memeorandum: Obama Tells Allies He Is Ready to Hit Back (Washington Post)

11:10 AM ET, August 19, 2008

Top Items:

Rich Lowry / The Corner:

VP Alert — NR has learned that the McCain campaign has been calling key state GOP officials around the country the last couple of days and sounding them out about the consequences of a pro-choice VP pick. The campaign is asking about the reaction of conservative grass-roots activists …

Discussion: michellemalkin.com, Right Wing News, Riehl World View, The Other McCain, Commentary, Roger Ailes, Macsmind, National Review and Newsweek Blogs

Mike Allen / The Politico:

Exclusive: McCain to name VP on Aug. 29 — Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) plans to celebrate his 72nd birthday on Aug. 29 by naming his running mate at a huge rally in the battleground state of Ohio, Republican sources said. — That's a week from this Friday, and the day after Sen. Barack Obama …

New York Times:

Obama Appears Ready to Announce His Running Mate — WASHINGTON — Senator Barack Obama has all but finalized his choice for a running mate and set an elaborate roll-out plan for his decision, beginning with an early morning alert to supporters, perhaps as soon as Wednesday …

Nedra Pickler / Associated Press:

Obama veep announcement expected in coming days — CHICAGO (AP) — Barack Obama will publicly disclose his vice presidential choice in the coming days, though the Democrat is keeping most aides who are preparing for the announcement in the dark and is giving away nothing to voters as he campaigns.

Discussion: Jezebel

Dan Balz / Washington Post: Who's No. 2? Obama Keeps Everybody Guessing.

Washington Post:

Obama Tells Allies He Is Ready to Hit Back — As GOP Attacks Grow, He Links McCain, Bush — Sen. Barack Obama returned to the presidential campaign trail on Monday after a week-long Hawaiian vacation and tried to assure anxious Democrats that he is ready to fight back against Republican character attacks …

Discussion: The Caucus, USA Today and MSNBC

Karen Tumulty / Time:

Obama Sharpens the Message — Barack Obama seems to have gotten the message about his message. In the past few days, amid growing concerns among Democratic allies, Obama has begun campaigning in a different gear, one that is more aggressive in attacking John McCain and more focused on the economic concerns of struggling Americans.

Discussion: The Carpetbagger Report, Guardian and TIME.com

New York Times:
In V.F.W. Speech, McCain Attacks Obama on War

Discussion: The New Republic

Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:

Inverted optics: DNCC wraps Obama in upside-down flag; A familiar look? — Maybe the DNCC has kept track of the polling this summer and figures the Democratic nominee is officially in distress. That's the only explanation for a silly gaffe by the convention committee for the graphics …

Discussion: Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, Nice Deb, NewsBusters.org, Confederate Yankee, Sister Toldjah and Argghhh!

Mike Allen / The Politico:

Bob Woodward to reveal ‘The War Within’ — Bob Woodward's new book is shrouded in such mystery that even the title was a secret until now. — Publishing sources say the book, completed just three weeks ago and out Sept. 8, is titled “The War Within: A Secret White House History 2006-2008.”

Discussion: Think Progress, Jonathan Martin's Blogs, The Political Carnival and Prairie Weather

Hillel Italie / Associated Press:
AP: Title, print run on Woodward book announced

Discussion: TIME.com

David Brooks / New York Times:

The Education of McCain — On Tuesdays, Senate Republicans hold a weekly policy lunch. The party leaders often hand out a Message of the Week that the senators are supposed to repeat at every opportunity. Sometimes there will be a pollster offering data that supposedly demonstrates …

Discussion: TownHall Blog, First Draft, Commentary and Prometheus 6

Quinnipiac University:

McCain, Seen 2-1 As Better Against Russia, Gains On Obama, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Men And White Voters Go Republican — American likely voters say 55 - 27 percent that Arizona Sen. John McCain is better qualified than Illinois Sen. Barack Obama to deal with Russia …

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …, www.redstate.com, TPM Election Central, Hotline On Call and The Strata-Sphere

Denver Post:

Invesco's top seats go to big donors — SUITES, CLUB LEVEL SAVED FOR FUNDRAISERS, VIPs — Barack Obama's big-money donors are being offered premier seats to his acceptance speech at Invesco Field at Mile High, according to information obtained by The Denver Post.

Discussion: Power Line and Gateway Pundit

Justin Pope / Associated Press:

College Presidents Want Lower Drinking Age — College presidents from about 100 of the nation's best-known universities, including Duke, Dartmouth, and Ohio State, are calling on lawmakers to consider lowering the drinking age to 18 from 21, saying current laws actually encourage dangerous binge drinking on campus.

Discussion: QandO, The Huffington Post and The Volokh Conspiracy

MSNBC:

Roseanne rips Jolie, Pitt, Voight over politics — Comedienne blasts actors for failure to get behind Obama for president — LOS ANGELES - Roseanne Barr is using her personal Web site to slam Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and Jolie's father, Jon Voight. — Calling Jolie Voight's “evil spawn” …

Discussion: Gateway Pundit, Betsy's Page, The Jawa Report, Tabloid Edition and Reason Magazine

Steve Friess / The Caucus:

Bipartisan Praise From Bill Clinton — Former President Bill Clinton on Monday praised Senator Barack Obama's energy policy at the opening of the National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas. — But Mr. Clinton also lauded Mr. Obama's rival, Senator John McCain, and said that either candidate …

Discussion: Gristmill, Dot Earth and TIME.com

Andrew Malcolm / Top of the Ticket:

Hillary Clinton gives ‘Judas’ Richardson a hug or a shrug — It was, if memory and The Ticket's search function serves, back in March that big Bill Richardson, the goateed governor of New Mexico who'd built his impressive resume largely on important assignments for the Clintons …