Top Items:
Marc Ambinder:
Weaver, McCain's Former Strategist, Calls “Celeb” Ad “Childish” — John Weaver, for years one of John McCain's closest friends and confidants, has been in exile since his resignation from McCain's presidential campaign last year. With the exception of an occasional interview, he has …
Discussion:
Hullabaloo, The New Republic, Ben Smith's Blogs, TIME.com, Tom Watson, Hot Air, Jonathan Martin's Blogs, Pajamas Media, Campaign Diaries, Political Punch and Salon
RELATED:
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:
Marc Ambinder, Crooks and Liars, Hot Air, Washington Wire, TPM Election Central, The Corner, Sister Toldjah, ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES, Blue Girl, Red State, Brilliant at Breakfast, First Draft, Alas, a blog, Scripting News, American Power, PoliticalBase.com Blog, The Caucus, Shakesville, MOMocrats™ and Booman Tribune
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 …
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 …
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 …
Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
McCain's Risky Ad Strategy — UPDATE, 6:30 pm: Barack Obama's campaign has quickly turned around a response ad that bashes John McCain for practicing the “politics of the past.” — The key image? McCain and President Bush standing side by side while the words “John McCain: Same Old Politics, Same Failed Policies” appear on screen.
Discussion:
The Trail
Mark Murray / MSNBC:
AXELROD RESPONDS TO MCCAIN TV AD — From NBC's Andrea Mitchell — Obama senior strategist David Axelrod called into the 1:00 pm MSNBC hour to respond to McCain's latest TV ad. Having watched McCain campaign policy adviser Nancy Pfotenhauer defend it, Axelrod called in and said the latest ad is both “sophomoric” and “negative.”
David Weigel / Reason Magazine:
I Used to Love Her, But I Had to Kill Her — Ben Smith analyzes the blowback from John McCain's new-ish, two-pronged strategy of negative (embellished) attacks on Obama and media-bashing. … Robert Stacy McCain (no relation) has data on the effects: according to Gallup …
Discussion:
The Crossed Pond
Massie Ritsch / OpenSecrets.org:
Watchdogs Compare McCain, Obama on Donor Disclosure — If you follow this blog closely, you know that the Center for Responsive Politics and seven other watchdog groups asked John McCain and Barack Obama to disclose more information to the public about two segments of their fundraising bases …
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.
New York Observer:
Mac Attack — They Adored Him! Senator McCain Had the Press Eating …
Mac Attack — They Adored Him! Senator McCain Had the Press Eating …
Discussion:
Wonkette
Maureen Dowd / New York Times:
Cyclops and Cunning — In his eight days around the world, Barack Obama learned a lot.
Cyclops and Cunning — In his eight days around the world, Barack Obama learned a lot.
Mark Murray / MSNBC:
OBAMA = BRITNEY AND PARIS?
OBAMA = BRITNEY AND PARIS?
Discussion:
Boston Globe, The Swamp, PoliticalBase.com Blog, Firedoglake, protein wisdom and American Power
Ben Smith / The Politico:
McCain campaign backs off ‘cameras’ charge
McCain campaign backs off ‘cameras’ charge
Discussion:
TPM Election Central
Ben Smith / The Politico:
Obama camp condemns song: Ludacris ‘should be ashamed’ — Barack Obama's campaign is condemning a song by the rapper Ludacris that praises Obama and bitterly attacks Senators Hillary Clinton and John McCain. — “As Barack Obama has said many, many times in the past, rap lyrics today …
RELATED:
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 …
Amanda Erickson / The Swamp:
Obama + Ludacris = best friends 4eva
Obama + Ludacris = best friends 4eva
Discussion:
Jonathan Martin's Blogs
Alexander Mooney / CNN:
Poll shows Obama's trip didn't change race — (CNN) — It was a weeklong trip that drew blanket media coverage and sharp criticism from Republicans, but Barack Obama's recent tour abroad did little to alter the standing of the presidential race, a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll shows.
RELATED:
Domenico Montanaro / MSNBC:
REPEATING FACT-CHECKED LINES — From NBC's Domenico Montanaro — McCain and his campaign repeated at least two lines of attack against Obama, which when first said in early July, were called “bogus,” “wrong,” “inflated” and “misleading” by independent fact checkers.
RELATED:
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.
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.
Discussion:
TPMMuckraker, The Swamp, Salon, Buck Naked Politics, The Hill, The New Republic and michellemalkin.com
RELATED:
The Onion:
Al Gore Places Infant Son In Rocket To Escape Dying Planet — EARTH—Former vice president Al Gore—who for the past three decades has unsuccessfully attempted to warn humanity of the coming destruction of our planet, only to be mocked and derided by the very people he has tried to save …
Matt / Think Progress:
Secretary Of Energy Repeats Katrina Oil Spill Lie: ‘Not One Case’ Where Oil ‘Spilled In The Environment’ — After meeting with his cabinet today, President Bush renewed his call for “Congress to lift the legislative ban that prevents offshore exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf.”
RELATED:
Rose Garden / White House:
President Bush Meets with Cabinet Members
President Bush Meets with Cabinet Members
Discussion:
The LA Times President …