memeorandum: Today's Must Read (Paul Kiel/TPMmuckraker)

2:05 PM ET, November 28, 2007

Top Items:

Head of Rove Inquiry in Hot Seat Himself — Bloch Used Private Company, — Geeks on Call, to Delete Files — On His Office Computer — WASHINGTON — The head of the federal agency investigating Karl Rove's White House political operation is facing allegations that he improperly …

Discussion: Salon, The Swamp, Think Progress, On Deadline, Wonkette, The Impolitic, The Next Hurrah, Suitably Flip, Shakespeare's Sister, Corrente, The American Street and Prairie Weather

Paul Kiel / TPMmuckraker:

Today's Must Read — It's just not enough that a number of administration officials have been investigated for malfeasance; the Bush Administration takes it the extra mile. The man who's charged with investigating some of that malfeasance is himself under investigation. And he's clearly no slouch at malfeasance.

Discussion: CANNONFIRE and The Carpetbagger Report

Byron York / The Corner:

South Carolina Poll: Mitt, Huck Up, Rudy Cratering, Race Super-Volatile — Greetings from Clemson, South Carolina, where John McCain is scheduled to make an appearance this morning before heading to Florida for the YouTube debate. — But the big news here is a new Palmetto Poll …

Discussion: DownWithTyranny!, Hot Air and PrairiePundit

Democratic National Committee:

DNC Launches FlipperTV — As the Republican presidential candidates prepare to finally answer questions tonight directly from the American people at the CNN/YouTube debate, the Democratic National Committee launched FlipperTV, a unique, new online video tool that is part of the DNC's ongoing efforts …

Discussion: michellemalkin.com, BitsBlog and The Caucus

Garrett M. Graff / The Politico:
The GOP and 'the Internets'

Discussion: Cheat Seeking Missiles, Threat Level and techPresident

Paul Steinhauser / CNN:
Poll: Giuliani holds solid lead in Florida

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, TownHall Blog, MSNBC, The Van Der Galiën Gazette and Pollster.com

Sarah Lai Stirland / Wired News:
CNN-YouTube Debate Producer Doubts the Wisdom of the Crowd

Discussion: CNN, Wall Street Journal, michellemalkin.com, National Review, ScrappleFace, Suitably Flip, First Draft, TownHall Blog, techPresident and Say Anything

Patrick Healy / New York Times:

Bill Clinton Flatly Asserts He Opposed War at Start — During a campaign swing for his wife, former President Bill Clinton said flatly yesterday that he opposed the war in Iraq "from the beginning" — a statement that is more absolute than his comments before the invasion in March 2003.

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Obama Invests in Feb. 5 Strategy

Discussion: Washington Monthly

Anne E. Kornblut / The Trail:
Bill Clinton Says He Opposed Iraq War From the Outset

Discussion: NewsBusters.org and The Corner

The Politico:
Clinton tops Obama among African-Americans

Discussion: Boston Globe, Chicago Sun Times, MSNBC, Donklephant and Riehl World View

Michael Luo / New York Times:

In Iowa, Mormon Issue Is Benefiting Huckabee — The religious divide over Mitt Romney's Mormon faith that his supporters had long feared would occur is emerging in Iowa as he is being challenged in state polls by Mike Huckabee, a former Baptist pastor who has played up his faith in his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

Discussion: MSNBC, Associated Press, NY Daily News, The Atlantic Online, Hot Air, Boston Globe, TPM Election Central and The Politico

David Mark / The Politico:
Huck supporters like his softer side

Discussion: CNN Political Ticker and race42008.com

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Why (and How) Huckabee Can Win Iowa

Discussion: Southern Political Report, Political Machine and Democratic Strategist

pmw.org.il:

Palestinian Authority TV shows" Palestine" map erasing Israel — Just a day after Israeli and Palestinian leaders at the Annapolis peace conference pledged to negotiate a peace treaty by the end of 2008, Mahmoud Abbas's Palestinian Authority continues to paint a picture for its people of a world without Israel.

Discussion: Atlas Shrugs and Solomonia

Little Green Footballs:
Palestinian Authority TV Erases Israel from Map

Discussion: A Blog For All

Demetri Sevastopulo / Financial Times:

US public opinion shifts on Iraq 'surge' — US public opinion on military progress in Iraq has improved sharply since the troops "surge" started in February but a majority of Americans still want soldiers brought home, according to a new poll. — Some 48 per cent of Americans now believe …

Discussion: Wake up America, Macsmind and Dean's World

Cliff May / The Corner:
Changing Times in Baghdad: The American Public's View

Discussion: Jules Crittenden

Associated Press:

GOP will demand 'oath' of February primary voters — RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — If you're planning to vote in Virginia's February Republican presidential primary, be prepared to sign an oath swearing your Republican loyalty. — The State Board of Elections on Monday approved a state Republican Party request …

Discussion: The Newshoggers, The Carpetbagger Report, Salon and TPM Election Central

Gateway Pundit:

BUSTED!!.... ANOTHER BOGUS IRAQI SLAUGHTER STORY!!! — LAY THIS BOGUS IRAQI SLAUGHTER STORY TO REST... Reportedly, on Sunday 11 close family members of Jordanian-based Baathist reporter Dia al-Kawwaz, who runs the online anti-Iraq newspaper Shabeqat Akhbar al-Iraq, were slaughtered in Baghdad.

Discussion: The Jawa Report

Kevin G. Hall / McClatchy Washington Bureau:

Democrats' health plans echo Nixon's failed GOP proposal — WASHINGTON — Even before Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton unveiled her new health-care plan, Republicans attacked it as socialized medicine. They neglected to mention, however, that her plan bears a striking resemblance …

Discussion: The Newshoggers, The American Street and Prairie Weather

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:

Rudy and the gays — The Empire State Pride Agenda, the main New York gay group, launched a site today with video of Rudy Giuliani's appearances before the group. — The best moment — which gives you a feel for who he was as New York's mayor — comes with what his audience took …

Discussion: Hot Air

Thomas L. Friedman / New York Times:

Oasis or Mirage? — The Middle East is experiencing something we haven't seen in a long, long time: moderates getting their act together a little, taking tentative stands and pushing back on the bad guys. If all that sounds kind of, sort of, maybe, qualified, well ... it is.

Discussion: PrairiePundit, RealClearPolitics, Soccer Dad and Middle Earth Journal

Ruth Marcus / Washington Post:

Social Security: Five Myths and a Slur — Social Security isn't a big-deal problem because, absent any change, the system will be able to pay 75 percent of promised benefits in 2041. Even those reduced benefits would be larger, in real terms, than what current retirees receive.

Discussion: Grasping Reality …, Paul Krugman and Economist's View

Arthur Keller / New York Times:

Caution: Taliban Crossing — IN the early 1900s, a crusty British general, Andrew Skeen, wrote a guide to military operations in the Pashtun tribal belt, in what is now Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province. His first piece of advice: "When planning a military expedition into Pashtun tribal areas …

Discussion: PrairiePundit and democracyarsenal.org