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Obama Camp's Memo on Clintons' Politicizing Race — Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign has prepared a detailed memo listing various instances in which it perceived Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign to have deliberately played the race card in the Democratic primary. [See the full memo here.]
Discussion:
Jules Crittenden, American Thinker, Right Wing News, The Politico, Ben Smith's Blogs and Firedoglake
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NOT BEAN BAG — We seem to be at the point where there are now two credible possibilities. One is that the Clinton campaign is intentionally pursuing a strategy of using surrogates to hit Obama with racially-charged language or with charges that while not directly tied to race nonetheless play to stereotypes about black men.
Discussion:
The Trail, Eschaton, Open Left, politburo diktat 2.0, TPM Election Central and BAGnewsNotes

Michelle Obama Enters the Race Fray — Michelle Obama spoke today in South Carolina at the Trumpet Awards, an event celebrating black achievement. After commenting on Bill Clinton's fairy tale remark she said: … More... She then wove the women issue into her comments:

The Democrats' Fairy Tale — “Give me a break. This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I've ever seen." Thus spoke Bill Clinton last Monday night, exasperated by Barack Obama's claim that he — unlike Hillary Clinton — had been consistently right (or wrong, depending on your point of view) on the Iraq war.
Discussion:
Brilliant at Breakfast

CLINTON, OBAMA, IRAQ. — Just got this e-mail from the Clinton campaign: … On one level, this is true. Barack Obama did not step into the Senate and seek leadership in the anti-war movement. When Elizabeth Edwards said Obama's Senate record showed “a relatively complacent and go-along Senator,” she wasn't necessarily wrong.
Discussion:
TalkLeft

Michelle Obama reaches out to blacks at Trumpet Awards — ATLANTA —Michelle Obama told the audience at an event celebrating black achievement that her husband is the person America needs in the White House right now, not in four or eight years. — Barack Obama's other half spoke briefly …

Clinton Surrogate Makes Veiled Reference to Obama's Drug Use
Discussion:
The Daily Dish, Tammy Bruce, New York Daily News Blogs, MoJoBlog, TalkLeft and politburo diktat 2.0

PRESIDENTIAL TRIAL HEATS: WHO'S WEAKEST FOR G.O.P? — This weekend, CNN released results of general election trial heats, pitting each of the four leading Republican candidates for President against both of the leading Democrats. — The unmistakable message from this national exercise …
Discussion:
Riehl World View
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Fluidity in G.O.P. Race; Democrats Eye Electability — WASHINGTON — Republican voters have sharply altered their views of the party's presidential candidates following the early contests in Iowa and New Hampshire, with Senator John McCain, once widely written off, now viewed more favorably …
Discussion:
Captain's Quarters, Washington Post, Truthdig, Talking Points Memo, American Power and Taegan Goddard's …


National Polls: Clinton And McCain Lead But More Contradictory Than Ever — A new ABC News/Washington Post poll reveals two things: Presidential campaign 2008 is a free for all- and Republican Senator John McCain and Democratic Senator Barack Obama are picking up steam in the battles for their parties' nominations.


CBS Poll: McCain Surges To National Lead — On Democratic Side, Clinton Maintains Double-Digit Lead Over Obama — (CBS) Surging after his win in the New Hampshire primary, Arizona Sen. John McCain has come from behind to now lead the national Republican race, according to a new CBS News/New York Times poll.

Paul supporters ‘freak out’ town clerk — Vote-counting flub draws ire, threats — January 12. — Jennifer Call's eyes searched the office for nothing in particular. Her arms waved and her fear spilled out. — “This is where I grew up,” Sutton's town clerk said yesterday.
Discussion:
Transterrestrial Musings


Abu Dhabi: East Leans West — Each month, 25,000 people from around the globe arrive in the United Arab Emirates, seeking jobs, contracts, and political stability. Walk past the gleaming new skyscrapers, government buildings, fountains, and shopping malls that line the immaculate tree-lined corniche …
Discussion:
Gateway Pundit

Beyond Mother Nature — Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger's 2004 essay “The Death of Environmentalism” sparked passionate debate and earned them a reputation as the bad boys of the environmental movement. Judging from their new book, “Break Through,” which expands their argument …
Discussion:
Gristmill

Mail-In Voters Become the Latest Prize — LOS ANGELES — The first Tuesday in February, when 22 states hold primaries, may turn out to be the biggest day of the presidential campaign. But for many voters, half or more in some states, the polling place will be the kitchen table …

He May Be Unwelcome, but We'll Survive — IN 1972, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, the publisher of The New York Times, was looking for a conservative columnist for his left-leaning Op-Ed page. — At a charity dinner, he wound up sitting next to William Safire, the Nixon White House speechwriter …
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