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The Trail:
Gramm Stands by Recession Comments — Former senator Phil Gramm — under fire for saying the United States has “become a nation of whiners” — said in an interview today that he meant the nation's leaders were whiners, not its citizens. — But the top adviser to Sen. John McCain repeated …
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Mike Allen / The Politico:
Gramm calls slowdown ‘mental’ — Former Sen. Phil Gramm, a top economic adviser to presumptive GOP nominee John McCain, referred to the economic slowdown as “a mental recession” and called the United States “a nation of whiners.” — The comments, in an interview with The Washington Times …
Discussion:
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Sam Stein / The Huffington Post:
McCain Campaign Initially Stood By Gramm Remarks — The McCain campaign is working hard to distance itself from statements made by economic adviser Phil Gramm describing the current economic downturn as a “mental recession” and saying America had “sort of become a nation of whiners.”
Kelly Moeller / Political Punch:
Defensive McCain Campaign Emails Out Youtube Clip of McCain Bashing Own Economic Adviser — This is how you know a campaign is having a bad day: when it feels the need to email out to reporters a Youtube clip of its own candidate bashing his own top economic adviser.
David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo:
OBAMA: AMERICA ALREADY HAS A DR. PHIL — Obama today riffing off of Phil Gramm's comments:
Jonathan Martin / Jonathan Martin's Blogs:
McCain forcefully rebukes Gramm — John McCain strongly disavowed the comments today of his campaign co-chair and economic adviser, saying Phil Gramm “does not speak for me — I speak for me.” — “So, I strongly disagree,” McCain told reporters gathered for a press conference that was added …
John Bresnahan / The Crypt's Blogs:
Pelosi says House Judiciary may hold hearings on Kucinich impeachment resolution — Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said this morning that the House Judiciary Committee may hold hearings on an impeachment resolution offered by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio).
Discussion:
The Swamp, Think Progress, OPENERS, MSNBC, American Street, The BRAD BLOG and BuzzFlash.org
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Karl Rove / Wall Street Journal:
Barack's Brilliant Ground Game — For a campaign that says it wants to end the politics of the Bush-Cheney years, the Obama for President effort has cribbed an awful lot from the Bush-Cheney playbooks of 2000 and 2004. — For starters, Barack Obama's manager admitted to the New York Times …
Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
The Hubris Of Obama? — A few things have unsettled me these past couple of weeks about the Obama campaign. It is not the small adjustments to previously-held positions - FISA, the Second Amendment, Iraq. It's a sense that Obama's ample self-regard is lapsing into hubris.
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Telegraph:
President George Bush: 'Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter' — George Bush surprised world leaders with a joke about his poor record on the environment as he left the G8 summit in Japan. — The American leader, who has been condemned throughout his presidency for failing to tackle climate change …
Discussion:
The Independent, Gateway Pundit, The Huffington Post, Samizdata.net and DownWithTyranny!
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Dan Balz / The Trail:
Obama's Accidental Sister Souljah Moment — Barack Obama leads a charmed life. He finally had his Sister Souljah moment and didn't even have to show up. Jesse Jackson did it for him solo. — Sixteen years ago, Bill Clinton used a Jackson-sponsored forum to rebuke the rap singer …
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Matea Gold / Los Angeles Times:
Jackson's Obama comments almost went unnoticed — A Fox News technician transcribing the tape overnight heard it, and it took off from there. — NEW YORK — The news that the Rev. Jesse Jackson took a crude swipe at Sen. Barack Obama this week put renewed scrutiny on the relationship between …
Jim Kuhnhenn / Associated Press:
McCain has best fundraising in June, $22M — WASHINGTON - Republican presidential candidate John McCain raised more than $22 million in June, his best fundraising performance of the year, and ended the month with nearly $27 million cash on hand. — Campaign manager Rick Davis said Thursday …
Discussion:
Outside The Beltway
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The Lede:
In an Iranian Image, a Missile Too Many — Updated, 9:33 a.m., Agence France-Presse has retracted the image as “apparently digitally altered.” — As news spread across the world of Iran's provocative missile tests, so did an image of four missiles heading skyward in unison.
Jared Allen / The Hill:
Pelosi: Drilling in protected areas ‘a hoax’ — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday shut the door on expanding oil and gas drilling beyond areas that have already been approved for energy exploration, drawing a clear distinction from her counterparts in charge of the Senate.
Discussion:
The Crypt's Blogs
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George F. Will / Washington Post:
Survival of the Sudsiest — Perhaps, like many sensible citizens, you read Investor's Business Daily for its sturdy common sense in defending free markets and other rational arrangements. If so, you too may have been startled recently by an astonishing statement on that newspaper's front page.
James Kanter / International Herald Tribune:
OPEC warns against military conflict with Iran — VIENNA: The head of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries warned Thursday that oil prices would see an “unlimited” increase in the case of a military conflict involving Iran, because the group's members would be unable to make up the lost production.
David Kocieniewski / New York Times:
Congressman Rents Apartments at Bargain Rates — While aggressive evictions are making rent-stabilized apartments increasingly scarce in New York, Representative Charles B. Rangel is enjoying four of them, including three adjacent apartments in a sprawling penthouse overlooking Upper Manhattan …
Discussion:
JammieWearingFool
Kathleen Parker / The Corner:
The Nutty Confessor — A coupla observations about the Rev. Jesse Jackson: — 1. He doesn't wish Obama well any more than the Rev. Wright does. Both of these reverends have built careers around victimization and Obama's call to self-examination and personal responsibility is tantamount to calling for these fellows' retirement.
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