Top Items:
James Fallows:
The Palin interview — It is embarrassing to have to spell this out, but for the record let me explain why Gov. Palin's answer to the “Bush Doctrine” question — the only part of the recent interview I have yet seen over here in China — implies a disqualifying lack of preparation for the job.
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Anne E. Kornblut / Washington Post:
Palin Links Iraq to 9/11, A View Discarded by Bush — Gov. Sarah Palin linked the war in Iraq with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, telling an Iraq-bound brigade of soldiers that included her son that they would “defend the innocent from the enemies who planned and carried out and rejoiced in the death of thousands of Americans.”
Discussion:
Wonk Room, Firedoglake, The Swamp, Confederate Yankee, D-Day, JustOneMinute, New York Times, The Long War Journal, Hot Air, Associated Press, The Flack, Flopping Aces, Stop The ACLU, Political Machine, www.redstate.com, The E&P Pub, DownWithTyranny!, Spin Cycle, Right Wing News, Wonkette, NewsBusters.org, The Jed Report and Towleroad.com
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William Kristol / Weekly Standard:
Stupid or Malicious? — The Washington Post distorts Palin on page one. — Here are the headline and the first two paragraphs from an article posted online that apparently will be on the front page of Friday's Washington Post: … Kornblut's interpretation of what Palin said is either stupid or malicious.
Kimberly Kindy / Washington Post:
A Tangled Story of Addiction — Consequences of Cindy McCain's Drug Abuse Were More Complex Than She Has Portrayed — When Cindy McCain is asked what issues she would champion as first lady, she often cites one of the most difficult periods of her life: her battle with — and ultimate victory over — prescription painkillers.
Hindrocket / Power Line:
ANOTHER GAFFE BY THE WASHINGTON POST — As part of its campaign to discredit Governor Sarah Palin, the Washington Post carries a front page article this morning by Anne Kornblut that headlines, falsely: “Palin Links Iraq to Sept. 11 In Talk to Troops in Alaska.” The article begins:
Nitya / Political Punch:
Barack ‘Isotoner’ Obama to Take Off his Third or Fourth Pair of Gloves and Get Tough — Like any number of Democratic candidates before him — Mike Dukakis, Al Gore, John Kerry — Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, is once again declaring that he is going to take off the gloves and fight back against attacks from the Republican party.
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New York Times:
Obama Plans Sharper Tone as Party Frets — Senator Barack Obama will intensify his assault against Senator John McCain, with new television advertisements and more forceful attacks by the candidate and surrogates beginning Friday morning, as he confronts an invigorated Republican presidential ticket …
Mike Allen / The Politico:
53 days - ‘Isotoner’ Obama ad teases McCain on computer use - NYT says Obama campaign ‘flummoxed’ - McCain stiffs Tony Perkins - Chip Ward's 55th — Good Friday morning. EXCLUSIVE: Senator Biden will release 10 years of tax returns today in an effort to pressure Alaska Gov. Palin to make data available …
Lydia Saad / Gallup:
Battle for Congress Suddenly Looks Competitive — Democrats' double-digit lead on the “generic ballot” slips to 3 points — PRINCETON, NJ — A potential shift in fortunes for the Republicans in Congress is seen in the latest USA Today/Gallup survey, with the Democrats now leading …
ABCNEWS:
EXCERPTS: Charlie Gibson's Second Interview With Sarah Palin — Charlie Gibson Talks to the Republican VP Candidate Along the Trans-Alaska Pipeline … Watch Gibson's second of three interviews with Palin tonight on “Nightline” at 11:35 p.m. and much more on Friday on “Good Morning America” …
Discussion:
Think Progress, Wake up America, The Caucus, Political Punch, TPM Election Central, Lynn Sweet, PrestoPundit, neo-neocon, TIME.com and NewsBusters.org
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CNN:
Sea floods Texas island; get out or ‘certain death’ — HOUSTON, Texas (CNN) — Floodwaters surged into Galveston Island neighborhoods Friday morning with the center of Hurricane Ike still more than 200 miles from landfall. — On the Bolivar Peninsula, northeast of Galveston …
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Charles Babington / Associated Press:
Analysis: McCain's claims skirt facts, test voters — WASHINGTON (AP) — The “Straight Talk Express” has detoured into doublespeak. — Republican presidential nominee John McCain, a self-proclaimed tell-it-like-it-is maverick, keeps saying his running mate, Sarah Palin …
Rasmussen Reports:
Election 2008: Washington Presidential Election — McCain Closes to Within Two Points of Obama in Washington — Washington is the latest state to show a strong western surge for John McCain since he added Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to the Republican ticket.
Joe Klein / Swampland:
The McCain Tax Increases—Continued — Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a former Director of the Congressional Budget Office and current chief McCain economic advisor, is an honest man—which means he's something of a liability on the Straight Talk Express. A few months ago, he admitted to my colleague …
Ben Smith / The Politico:
The first Palin cable interview... ...is with Sean Hannity, Fox says, as she heads back to a zone of relative safety.
Discussion:
Real Clear Politics
Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Blizzard of Lies — Did you hear about how Barack Obama wants to have sex education in kindergarten, and called Sarah Palin a pig? Did you hear about how Ms. Palin told Congress, “Thanks, but no thanks” when it wanted to buy Alaska a Bridge to Nowhere? — These stories have two things in common …
Associated Press:
Saudi: OK to kill owners of ‘immoral’ TV networks — Top cleric in Saudi judiciary: it's OK to kill owners of TV networks airing ‘immoral content’ — RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia's top judiciary official has issued a religious decree saying it is permissible to kill the owners …
Discussion:
Don Surber