memeorandum: VP prospects move to fix flaws (Kenneth P. Vogel/The Politico)

8:05 PM ET, July 11, 2008

Top Items:

Presidential candidate Obama to sponsor Cup car at Pocono race … SI.com has learned that for the first time in history, a major presidential candidate may sponsor a race car in NASCAR's premier series. According to sources, Barack Obama's campaign is in talks to become the primary sponsor …

Discussion: The Swamp, Political Machine, Fox News, Spin Cycle, The Raw Story, Newsweek Blogs, Political Punch, Donklephant, Political Radar, Media Blog, StephenBainbridge.com, The Corner, Top of the Ticket and Riehl World View

Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:

New Obama Radio Ad Hits McCain As “Shameful” For “Makin' Stuff Up” — A source sends over a copy of a sharp new radio ad the Obama campaign will release a bit later today responding to this earlier RNC ad claiming Obama will hike taxes. — The Obama ad hammers McCain for the spot …

Michelle Malkin:
Obama tries to buy the NASCAR vote

Discussion: Macsmind

Washington Wire:

Hagel to Join Obama on Iraq Trip — Susan Davis reports on the presidential race. — The buzz this week that Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska is planning to join Sen. Barack Obama on an up-coming visit to Iraq is correct, two sources with knowledge of the trip confirmed Friday.

Discussion: Marc Ambinder, Hotline On Call, Comedy Central, The Carpetbagger Report, TIME.com, MyDD, Blue Girl, Red State and VP Watch

Domenico Montanaro / MSNBC:

FIRST THOUGHTS: THE A.D.D. ELECTION — From Chuck Todd and Domenico Montanaro — *** The A.D.D Election: It's another whiplash week. It's amazing how many Fridays we look back at the week and just shake our head... This really is turning into the A.D.D. election.

Discussion: NFL Fanhouse, The Washington Independent, The New Republic, MyDD, Political Insider, David Corn and Newshoggers.com

Jonah Goldberg / The Corner:

Phil Gramm — From a reader: … Me: Fair enough. My own excuse is that this is one of these stories that I somehow missed until late in the day, not sure why that is. Anyway, this is just another example of why I've always wanted Phil Gramm to be president of the United States and why that can never, ever, happen.

Discussion: The Jed Report

Ben / Think Progress:
Barnes Defends Gramm: Americans Are ‘Whining All The Way Through’ The Bad Economy

Discussion: BuzzFlash.org, HazZzMat, Wonkette, Pajamas Media and The Caucus

Wonk Room:
What Kind Of Economist Is Phil Gramm?

Discussion: Think Progress

Noah Shachtman / Danger Room:

Attack of the Photoshopped Missiles (Updated) — Iran's propagandists aren't only ones who can photoshop a missile launch. We know how to do that on the intertubes, too. Here's an updated sample... Are We Lumberjacks?:

Discussion: protein wisdom, Information Dissemination, Neptunus Lex and FP Passport

Little Green Footballs:

More Iranian Fauxtography Discovered — (Hat tip: Fluffster.) — UPDATE at 7/11/08 1:54:59 pm: — Also see: — Attack of the Photoshopped Missiles (Updated).

Drudge Report:

IRAN MISSILE TEST BLUFF: OLD ROCKETS, BOGUS VIDEO — Many of Iran's claims related to missile tests during “Great Prophet III” war games — appear to be smoke and mirrors! — The missiles tested DID NOT not have 2,000-kilometer range, the NEW YORK TIMES is planning to report on Saturday.

Discussion: Gateway Pundit

Jonathan Darman / Newsweek:

Glow Fading? — The latest NEWSWEEK Poll shows Barack Obama leading John McCain by only 3 points. What a difference a few weeks can make. — Jae C. Hong / AP — Poll Drop: Obama is down is the latest poll, but still shows signs of strength — A month after emerging victorious …

Discussion: Power Line, Flopping Aces, Hot Air, Hullabaloo, Real Clear Politics, Eunomia, TPM Election Central and Gateway Pundit

CNN:
McCain misfires on Obama attack

Discussion: Liberal Values, The Carpetbagger Report, Balloon Juice, MoJoBlog and politburo diktat 2.0

Jonathan Chait / The New Republic: Barack Obama, Secret Jew?

Martha Raddatz / ABCNEWS:

Obama's Iraq Withdrawal Plan May Prove Difficult — U.S. Commanders in Iraq Warn of Security Dangers, See Logistical Nightmare — Whatever nuance Barack Obama is now adding to his Iraq withdrawal strategy, the core plan on his Web site is as plain as day: Obama would “immediately begin to remove our troops from Iraq.

Discussion: Wonk Room, Wake up America, Commentary, Bucks Right, Austin Bay Blog, The Glittering Eye, The Strata-Sphere and TIME.com

Kevin Drum / Washington Monthly:
OBAMA vs. THE BRASS....If this Martha Raddatz piece at ABC News …

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias, democracyarsenal.org and Hot Air

Jennifer Parker / Political Radar:

Como Se Dice? Obama Clarifies Comments Over Foreign Languages — ABC News' Sunlen Miller reports: Sen. Barack Obama reiterated his belief Friday that America's children to learn a foreign language, firing back against criticism he received from some conservative groups who suggested …

Discussion: Weekly Standard Blog, The Corner, NewsBusters.org, Hot Air, The Campaign Spot and TIME.com

Amanda / Think Progress:

After Voting Against Equal Pay Legislation, McCain Claims He's ‘Committed To Equal Pay For Equal Work’ — Today, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) participated in a town hall meeting in Wisconsin. During the discussion, he claimed that he is a strong supporter of equal pay for women and other workers:

Discussion: Fact Checker, Wonk Room, TIME.com, The Carpetbagger Report, Hullabaloo, Digg and Center for American Progress

John O. McGinnis / Wall Street Journal:

Who Will Be President? — An obscure government agency will soon decide whether citizens can get hold of information essential to modern democratic decision making. On Monday, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission began to analyze whether to create a safe harbor for prediction markets in the U.S. …

Matthew Yglesias:

By Request: Does This Blog Suck? Do All Blogs Suck? — DeliciousPundit asks “What'd you think about David Appell's smackdown of you?” — The only thing I have to say to defend myself from those charges is that I don't think the post was really about why I suck, it was about why the punditsphere …

Discussion: Open Left, Achenblog, MoJoBlog, Donklephant and The Glittering Eye

Lindsay Beyerstein / The Raw Story:

Exclusive: Alabama US Attorney denies being involved in university editor's termination — This ‘case is definitely about the first amendment,’ says Harper's journalist — The abrupt dismissal of a veteran University of Alabama employee who blogged about the firing of seven US Attorneys …

Discussion: Political Machine

Jonathan Chait / The New Republic:

Jonah Goldberg, Call Your Publisher — Conservative book editor Adam Bellow has a (subscriber-only) essay in World Affairs about book publishing and the cuurrent state of conservative intellectuals. I don't agree with all that much of it, but his candor is admirable.