memeorandum: FARC leaders were paid millions to free hostages: Swiss radio (Forbes)

1:20 PM ET, July 5, 2008

Top Items:

David Paul Kuhn / The Politico:

Wesley Clark ‘moving on’ — Four days after his controversial “Face the Nation” appearance, retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark is taking a break from the presidential campaign — but many Democratic insiders think he has already been crossed off the list of Barack Obama's potential running mates.

Discussion: Hot Air and JammieWearingFool

Mike Tackett / The Swamp:

‘Patriot Games’ of the wrong kind — The Republican consultant had it all figured out. — His candidate: The hero. Wounded in war, stand-up guy, the real face of a generation. His opponent: No military service. Suspicious activity in his past. — He had an unofficial slogan in mind: The patriot vs. the punk.

Alexander Mooney / CNN:

Poll: Bill Clinton's popularity down from last year — WASHINGTON (CNN) — One week after Sen. Hillary Clinton made a public show of unity with Sen. Barack Obama, a new survey suggests supporters of the New York senator are increasingly less likely to follow her lead.

Discussion: CANNONFIRE, Wake up America, NO QUARTER, Outside The Beltway, Hot Air, QandO, Flopping Aces, Donklephant, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, Tennessee Guerilla Women and The Moderate Voice

Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:

Tiptoeing on Bush and Convention — WASHINGTON — What if your family was planning a big end-of-summer bash (a Grand Old Party, you might call it) but preferred that you not be seen — or heard? — That is the question hanging over President Bush, with eight weeks to go until Republicans gather …

Discussion: The LA Times President …, Think Progress, DownWithTyranny!, TIME.com, The Moderate Voice and The Huffington Post

Dan Eggen / Washington Post:

President Remains A Skilled Fundraiser — LITTLE ROCK — After less than an hour visiting a housing assistance agency, President Bush and his motorcade sped to a private home here last Tuesday to make a quick appearance — and deliver a whole lot of money — for the Republican Party.

Discussion: New York Times, The Caucus and AMERICAblog News

Israel Insider:

Blogger admits Hawaii birth certificate forgery, subverting Obama claims — Posted on Photobucket and in comments attached to the Daily Kos blog post where the purported Obama birth certificate appears — Jay McKinnon, a self-described Department of Homeland Security-trained document specialist …

Discussion: The Swamp, Doug Ross, Atlas Shrugs, Macsmind, GINA COBB and NO QUARTER

Craig Timberg / Washington Post:

Inside Mugabe's Violent Crackdown — Notes, Witnesses Detail How Campaign Was Conceived and Executed by Leader, Aides — HARARE, Zimbabwe — President Robert Mugabe summoned his top security officials to a government training center near his rural home in central Zimbabwe on the afternoon of March 30.

Discussion: On Deadline

Guardian:

Prison officer's film shows Zimbabwe vote-rigging — A film that graphically demonstrates how Robert Mugabe's supporters rigged the elections in Zimbabwe has been smuggled out of the country by a prison officer. It is believed to be the first footage that shows ballot-rigging actually taking place …

Discussion: The Peking Duck and AMERICAblog News

Johanna Neuman / Los Angeles Times:

Former Sen. Jesse Helms dies at 86 — President Bush calls the uncompromising Republican from North Carolina a ‘great patriot.’ He infuriated liberals with his race-baiting tactics and presidents of both parties with his use of senatorial — WASHINGTON — Jesse Helms …

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Tennessee Guerilla Women, Top of the Ticket, Firedoglake, Truthdig, Gawker, Wonkette and Pirate's Cove

Associated Press:
Jesse Helms quotes on life and politics

Discussion: Associated Press, Buck Naked Politics, AMERICAblog News, Slog, Unqualified Offerings and CNN

Mark R. Levin / The Corner:
Death of a Conservative Great

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, pandagon.net, American Power and Patterico's Pontifications

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
‘The connection is Charlie’ — From the right, Reagan biographer …

Discussion: Political Machine, Shakesville, The American Scene, Feministe and Lawyers, Guns and Money

Michael Grynbaum / The Caucus:
Jesse Helms Dies at 86

Discussion: Washington Post, Lance Mannion, Matthew Yglesias, Gothamist, Democratic Strategist and Political Machine

Gateway Pundit:

Murtha Does It Again!... Says US Troops Just Break Down Doors & Kill Innocents (Video) — What's wrong with Pennsylvania? — Have they no shame? — How do they keep voting for this antiwar, anti-military detestable gasbag? — (Here's some advice to wcbstv— Murtha is not a “strong defense advocate.”

Discussion: Sister Toldjah, WCBS-TV and BLACKFIVE

Karl / protein wisdom:

The corn-fueled economy and the corn-fueled candidate — The Guardian claims to have a confidential World Bank report which concludes that biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75% — more than the IMF estimate of 20-30%, and far more than the US government's claims that biofuels contribute less than 3% to food-price rises.

Discussion: The Strata-Sphere, QandO and The Sundries Shack

CNN:

Why Europe loves Barack Obama — By Bill Schneider, CNN senior political analyst — (CNN) — When Barack Obama comes to London, I am certain that 50,000 people will turn out to cheer him on," a British executive assured me when I visited the British capital recently. — “Americans?” I asked.

Discussion: Buck Naked Politics, JammieWearingFool, The Political Carnival and protein wisdom

army.mil:

1,215 servicemembers re-up in Iraq — Servicemembers from all over Iraq gathered in the Al Faw Palace rotunda at Camp Victory, Baghdad, to reenlist and celebrate Independence Day. — All 1,215 servicemembers celebrated by raising their right hands and pledging to continue defending the …

Discussion: Power Line, American Power and Weekly Standard Blog