Michigan primaries at the party's convention in August but give them only half a vote each …

Discussion: The Swamp, TalkLeft, the talking dog, BAGnewsNotes, Tennessee Guerilla Women and The Reaction

Marc Ambinder:
RBC Live Wire 7: Clinton Nets 24 Delegates

Discussion: The Democratic Daily, Liberal Values, Firedoglake, Newshoggers.com, Obsidian Wings, skippy the bush kangaroo and culturekitchen

Associated Press:
Florida, Michigan delegates will get half-votes

Discussion: MSNBC, FREEDOM EDEN, the albany project and QandO

Michael Falcone / The Caucus:
D.N.C. Cuts Fla., Mich. Votes in Half

Discussion: Blogging For Michigan, Blue Mass. Group, Tennessee Guerilla Women, Redstate, Buck Naked Politics, MyDD, Lance Mannion, Threat Level, The Democratic Daily, TIME.com, Ben Smith's Blogs, The Nation and New York Times

Avi Zenilman / Ben Smith's Blogs: 50% version of the Michigan solution passes 19-8

Stephen Ohlemacher / Associated Press:
Obama used party rules to foil Clinton

Discussion: Salon and Liberal Values

CNN:

Obama resigns from controversial church — (CNN) — Barack Obama resigned Saturday from his Chicago church — where controversial sermons by his former pastor and other ministers had created repeated political headaches for the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination — his campaign confirmed.

Discussion: The Swamp, Washington Wire, Liberal Values, Comments from Left Field, New York Times, Redstate, Political Machine, Althouse, Political Radar, Sweetness & Light and RADAMISTO

CNN:

Obama resigns from controversial church — (CNN) — Sen. Barack Obama said Saturday that he has resigned from the church where controversial sermons by his former pastor and other ministers created repeated political headaches for the Democratic frontrunner.

Discussion: Publius Pundit, TownHall Blog, GINA COBB, God-o-Meter, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, baldilocks, Open Left, Roger L. Simon and MyDD

Peter Wehner / The Corner:

Changes — Barack Obama's resignation from Trinity United Church of Christ over, in part, “a cultural and a stylistic gap” raises additional doubts about him. The obvious question is what “cultural and stylistic gap” exists now that hasn't existed during the last two decades …

Discussion: Donklephant and THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS

The Moderate Voice: Senator Obama's Letter Resigning from Trinity: Trinity's Response

Jeff Zeleny / The Caucus:
Obama Quits His Church

Discussion: Balloon Juice and Commentary

The Politico:
Obama quits Trinity

Discussion: Don Surber and Truthdig

Monroe Anderson:
Wright out or wimp out? Obama quits Trinity

Discussion: Lynn Sweet, Salon, Ben Smith's Blogs and Stop The ACLU

Chicago Tribune:
Pfleger puts Obama in unwelcome spot again

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

John McCormick / Baltimore Sun:
Obama leaving Trinity United church

Discussion: Power Line, TalkLeft, NO QUARTER, Hot Air, THE GUN TOTING LIBERAL™, TIME.com, PoliGazette, Corrente, Ace of Spades HQ, Flopping Aces and Sister Toldjah

Lynn Sweet:
Obama resigns from Trinity United Church of Christ. …

Discussion: AMERICAblog, Commentary, Taylor Marsh, Ed Driscoll.com, Spin Cycle and The Reaction

Tom Raum / Associated Press:
Obama quits Chicago church after long controversy

Discussion: The Democratic Daily, Pam's House Blend, Stubborn Facts and Pajamas Media

John McCormick / The Swamp:
Obama leaving his church

Discussion: protein wisdom, The Corner, The Moderate Voice, Top of the Ticket and Jules Crittenden

Fox News:
Obama Resigns Church Membership in Chicago

Discussion: Don Surber, Gateway Pundit and FREEDOM EDEN

Tim Shipman / Telegraph:

Hillary Clinton to be offered dignified exit — Hillary Clinton will be offered a dignified exit from the presidential race and the prospect of a place in Barack Obama's cabinet under plans for a “negotiated surrender” of her White House ambitions being drawn up by Senator Obama's aides.

Discussion: Too Sense and Vox Popoli

Zzaki / Political Radar:

Obama Won't Wait for Clinton Concession — ABC News' Teddy Davis and Karen Travers Report: The Obama campaign is not worried about the tempest that erupted at a Washington, D.C., hotel on Saturday when top Clinton adviser Harold Ickes threatened to take the fight over Michigan's delegates all the way to the convention.

Discussion: TIME.com and The Jed Report

Beth Reinhard / Naked Politics:

Hastings boycotting Democratic convention — At least one high-profile Florida Democrat is not ready to set aside the dispute with the national party: U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings of Miramar said he would skip the nominating convention in Denver. — Here's his statement, a dramatic commentary on the right to vote by a black congressman:

Discussion: MyDD, The Field and Stubborn Facts

Big Tent Democrat / TalkLeft: Alcee Hastings To Boycott Convention Due to FL Delegate Travesty

Washington Post:

The Iraqi Upturn — THERE'S BEEN a relative lull in news coverage and debate about Iraq in recent weeks — which is odd, because May could turn out to have been one of the most important months of the war. While Washington's attention has been fixed elsewhere, military analysts have watched …

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, The Strata-Sphere, MSNBC and The Long War Journal

N. Gregory Mankiw / New York Times:

The Problem With the Corporate Tax — AT this point in the presidential campaign, Senator John McCain is the candidate of ideas on issues of tax policy. Too many ideas, in fact. While some of his ideas are great, others are almost laughable. — The one that has received the most attention recently …

Discussion: Economist's View and Redstate

Peter S. Goodman / New York Times:

Consumers Lean on Rebate Checks for Bills and Gas — MIAMI — The federal government is showering households with tax rebates to spur spending and invigorate a troubled economy. But many Americans are so consumed with debt and the soaring price of gasoline that they are opting to save …

Discussion: The Reaction

Sam Stein / The Huffington Post:

Lanny Davis Loses His Cool On DNC Member — stumble digg reddit del.ico.us news trust buzz up — A brief but spittle-filled shouting match broke out in the halls of the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee hearing on Saturday between a committee member and a surrogate for Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign.