memeorandum: U.S. Watched as a Squabble Turned Into a Showdown (New York Times)

1:20 AM ET, August 18, 2008

Top Items:

Katharine Q. Seelye / New York Times:

Despite Assurances, McCain Wasn't in a ‘Cone of Silence’ — ORLANDO, Fla. — Senator John McCain was not in a “cone of silence” on Saturday night while his rival, Senator Barack Obama, was being interviewed at the Saddleback Church in California. — Members of the McCain campaign staff …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Alas, a blog and Hullabaloo

CNN:

Warren: McCain did not violate ‘cone of silence’ — From CNN Sr. National Editor Steve Brusk, CNN's Dana Bash, CNN's Mike Roselli — (CNN) - Sometimes you just have to take it on faith. — Pastor Rick Warren said John McCain didn't hear any of the questions in advance at Saturday night's Civil Forum …

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Buck Naked Politics, No More Mister Nice Blog, NewsBusters.org, pandagon.net and MSNBC

D. S. Hube / NewsBusters.org:

NBC's Andrea Mitchell Floats Idea McCain Cheated — Think John McCain did pretty well in last evening's Saddleback Civil Forum on Presidency hosted by the Rev. Rick Warren? You're not the only one. The Obama campaign thinks he did well too — so good, in fact, that they think he might have cheated.

Discussion: michellemalkin.com, TownHall Blog, Riehl World View, The Gun Toting Liberal?, Patterico's Pontifications, Wizbang, Betsy's Page, The Other McCain, www.redstate.com, QandO and Gateway Pundit

Nate / FiveThirtyEight.com:

Pastor Warren Contradicts Self on ‘Cone of Silence’ — Note: Second Update below contains video of Warren's appearance today on CNN. [9:19 PM CDT] — In yesterday's Saddleback Forum, pastor Rick Warren on two occasions referred to John McCain's “cone of silence”, implying strongly …

Discussion: Daily Kos, CNN, The Jed Report, The Political Carnival and The Moderate Voice

Mike Allen / The Politico:

McCain protests NBC coverage — McCain's campaign manager Rick Davis asked Sunday for a meeting with Steve Capus, the president of NBC News, to protest what the campaign called signs that the network is “abandoning non-partisan coverage of the Presidential race.”

Discussion: The Daily Dish

Beth Fouhy / Associated Press:

No more hugs as Obama tears into McCain — RENO, Nev. - So much for hugging in church. — A day after Barack Obama and John McCain exchanged an embrace during a faith forum at a California megachurch, Obama called the U.S. economy a disaster thanks to “John McCain's president, George W. Bush …

Discussion: Jonathan Martin's Blogs

Carpetbagger / The Carpetbagger Report:
The candidates define ‘rich’

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, The New Republic, American Power and Hot Air

MSNBC:
Aug. 17: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Gov. Tim Kaine …

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Commentary, Taylor Marsh and The Caucus

Ed Stoddard / Tales from the Trail:
Obama says pointed abortion query “above his pay grade”

Discussion: Viking Pundit, Political Punch, Buck Naked Politics, Althouse, GetReligion, Fox News, QandO, Pajamas Media, Commentary and Macsmind

Los Angeles Times:
Barack Obama, John McCain discuss faith, issues at Saddleback Church forum

Discussion: The Democratic Daily and Guardian

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:

McCain's “Cross In The Dirt” Story — I've now heard it countless times. McCain has used what appears to be an intensely personal moment in a prison camp as a reason to vote for him in a campaign ad. As he tells it today, it was the pivotal moment in his struggle to survive in the Hanoi Hilton.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, TBogg, The Political Carnival, beliefnet, The Jed Report and Balloon Juice

Rickrocket / Daily Kos:

“Cross in the Dirt” story stolen from Solzhenitsyn (updated X3) — I was watching the forum last night and decided that since I hadn't eaten yet, I would try to listen to John McCain speak. I was doing OK with the “my friends” and the evil chuckle when I heard him talk about his POW story of the cross in the dirt.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Hullabaloo, Seeing the Forest, Obsidian Wings, The Raw Story and Bob Cesca's Goddamn …

Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:

What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits — Excitable Andy has decided to Swift Boat John McCain: … Uh huh. Because the sign of the cross is a pretty well-kept secret, so how could prison guards invoke it twice in one century? FWIW, the story appears in McCain's 1999 “Faith Of My Fathers” …

Damien McElroy / Telegraph:

Ukraine offers satellite defence co-operation with Europe and US — Ukraine inflamed mounting East-West tensions yesterday by offering up a Soviet-built satellite facility as part of the European missile defence system. — The proposal, made amid growing outrage among Russia's neighbours …

Discussion: GINA COBB, Don Surber and THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS

Tom Lasseter / McClatchy Washington Bureau: Tour of Tskhinvali undercuts Russian version of fighting

Kevin Drum / Washington Monthly:
GEORGIA UPDATE....The latest on the ceasefire: … Well, we'll see.

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, TalkLeft, Pajamas Media and Wall Street Journal

New York Times:
Kremlin Says Troops Will Begin Georgia Withdrawal

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Guardian and Los Angeles Times

New York Times:
In Ukraine, Fear of Being a Resurgent Russia's Next Target

Discussion: Reuters, ParaPundit and The Huffington Post

Mike Allen / The Politico:

79 Days — Obama wouldn't have nominated Thomas — Prime time last night: Faith, Phelps and Favre - whatacountry ... At Rick Warren forum, McCain is blunt and sometimes electric, Obama is calm and reassuring ... McCain quips “$5 million” when asked his definition of rich, then immediately …

New York Times:

U.S. Watched as a Squabble Turned Into a Showdown — WASHINGTON — Five months ago, President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia, long a darling of this city's diplomatic dinner party circuit, came to town to push for America to muscle his tiny country of four million into NATO.

New York Times:

For Convention, Obama's Image Is All-American — WASHINGTON — One of the first images prime-time viewers will see of the Democratic National Convention next week is that of Michelle Obama, who will begin the four-day introduction of her husband, and her family, on her terms.

Andrew G. Biggs / Notes on Social Security Reform:

Obama on Social Security in Manchester Union Leader — Sen. Barack Obama has an op-ed in today's Manchester Union Leader regarding Social Security reform. It's worth reading the whole thing, posted here, but here I'd like to dissect a few factual claims Obama makes in the piece.

Discussion: The Corner and EconLog

CBN.com:

EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Barack Obama — Attention Brody File readers. — I was just granted an exclusive one on one interview with Barack Obama here at the Saddleback Civil Forum. CBN News was the only media outlet to go behind the scenes and conduct an interview.