Top Items:
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
McCain surrogate defends Swift Boaters — One of the participants in McCain's conference call today was Colonel Bud Day, a longtime McCain ally who was also a member of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth in 2004. — I asked Day whether how he'd compare the attacks he was saying McCain faces today …
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Ben Smith / The Politico:
Some on left target McCain's war record — The highest voltage third rail of this presidential campaign may not be race, sex, or age, but Senator John McCain's military service. — McCain's campaign Sunday issued a pair of outraged statements after retired general and Barack Obama supporter Wesley Clark …
Discussion:
The Swamp, AMERICAblog News, CNN, Power Line, MSNBC, Salon, Right Wing Nut House, This ain't Hell …, Political Insider, NO QUARTER, Political Machine, The American Mind, Booman Tribune, Gateway Pundit, NewsBusters.org, Newshoggers.com, Confederate Yankee, Washington Wire, Brilliant at Breakfast, Oliver Willis and TownHall Blog
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
DC PRESS LORDS LAY DOWN FIRE FOR MCCAIN — It's not surprising. But it is an example of the fatuous McCain worship that is the bread and butter of the Washington press corps that Wes Clark's comments this weekend on Face the Nation are being called ‘swift-boating’.
Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
Swiftboating McCain — Ben Smith documents the left's gross attacks on McCain's military record: … Wesley Clark is now and always has been a Clinton-type, but this is pretty revolting. This kind of personal attack was repulsive coming against Kerry from the far right. And it's repulsive the other way round.
CNN:
McCain Truth Squad defender was Swift Boat Vet member — (CNN) — One of the members of John McCain's new Truth Squad — which his campaign says was launched to respond to unfair attacks on his record of military service — was a member of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, and appeared in an attack ad for the group in 2004.
The Campaign Spot:
Clark Marks the Seventh Democrat to Go After McCain's Wartime Service
Clark Marks the Seventh Democrat to Go After McCain's Wartime Service
Discussion:
The Caucus, Weekly Standard Blog, The Trail, Confederate Yankee, Swampland, Commentary, Hot Air and On Background
Klaus Marre / The Hill:
Obama criticizes MoveOn.org in patriotism speech — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Monday, in a major speech on patriotism, criticized MoveOn.org for referring to Gen. David Petraeus as General Betray Us last year. — The Illinois senator said politics too often seems …
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Karl / protein wisdom:
Obama fibs and flip-flops on patriotism — The AP's Jennifer Loven covers Barack Obama's speech on patriotism, in which he said he “will never question the patriotism of others in this campaign” and implictly threw his surrogate Wesley Clark under the campaign bus for questioning John McCain's war record.
Darleen Click / protein wisdom:
Don't call me ‘shirley’ — As an addendum to Karl's post about O!'s fibbing, Barry states
Don't call me ‘shirley’ — As an addendum to Karl's post about O!'s fibbing, Barry states
Carpetbagger / The Carpetbagger Report:
Note to the religious right: auto-replace is not your friend — Auto-correct can be a very helpful feature of any word-processing program. But when conservatives use it, they run the risk of embarrassing themselves. — Some far-right sites that subscribe to the Associated Press feed …
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Kyle / Right Wing Watch:
The Dangers of Auto-Replace — In addition to blocking traffic from websites they don't like, it looks like the web-geniuses behind the American Family Association's OneNewsNow site have a few other tricks up their sleeves, such as automatically replacing any use of the word “gay” with the word …
Mike Allen / The Politico:
Romney tops McCain veep list — Surprising many Republican insiders, Mitt Romney is at the top of the vice-presidential prospect list for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). But lack of personal chemistry could derail the pick. — “Romney as favorite” is the hot buzz in Republican circles …
Sam Youngman / The Hill:
White House backs Lieberman's warning of attack — The White House on Monday said it agreed with Sen. Joe Lieberman's (I-Conn.) warning that terrorists could test the new president with an attack next year. — Lieberman, who has ruffled Democratic feathers with his outspoken support …
Discussion:
TPM Election Central
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Fred Lucas / CNSNews:
Obama's for Equal Pay, Yet Pays Female Staffers Less Than Males — (CNSNews.com) - While Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has vowed to make pay equity for women a top priority if elected president, an analysis of his Senate staff shows that women are outnumbered and out-paid by men.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Redstate, Uppity Woman, Wake up America, The Hill's Blog Briefing Room and Macsmind
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Mike Allen / The Politico:
Obama talks to Bill Clinton — Seeking to beat back reports of a continuing rift, the Obama campaign announced today that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and former President Bill Clinton have talked by phone. — Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said: “Senator Obama had a terrific conversation …
Discussion:
Sister Toldjah
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Gail Sheehy / Vanity Fair:
Hillaryland at War — Hillary Clinton's campaign had it all: near-death moments, hard-won triumphs, dysfunctional relationships—and a staff consumed with infighting over how to sell their candidate. It was a battle that revealed why she came so close to victory, as well as why she didn't make it.
George Packer / New Yorker:
OBAMA'S IRAQ PROBLEM — In February, 2007, when Barack Obama declared that he was running for President, violence in Iraq had reached apocalyptic levels, and he based his candidacy, in part, on a bold promise to begin a rapid withdrawal of American forces upon taking office.
Discussion:
JustOneMinute, MSNBC, Don Surber, The Daily Dish, Commentary, The New Republic, Marc Ambinder, John McCain Report blog and The Glittering Eye
WRAL-TV:
Prosecutor: Couple's crimes related to cult — DURHAM, N.C. — A Durham couple charged with kidnapping, rape and assault was involved with a satanic cult, a prosecutor said Monday. — Joy Johnson and Joseph Craig appeared at a bond hearing Monday. A judge set Craig's bond at $590,000 …
Discussion:
Wonkette