Top Items:
Howard Fineman / MSNBC:
Biden the clear frontrunner for Veep — Foreign Relations Committee chairman has globe-trotting credentials — ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Within the last few hours I've spoken with two of the finalists for the role of Barack Obama's running-mate, and to two other sources who are close to the process.
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David Gergen / CNN:
Is the tide turning? — CNN Senior Political Analyst — Heading into the candidates' appearances on Saturday night at Saddleback Church, the conventional wisdom in politics was Barack Obama should have a clear upper hand in any joint appearance with John McCain — one the young, eloquent …
Alexander Mooney / CNN:
Obama gives a shout out to his VP? — (CNN) — In a week where vice-presidential speculation has reached a feverish pitch, Barack Obama gave tea-leaf readers another reason to suspect he will name fellow Sen. Joe Biden his running mate later this week. — Speaking to veterans in Orlando …
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Biden '88 as McCain '08 — A classic Joe Biden ad from 1988, which begins: “The White House isn't the place to learn how to deal with international crisis, the balance of power, war and peace, and the economic future of the next generation. A President has got to know the territory, but that's not enough.”
Discussion:
The Swamp
Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
Rice: Military power is “not the way to deal in the 21st century”
Rice: Military power is “not the way to deal in the 21st century”
Discussion:
Think Progress
Lynn Sweet:
Exclusive: Obama team reserving Old State Capitol in Springfield for Saturday to showcase running mate — The Obama team, in the run-up to the Democratic convention, will showcase the new Obama ticket Saturday in Springfield at the Old State Capitol, where presumptive Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama …
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, Ben Smith's Blogs, Marc Ambinder, TIME.com, Pajamas Media, Wonkette, MSNBC and Boston Globe
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Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
Swift-boat? Moi? — It's worth noting that pursuing the cross-in-the-dirt evangelical parable as it might have happened to McCain is in no way impugning anyone's war record. No one is disputing in any way what McCain did in Vietnam, his heroism, his sacrifice or any jot and tittle of his combat in arms and time in captivity.
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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 …
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Kevin Drum / Washington Monthly:
McCAIN'S CHOICE....David Brooks writes today that John McCain tried to run an honorable campaign, but it just didn't work: … The problem? Too many bloggers. A bored press. A stuffy conservative establishment. McCain tried to take on the system, and the system won.
Discussion:
Balloon Juice
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 …
TheFounder / Tribble Ad Agency:
Barack Obama chooses Kathleen Sebelius for Vice President — We have a credible lead that Barack Obama will be announcing Kathleen Sebelius for Vice President / VP. — Our sources work within an ad agency that is hired by the Obama campaign, and have noted that the vast majority …
Mark Halperin / TIME.com:
Obama's Remarks to the VFW — Thank you, Commander Lisicki, for your leadership. Let me also acknowledge the leadership of Virginia Carman, the president of the VFW ladies auxiliary, as well as my friend Jim Webb who will be speaking here later today. Finally, let me thank all of the members …
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Kathryn Jean Lopez / The Corner:
It's Rudy — So many e-mailers this morning are predicting that the McCain trial balloon is really about Giuliani. I'm not there, but here's one: … The McCain campaign has already hired a Giuliani staffer as the unnamed veep's communications director...
Jonathan S. Landay / McClatchy Washington Bureau:
Rice warns Moscow about its bomber runs off Alaska — BRUSSELS, Belgium — Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Monday ruled out accelerating Georgia's admission to NATO in response to the Russian invasion. But she warned Moscow that it is playing “a very dangerous game” …
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Kenneth F / CNN:
Gore to speak at convention Thursday — (CNN) - Former Vice President Al Gore has accepted a speaking role on the final night of the Democratic convention, appearing on the same stage that Barack Obama will officially receive the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, three sources tell CNN.
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.
New York Times:
Taliban Forces Kill 10 French Soldiers and Raid U.S. Base — KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban insurgents mounted their most serious attacks in six years of fighting, one a complex attack with multiple suicide bombers on an American military base on Monday night, and another by some 100 insurgents …
Discussion:
Matthew Yglesias, Confederate Yankee, The Nation, VetVoice, The Long War Journal and ATTACKERMAN
Dan Hirschhorn / PolitickerPA:
Lauding ‘cathartic’ effect of roll-call vote, Rendell to cast his convention vote for Clinton — With devotees of defeated U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) relishing the chance to publicly back her one more time during a roll-call vote at the Democratic convention next week …
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Don Frederick / Top of the Ticket:
New L.A. Times/Bloomberg presidential poll has some surprises later today — Which White House contender had the better summer? — A new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll of registered voters across the country leaves little doubt about the answer. — We can't reveal the precise figures yet …
The Politico:
McCain weighs a Lieberman surprise — John McCain is seriously considering choosing a pro-abortion-rights running mate despite vocal resistance from conservatives, with former Democratic vice presidential nominee Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) very much in the mix, close McCain advisers say.