Top Items:
Mike Allen / The Politico:
Dems pound McCain for new Iraq quote — The Obama campaign and Democratic leaders accused Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) of being confused and heartless after he told NBC's “Today” show Wednesday that it's “not too important” when U.S. troops return from Iraq. — Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) …
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Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Kerry: McCain confused, ‘unbelievably out of touch’ — John Kerry, who's served in the past as Obama's heavy-hitter on national security, expressed incredulity at McCain's remark this morning that the timing of troops return is “not too important.” — “It is unbelievably out of touch …
Discussion:
John McCain 2008, protein wisdom, TownHall Blog, Top of the Ticket, The New Republic, Salon, Boston Globe, WTF Is It Now?!?, Balloon Juice, BLACKFIVE and RADAMISTO
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
EX POST MCCAINO — The McCain campaign is hitting back hard against Democratic criticism of his “not that important” quote this morning on Today. But as often is the case with McCain, the explanations of what he said are even sillier than the original statement.
Marc Ambinder:
It's Not Important? Context Is Always Important — Democrats and allies are jumping on John McCain for telling NBC's Matt Lauer that “it's not important” when troops return from Iraq. Period. There's no because. There's almost never a because when one side seizes on the comments of another.
Kelly Moeller / Political Punch:
Playing the Age Card? Obama Camp Calls McCain “Confused,” Jumps On McCain Comments on Iraq — Poll after poll shows that more voters trust Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., on matters of national security than they do Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois. Hoping to bridge that chasm …
Discussion:
New York Times, MSNBC, Hot Air, TPM Election Central, The Carpetbagger Report, AMERICAblog, The Jed Report, Hullabaloo and Commentary
Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:McCain Campaign: Dems Took “Not Too Important” Quote Out Of Context
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Johnson resigns — Obama and his campaign staunchly defended Jim Johnson against the charge that his ties to troubled mortgage lender Countrywide disqualified him from sitting on Obama's vice presidential search committee, but Johnson just pulled the plug: He resigned as chairman of the steering committee just now.
Discussion:
Fox News, New York Sun, protein wisdom, Balloon Juice, The Washington Independent and Rezko Watch
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CNN:
Obama's VP vetter steps aside — WASHINGTON (CNN) — A key member of Barack Obama's vice-presidential search team, James Johnson, is stepping down after criticism over a mortgage he received, the Obama campaign said. — “Jim did not want to distract in any way from the very important task …
Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
Obama Gains Among Women After Clinton Exit — Now running as strongly vs. McCain among women as Clinton did — PRINCETON, NJ — Since Hillary Clinton decided to concede the Democratic nomination to Barack Obama last week, Obama has established a lead over Republican John McCain in general-election polling.
Discussion:
Wonk Room, Political Radar, The Swamp, The Caucus, The Nation, Taegan Goddard's …, Political Machine, Hotline On Call and The Moderate Voice
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Scott Glover / Los Angeles Times:
9th Circuit's chief judge posted sexually explicit materials on his website — Alex Kozinski, who is presiding over an obscenity trial in L.A., admits he posted sexually explicit photos and videos. He says he didn't think the public could see the site, which is now blocked.
Discussion:
Law Blog, Threat Level, Obsidian Wings, StephenBainbridge.com, Shakesville, LA Observed and On Deadline
Ezra Klein / American Prospect:
MORE FURMAN FUROR. — What I can't figure out about the furor of Barack Obama's decision to name Jason Furman his economic policy director is where have these people been? This is like getting pissed at Project Runway because it's a show about clothes. — Austen Goolsbee …
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Mark Murray / MSNBC:
TEASING TODAY'S NBC/WSJ POLL — From NBC's Mark Murray — Here's one question from today's NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll that we're releasing early: 59% say it's more important to have a president who will focus on progress and moving America forward, versus 37% who would rather the president protect what has made America great.
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Matt / Think Progress:
McCain On Whether Cheney Might Serve In His Administration: ‘Hell, Yeah’ — As Vice President Dick Cheney makes the rounds on “the GOP's rubber chicken circuit” these days to raise funds for conservative candidates, he always implores his audiences “to make sure that we elect John McCain the 44th President of the United States.”
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Mark Leibovich / New York Times:
Those Loyal to the Clintons Take Note of Who Was Not — WASHINGTON — Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was gracious in her full-throated endorsement of Senator Barack Obama. But that does not mean all is forgiven by others in the Clinton universe. — For proof, look no further than Doug Band …
David Sarno / Web Scout:
The Obama campaign deleted my blog post! — A couple of days ago, as part of my experimenting with how political rumors get started online, I created a blog in the community section of barackobama.com, the official campaign web site, and added a post. As background, there have been several dust-ups lately …
Noam Scheiber / The New Republic:
Is the McCain Campaign Deluded By Its Primary Win? — Michael Gerson makes a great point in his column today: … If it's true that a campaign can't un-learn the lessons of its formative experience, then I'd much rather have had the Obama campaign's formative experience than the McCain campaign's.
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