Top Items:
Howard Kurtz / Washington Post:
McCain Strategist Blasts Media — Top Aide Says News Organizations Are ‘on a Mission to Destroy’ Palin — Sen. John McCain's top campaign strategist accused the news media Tuesday of being “on a mission to destroy” Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin by displaying “a level of viciousness and scurrilousness” …
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Think Progress, NewsBusters.org, Wolf Howling, Media Blog, TVNewser, Sweetness & Light, Commentary and ProPublica
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Washington Post:
Before Speech, Running Mate Gets Some Coaching — Since Sunday night, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has been holed up in her suite in the Hilton Minneapolis while a parade of Sen. John McCain's top advisers have briefed her on the nuances of his policy positions, national politics and, above all …
Discussion:
TRAIL BLAZERS, Argghhh!, Newsweek Blogs, Donklephant, PoliticalBase.com Blog, Time, MSNBC and TIME.com
Wall Street Journal:
GOP Tightens Image Control As Palin Prepares for Debut — ST. PAUL, Minn. — The McCain campaign scrambled to take control of the public debate over vice-presidential pick Sarah Palin, canceling her public appearances and teaming her with high-powered Republican operatives as she prepared …
Wall Street Journal:
The Beltway Boys — Even as the Obama camp ponders how best to handle John McCain's veep pick of Sarah Palin, the high priests and priestesses of the media have marked her as an apostate. The Beltway class is in full-throated rebellion against a nondomesticated conservative who might pose …
The New Republic:
Are the Attacks on Palin Sexist? — As criticism around the Sarah Palin pick grows, Republicans and their allies have launched a concerted counter-offensive designed to delegitimize attacks against her. — What's fair? — Carly Fiorina's attack on the Obama campaign for raising questions …
Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
Well, I Did Something Right — Thanks to Stephen Hayes:
Well, I Did Something Right — Thanks to Stephen Hayes:
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Sonny Bunch
The New / The Caucus:
Alaska Party Official Says Palin Was Not a Member
Alaska Party Official Says Palin Was Not a Member
Discussion:
News Hounds, Commentary, Democratic Strategist, DBKP, Wizbang, AlterNet.org, The GOPNation Blog and Democracy in America
The Politico:
Palin reignites culture wars
Palin reignites culture wars
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The Huffington Post, Associated Press, Taylor Marsh, RADAMISTO, The Strata-Sphere and Political Radar
ABCNEWS:
Another Controversy for Sarah Palin — Former Police Chief Says He Was Fired for Challenging Palin's Campaign Contributors — Gov. Sarah Palin is already facing ethical questions over her firing of the Alaska public safety commissioner, and now she faces questions over the firing of a longtime local police chief.
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Mike Allen / The Politico:
McCain: Palin more qualified than Obama — Mounting a ferocious defense of his embattled running mate, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said he is buying a TV ad arguing that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has more experience than the Democratic presidential nominee, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).
Dan Balz / Washington Post:
Aides Say Team Interviewed Palin Late in the Process — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was not subjected to a lengthy in-person background interview with the head of Sen. John McCain's vice presidential vetting team until last Wednesday in Arizona, the day before McCain asked her to be his running mate …
Jack Shafer / Slate:
MCCAIN CREATES A DISASTER STORY FOR THE NEWS-STARVED PRESS. — The news abhors a vacuum. Politicians, public-relations disinformers, media consultants, and other spin artists may think it's wise to suppress the elemental force that is the news. But when the news breaches the container it's been stuffed into, mayhem results.
Discussion:
The Anonymous Liberal
Rachel D'Oro / Associated Press:
Bristol Palin's boyfriend heads to convention — WASILLA - The boyfriend of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's unwed, pregnant daughter will join the family of the Republican vice presidential candidate at the GOP convention in St. Paul, Minn. — Levi Johnston's mother said her 18-year-old son left Alaska …
Discussion:
The Australian, New York Times, Newshoggers.com, No More Mister Nice Blog, Associated Press, TalkLeft and TBogg
Garry Wills / New York Times:
McCain's McGovern Moment — ONE of the most bizarre political events I ever attended was the second Democratic nominating convention of 1972. It was held in August at a Washington hotel ballroom, not in a big arena like the Miami Beach Convention Center, where the party had nominated George McGovern for president four weeks earlier.
Howard Kurtz / Washington Post:
Obama Met With Fox News Executives — At a secret meeting with Barack Obama three months ago, Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes says, he tried to clear the air with the Democratic senator by saying that his organization was determined to be fair but would not be “in the tank” for Obama's campaign.
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Jeff Zeleny / The Caucus:
Obama to Appear on Fox on Thursday Night — CHICAGO — Before Senator John McCain delivers his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday, Senator Barack Obama will make a marquee appearance of his own. — Call it counter-intuitive. He will appear on “The O'Reilly Factor” on Fox News Channel.
Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:
The Angry Left — I don't have the credentials necessary to go to the actual convention, but according to folks I've talked to it's been low energy in the Xcel Energy Center and a not-exactly-packed house. Indeed, President George W. Bush didn't even bother to show up in person to deliver …
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Michelle Cottle / The New Republic:
Palin's Handling of Other People's Pregnant Teens — Obviuosly, from the perspective of a progressive, there is much to dislike about Sarah Palin's politics. But this tidbit in today's WaPo strikes me as particularly offensive: … I'm sorry, but a politician who opposes abortion …
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William Yardley / New York Times:
Palin's Start in Alaska: Not Politics as Usual — WASILLA, Alaska — The world arrived here more than a century ago with the gold rush and later the railroad. Yet one aspect of American life did not come to town until 1996, the year Sarah Palin ran for mayor and Wasilla got its first local lesson in wedge politics.
Ben Smith / The Politico:
Jewish voters may be wary of Palin — ST. PAUL, Minn. — Barack Obama has struggled for 18 months to lock down the support of a traditionally Democratic group, Jewish voters. — In the past week, John McCain may have helped Obama with his Jewish problem by choosing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.
Spengler / Asia Times:
How Obama lost the election — DENVER - Senator Barack Obama's acceptance speech last week seemed vastly different from the stands of this city's Invesco Stadium than it did to the 40 million who saw it on television. Melancholy hung like thick smog over the reserved seats where I sat with Democratic Party staffers.
Discussion:
Clayton Cramer's BLOG
Steven Lee Myers / New York Times:
U.S. to Unveil $1 Billion Aid Package to Repair Georgia — BAKU, Azerbaijan — The Bush administration plans to announce a $1 billion package of aid to help rebuild Georgia after its rout by Russian forces last month, administration officials said on Wednesday, as Vice President Dick Cheney arrived …
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On Deadline