memeorandum: How Will McCain Balance The Budget? (Marc Ambinder)

4:05 PM ET, July 7, 2008

Top Items:

Jesse Helms, White Racist — This column appeared in The Post Aug. 29, 2001 — one week after Jesse Helms, who died Friday, announced his retirement from the Senate. — (Have an idea for RePosted? Send it to reposted@washingtonpost.com.) — Those who believe that the “liberal press” …

Discussion: Ross Douthat, The Daily Dish, michellemalkin.com, NewsBusters.org, Booman Tribune, Jezebel and Confederate Yankee

Marc Thiessen / Washington Post:

The Jesse Helms You Should Remember — With the passing of Sen. Jesse Helms, the media have demonstrated one final time that they never fully understood the power or impact of this great man. Consider, for example, The Post's obituary of Helms; here are some things you would not learn about his life and legacy by reading it:

Discussion: Swampland, Commentary, Outside The Beltway, Fact-esque and democracyarsenal.org

Gateway Pundit:

DEM SHOCKER!!... Speaker Pelosi Was Sending Messages to FARC Terrorists While Undermining Colombian Government! — New information reveals that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was indirectly sending messages to the FARC. The Marxist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) is designated as a terrorist group by the US government.

Discussion: protein wisdom, Babalu Blog, Don Surber, Dr. Melissa Clouthier, Atlas Shrugs and JammieWearingFool

Mary Anastasia O'Grady / Wall Street Journal:

FARC's ‘Human Rights’ Friends — As we learn more about the Colombian military's daring hostage rescue last week, one detail stands out: In tricking FARC rebels into putting the hostages aboard a helicopter, undercover special forces simply told the comandantes that the aircraft was being loaned …

Discussion: EU Referendum and Stop The ACLU

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:

WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT — I think we may have come to that moment, that quick turn of events, that encapsulates the fact that there is apparently no limit to the howlers and nonsense that John McCain can throw out and still not generate collective guffaws or even scrutiny from the national political press.

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias, The Carpetbagger Report, Political Machine, Cogitamus and TPM Election Central

Marc Ambinder:

How Will McCain Balance The Budget? — First, notice that, in his speech in Colorado today, McCain nowhere actually promises to balance the budget: … He just will “demand” it. And he sets no timetable. A memo released by his campaign includes the following line:

Discussion: Think Progress, The Caucus, Daily Kos, Political Machine and Talking Points Memo

Hilzoy / Obsidian Wings:
Lie To Me, Baby — From Politico: … [UPDATE: McCain's new plan is here (pdf).

Discussion: Wonk Room, Hullabaloo, Grasping Reality …, Outside The Beltway and Democratic Strategist

Ezra Klein / American Prospect:
MCCAIN'S PLAN TO CUT SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE, OR DRASTICALLY RAISE TAXES.

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias, MyDD and Think Progress

CBN.com:

Christian Group Launches “Abortion President” Campaign against Barack Obama — Oh my. The fight against Barack Obama on abortion has officially begun. The Christian Defense Coalition, who are known to shock folks from time to time, have come up with a new campaign called: “Barack Obama: The Abortion President”.

Discussion: Newshoggers.com, Newsweek Blogs, Wake up America, Ben Smith's Blogs, TIME.com, Political Punch, Wonkette, MSNBC and Gateway Pundit

Weekly Standard:
Obama's Abortion Obfuscations

Discussion: The Corner, Weekly Standard Blog, Commentary and American Spectator

Rosa Prince / Telegraph:

Toddlers who dislike spicy food ‘racist’ — Toddlers who turn their noses up at spicy food from overseas could be branded racists by a Government-sponsored agency. — The National Children's Bureau, which receives £12 million a year, mainly from Government funded organisations …

Discussion: Moonbattery, Debbie Schlussel, Sister Toldjah, Outside The Beltway, QandO and The Sundries Shack

Reuters:

Iraq says may agree timetable for U.S. withdrawal — BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki raised the prospect on Monday of setting a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops as part of negotiations over a new security agreement with Washington.

Discussion: Agence France Presse, Washington Monthly, Rising Hegemon, Firedoglake, QandO, Don Surber, The Crypt's Blogs, Democrats.com and Connecting.the.Dots

The Politico:

Obama's apple pie campaign — On June 19, Barack Obama released his first television advertisement, a multi-million dollar, 18-state production that conveyed the core of his campaign's goal this summer: To establish his American cultural normalcy. — Obama offered a clear new version …

Discussion: The Swamp and The Next Right

Associated Press:
Poll: Old used most for McCain, change for Obama

Discussion: The Fix, Open Left and MSNBC

BBC:

Female bomber kills nine in Iraq — The aftermath of the suicide attack on the market — A female suicide bomber has killed nine people and wounded 12 others in an attack on an Iraqi market, police said. — The attack took place in the al-Mafraq area west of Baquba in Diyala province …

Discussion: Washington Post and Balloon Juice

Alissa J. Rubin / New York Times: Iraq City Has Brittle Calm and War Scars

William Kristol / New York Times:

So Where's Murphy? — From the gun clubs of Northern Virginia to the sports bars of Capitol Hill — wherever D.C.-area Republicans gather — you hear the question: — “Where's Murphy?” — “Murphy” is Mike Murphy, the 46-year-old G.O.P. strategist who masterminded John McCain's 2000 primary race …

Discussion: The Corner, Marc Ambinder, Weekly Standard Blog, The Moderate Voice, The New Republic, Top of the Ticket, MSNBC, FP Passport, TownHall Blog, Bark Bark Woof Woof and TBogg

Zogby:

Zogby Poll: Building Mo-bama! Democrat Leads McCain in Electoral College Tally, 273-158... The Democrat also leads 44% to 38% in the nationwide horserace test as Libertarian Bob Barr wins 6% — UTICA, New York - As the race for President passes the Independence Day holiday and heads toward …

Discussion: THE GUN TOTING LIBERAL™, The Moderate Voice, American Spectator and The Swamp

Mark Murray / MSNBC:

WEBB DOESN'T WANT TO BE VP — From NBC's Mark Murray — Virginia Sen. Jim Webb just issued a statement from his Senate office saying that — “[u]nder no circumstances” — does he want to be considered as Obama's veep. “Last week I communicated to Sen. Obama and his presidential campaign …

2008 Democratic National Convention News:

Democrats Throw Open Doors Of Convention, Obama To Accept Presidential Nomination On Closing Night Of 2008 Democratic National Convention In Front Of A Crowd Of More Than 75,000 — Final Day of Convention Program to Move to Denver's INVESCO Field at Mile High

Discussion: CNN, TalkLeft, SquareState.net, DemConWatch, Group News Blog, American Power and Sweetness & Light

Ben / Think Progress:

Lieberman: After Iran wipes out Israel and ‘Arab countries’ in the Middle East, 'we're next!' — Yesterday on ABC's This Week, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I- CT), chief surrogate for Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) presidential campaign, complained that the “Iranians have consistently” refused to suspend its uranium enrichment.

Discussion: Newshoggers.com, DownWithTyranny! and Eschaton