memeorandum: No skimmers in sight as oil floods into Mississippi waters (Karen Nelson/McClatchy Washington Bureau)

5:45 PM ET, June 27, 2010

Top Items:

Sam Youngman / The Hill:

McCain blasts Afghanistan withdrawal date as ‘political decision’ by Obama — Sen. John McCain blasted President Barack Obama's stated goal of beginning troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in July 2011, saying Obama made a “political decision” not based on military strategy.

Discussion: The Politico, CNN and Newshoggers.com

Greg Jaffe / Washington Post:

Military disturbed by rapid turnover at top in Afghan, Iraq wars — Since 2001, a dozen commanders have cycled through the top jobs in Iraq, Afghanistan and the U.S. Central Command, which oversees both wars. Three of those commanders — including the recently dismissed Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal …

Discussion: USA Today, Taylor Marsh and Outside the Beltway

Mark Steyn / Orange County Register:

Learning the rules of an unengaged president — What do Gen. McChrystal and British Petroleum have in common? Aside from the fact that they're both Democratic Party supporters. — Or they were. Stanley McChrystal is a liberal who voted for Obama and banned Fox News from his HQ TV.

Discussion: The Politico

Brad Knickerbocker / Christian Science Monitor:
Quagmire? Nine years on, Americans grow weary of war in Afghanistan

Discussion: Informed Comment, No More Mister Nice Blog, Outside the Beltway and Jules Crittenden

Eliot A. Cohen / Washington Post:
Will there be an Afghanistan Syndrome?

Discussion: Maggie's Farm and Big Journalism

William Kristol / Weekly Standard: Obama's Choice — He did the right thing, picking Petraeus and committing to success.

Bridget Johnson / The Hill:

Byrd, 92, ‘seriously ill’ in Washington hospital — Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) was admitted to a Washington-area hospital in “seriously ill” condition, his office said a news release Sunday. — The statement said that Byrd, 92, “was admitted to the hospital late last week suffering …

Discussion: Firedoglake, FiveThirtyEight, The Politico, Scared Monkeys, Big Government, Washington Post and Pajamas Media

Doug Palmer / Reuters:

Senator's concern may complicate Wall Street bill vote — (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's efforts to win final approval of a historic financial regulatory reform bill looked more complicated on Saturday after a Republican senator threatened to oppose it.

Discussion: Raw Story

Washington Wire:

‘Seriously Ill’ Byrd Could Spell Delay for Financial Regulation Vote — Sen. Robert Byrd (D., W.Va), currently Congress's longest-serving member, has been hospitalized in “serious” condition, diminishing the chances of the Senate putting the financial-overhaul bill to a vote this week.

Discussion: AMERICAblog News

Reuters:

Court to rule on Sarbanes-Oxley and gun rights — (Reuters) - The Supreme Court could strike down a key part of a 2002 corporate reform law and extend gun rights in the United States on Monday when the justices issue their final rulings of the term. — In eagerly awaited rulings …

Discussion: The Confluence and Shot in the Dark

Tom Goldstein / SCOTUSblog:
The final four decisions

Discussion: Althouse

Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:
Obama and Roberts Will Cast Shadows Over Kagan Hearings

Discussion: ABCNEWS, The Caucus and CNN

Amy Goldstein / Washington Post:
Civil rights organizations question nominee Elena Kagan's record on race

Discussion: JOSHUAPUNDIT and The Volokh Conspiracy

RealClearPolitics Video Log:

Biden Calls Manager Who Told Him To Lower Taxes A “Smartass” — Joe Biden calls a custard store manager a “smartass” after he asks the Vice President to lower taxes.

Discussion: Left Coast Rebel, 24Ahead, BizzyBlog, NewsBusters.org, Wizbang, Freedom's Lighthouse, Townhall.com and Patterico's Pontifications

WISN Milwaukee's Channel 12:
Biden Visits Kopp's Custard Stand

Discussion: The Confluence, Sister Toldjah and Scared Monkeys

Jim Hoft / Gateway Pundit:
Eat Up... Joe Biden Gets Custard in Face When Business Owner Tells …

Discussion: Firedoglake, NY Daily News, Outside the Beltway, Althouse, Moonbattery, Another Black Conservative, Jules Crittenden, Breitbart.tv, Moe Lane and CBS News

Karen Nelson / McClatchy Washington Bureau:

No skimmers in sight as oil floods into Mississippi waters — Scores of similar demonstrations were held around the United States, including one at Anna Maria Island, Fla. | GULFPORT, Miss. — A morning flight over the Mississippi Sound showed long, wide ribbons of orange-colored oil …

Discussion: Think Progress, Don Surber, Flopping Aces, And So it Goes in Shreveport, Questions and Observations, NewsBusters.org and Liberty Pundits Blog

Maureen Callahan / New York Post:

Obama's race-rant Rev. rages on — CHICAGO — He's been keeping such a low profile since nearly derailing Barack Obama's campaign for president in 2008 — is it possible that the controversial Rev. Jeremiah Wright has mellowed? — Hardly. — During a five-day seminar Wright taught …

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, JammieWearingFool, Doug Ross and Gateway Pundit

ByJ / Washington Times:

ADAMS: Inside the Black Panther case Anger, ignorance and lies — On the day President Obama was elected, armed men wearing the black berets and jackboots of the New Black Panther Party were stationed at the entrance to a polling place in Philadelphia. They brandished a weapon and intimidated voters and poll watchers.

Discussion: The Jawa Report

Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:

Transit and Density — From an LA Times writeup of a light rail extension into the San Gabriel Valley that's just getting under way: … I don't know the details of these plans, but I certainly hope that when they say “some” of the transit-oriented development will be denser …