Top Items:
Jonathan Weisman / The Trail:
Obama's Symbolic Importance — In his closed door meeting with House Democrats Tuesday night, presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama delivered a real zinger, according to a witness, suggesting that he was beginning to believe his own hype. — Obama was waxing lyrical about last week's trip …
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Dana Milbank / Washington Post:
President Obama Continues Hectic Victory Tour — Barack Obama has long been his party's presumptive nominee. Now he's becoming its presumptuous nominee. — Fresh from his presidential-style world tour, during which foreign leaders and American generals lined up to show him affection …
Mark Murray / MSNBC:
FIRST THOUGHTS: ROCK BOTTOM FOR GOPERS? — From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro — *** Rock bottom for Republicans? OK, Hill Republicans, ask yourselves — is this bottom? The indictment of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) is a BIG deal. This appears to be a case of a politician …
Isabel Wilkinson / The Huffington Post:
A Week In John McCain's Shoes — His $520 Ferragamo Loafers, That Is — This summer John McCain is traveling in style. He has worn a pair of $520 black leather Ferragamo shoes on every recent campaign stop — from a news conference with the Dalai Lama to a supermarket visit in Bethlehem …
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Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
Keeping Track — I note with interest today, John McCain's new tactic of associating Barack Obama with oversexed and/or promiscuous young white women. (See today's new ad and this from yesterday.) Presumably, a la Harold Ford 2006, this will be one of those strategies that will be a matter …
Discussion:
TPM Election Central, Hullabaloo, TalkLeft, Shakesville, The Caucus, PoliticalBase.com Blog, Balloon Juice and AMERICAblog News
Jim Rutenberg / New York Times:
With Commercial, McCain Gets Much More Than His Money's Worth — WASHINGTON — The number of times Senator John McCain's new advertisement attacking Senator Barack Obama for canceling a visit with wounded troops in Germany last week has been shown fully or partly on local, national and cable newscasts: well into the hundreds.
Discussion:
FiveThirtyEight.com, Wake up America, Hot Air, The Caucus, Gawker, Open Left, Newsweek Blogs, TPM Election Central and The Carpetbagger Report
New York Times:
Low-Road Express — Well, that certainly didn't take long. On July 3, news reports said Senator John McCain, worried that he might lose the election before it truly started, opened his doors to disciples of Karl Rove from the 2004 campaign and the Bush White House. Less than a month later, the results are on full display.
Discussion:
Newshoggers.com, The Carpetbagger Report, Achenblog, QandO, Commentary, Political Machine, Hot Air and Martini Revolution
Mark Murray / MSNBC:
OBAMA = BRITNEY AND PARIS?
OBAMA = BRITNEY AND PARIS?
Discussion:
protein wisdom, TPM Election Central, Boston Globe, Firedoglake, PoliticalBase.com Blog, The Nation and Liberal Values
Christopher Hayes / The Nation:
Let's Play: If I Were a Right Wing Blogger
Let's Play: If I Were a Right Wing Blogger
Discussion:
Matthew Yglesias
The Hill:
50 Most Beautiful People on Capitol Hill 2008 - Top 10 — Political party: Democrat. — Dating status: “Happily single” — She's striking - and accident-prone. — Three weeks ago, Tulani Elisa, a legislative assistant for Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), fell down while going up the Metro escalator that leads into Dupont Circle.
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Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Audio: This is not the Ludacris that Barack Obama thought he knew; Update: Obama spokesman condemns — It hasn't gained enough critical media mass yet to warrant the pro forma denunciatory campaign statement, but the week is still young. Lyrics are available in the YouTube sidebar …
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Mother Jones:
There's Something About Mary: Unmasking a Gun Lobby Mole — NEWS: Mary McFate was a prominent gun control activist. Mary Lou Sapone was a freelance spy with an NRA connection. They are the same person. A Mother Jones investigation. — This is the story of two Marys.
David Stout / New York Times:
Democrats Call for Contempt Charges Against Rove — WASHINGTON — Democrats on both sides of the Capitol assailed the administration's handling of the Justice Department yet again on Wednesday, and a House committee recommended contempt charges against Karl Rove, who was President Bush's top political adviser.
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Michael Goldfarb / John McCain Report blog:
Eleven Different Excuses — The Obama campaign has offered no less than eleven different excuses for snubbing wounded U.S. troops at Landstuhl. Perhaps because none was convincing, the Washington Post now offers excuse number twelve: … It does now seem that Barack Obama snubbed the troops …
Discussion:
Weekly Standard Blog, Washington Post, Media Blog, The Strata-Sphere and Blue Girl, Red State
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Carol Marin / Chicago Sun Times:
Women voters aren't warming to ‘cool’ Obama — The Obama campaign has a woman problem. How big? How small? It's not clear, but in a close election, small can be big. — And Michelle Obama spoke to it Monday in Chicago. — Departing from her prepared remarks …
National Enquirer:
EDWARDS' HU$H MONEY TO MISTRESS — A NATIONAL ENQUIRER investigation has uncovered John Edwards' mistress, Rielle Hunter - the mother of his “love child” - has been secretly receiving $15,000 a month as part of an elaborate cover-up orchestrated by the former presidential contender.
Gallup:
Gallup Daily: Presidential Race Tightens to 4 Points — PRINCETON, NJ — After moving into a nine percentage point lead over John McCain in Gallup Poll Daily tracking of national registered voters this past weekend, Barack Obama now leads by just four points, 46% to 42%.
1450 WILM NEWSRADIO IS DELAWARE'S NEWS NOW.:
Romney “Not Planning” On VP Nod — “I think there's some great people he could choose from and I expect he will do that. But I don't plan on being part of the ticket.” — Campaign 2008: Get the latest news, video, and polls! — AUDIO: Romney talks about VP rumors on 850 KOA's The Ride Home
John Kass / Chicago Tribune:
Hopium helps you forget several unpleasant facts — Hi, my name is John. I'm a hopium addict. — It's true. Yes, I'm a journalist. And that led to the harder stuff. Then one day, Barack phoned the Tribune and called me “bro.” — Now, I'm addicted to hopium.