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:
The New Republic, Ben Smith's Blogs, The Fix, The Trail, Jonathan Martin's Blogs, TIME.com, Pajamas Media, Campaign Diaries and The Nation
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:
Crooks and Liars, The Corner, TPM Election Central, D-Day, Hot Air, Alas, a blog, Booman Tribune, Shakesville, The Caucus and PoliticalBase.com Blog
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 …
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, Open Left, The Caucus, Gawker, Newsweek Blogs and TPM Election Central
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.”
Mark Murray / MSNBC:
OBAMA = BRITNEY AND PARIS?
OBAMA = BRITNEY AND PARIS?
Discussion:
TPM Election Central, protein wisdom, Firedoglake, Boston Globe, The Swamp, American Power, PoliticalBase.com Blog and Liberal Values
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 …
RELATED:
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 …
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
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.
Molly Hunter / Political Radar:
Obama: McCain Trying to Make Voters ‘Scared’ of Me — ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: While campaigning in a traditionally Republican district, Sen. Barack Obama attempted to beat back rumors about him- telling the Springfield, Missouri crowd that Republicans and Sen. McCain are trying to make voters …
RELATED:
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.
Discussion:
Brady Campaign Blog, MoJoBlog, Washington Monthly, Matthew Yglesias and Blue Girl, Red State
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%.
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 …
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.
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.
The Huffington Post:
Afghan Ambassador Trumpets Obama Agenda — Afghanistan's Ambassador to the United States trumpeted major portions of Barack Obama's approach towards his country on Tuesday, marking the second time in as many weeks that an official at the center of U.S.-Mideast policy has echoed the Illinois Senator's agenda.