memeorandum: McCain and Obama — Salem, N.H. — Both Barack Obama … (David Brooks/New York Times)

3:00 PM ET, January 8, 2008

Top Items:

Women Are Never Front-Runners — Correction appended. — THE woman in question became a lawyer after some years as a community organizer, married a corporate lawyer and is the mother of two little girls, ages 9 and 6. Herself the daughter of a white American mother and a black African father …

David Brooks / New York Times:

McCain and Obama — Salem, N.H. — Both Barack Obama and John McCain attract independents. Both have a candor that appeals to voters and media-types alike. Both ask their audiences to serve a cause greater than self-interest. Both offer a politics that is grand and inspiring.

Discussion: The Carpetbagger Report, The Mahablog, Britain and America and Brian Beutler

Howard Kurtz / Washington Post:

Even Conservative Media Chorus Sings Obama's Praises — Barack Obama, now the media's odds-on favorite to win the White House, is drawing effusive praise from the chattering classes. — “You'd have to have a heart of stone not to be moved by this. . . . This is a huge moment,” one commentator wrote.

Discussion: Booman Tribune, The Caucus, Donklephant, The Democratic Daily, Macsmind and RealClearPolitics

CNN:
New Hampshire votes: Small state, big impact

Discussion: Confederate Yankee, New Hampshire Union Leader, Jules Crittenden, race42008.com, Election Projection, Captain's Quarters, Washington Times, Outside The Beltway, The Gun Toting Liberal™, Sigmund, Carl and Alfred, Wake up America, The Campaign Spot, Sister Toldjah, The Strata-Sphere, New York Magazine, Central Sanity and Scared Monkeys

Thomas Sowell / Real Clear Politics:
Remember, We're Choosing a President

Discussion: Dr. Sanity and A Blog For All

Jim Tankersley / The Swamp:
Surge of a different kind for Obama

Discussion: The Hill

Rasmussen Reports:
Election 2008: South Carolina Republican Primary

Discussion: The Politico, Hot Air, The Jawa Report, The Carpetbagger Report and TIME

Jennifer Parker / Political Radar:

New Hampshire Turnout ‘Absolutely Huge’ — ABC News' Karen Travers Reports: New Hampshire Deputy Secretary of State Dave Scanlan told ABC News that turnout among primary voters today is “absolutely huge” — and there are concerns about running out of ballots in towns like Portsmouth, Keene, Hudson and Pelham.

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, Wonkette, Outside The Beltway and Donklephant

Pat Grossmith / New Hampshire Union Leader:

Large voter turnout reported — MANCHESTER - Long lines of people formed inside some polls this morning minutes after they opened at 6 a.m. for the New Hampshire presidential primary. — Louise Gosselin, Ward 6 moderator, said election officials expected about 150 people to vote each hour at St. Pius X on Candia Road.

Discussion: TPM Election Central, The Huffington Post, Liberal Values and Open Left

Domenico Montanaro / MSNBC:
High turnout as towns seek extra ballots

Discussion: BobKrumm.com, TPM Election Central and Riehl World View

Redstate:
Report from the polls

Discussion: The Campaign Spot and MyDD

Stephen Dinan / Washington Times:

Huckabee vows to defy birthright citizenship — Mike Huckabee wants to amend the Constitution to prevent children born in the U.S. to illegal aliens from automatically becoming American citizens, according to his top immigration surrogate — a radical step no other major presidential candidate has embraced.

Discussion: The Opinionator, D-Day, The Corner, The Carpetbagger Report, PoliPundit.com, Outside The Beltway, The Daily Dish, Say Anything, The Sundries Shack, PoliGazette and Lawyers, Guns and Money

Mark R. Levin / The Corner:

You Have to Be Kidding Me — Now, I know most of the Republican candidates have changed certain of their positions. But I have to say, when I read this story this morning, I was floored. — Heading into South Carolina, where illegal immigration appears to be the biggest issue among Republicans …

Discussion: Middle Earth Journal, Say Anything and The State

Byron York / The Corner:

Re: You Have to be Kidding Me — Mike Huckabee just released this statement: … The Times story looked a little odd from the start; I've never heard Huckabee talk about that idea. But hooking up with the Minutemen was not a good idea for Huckabee. One can be plenty tough …

Jose Antonio Vargas / The Trail:

Dartmouth Students Walk Out on Bill — HANOVER, N.H. — About thirty minutes into Bill Clinton's nearly two-hour stop here at Dartmouth College, a steady stream of students started walking out of the venue. — Moments later, Clinton — his voice hoarse, sometimes cracking …

Discussion: New York Times, The Moderate Voice, Power Line, michellemalkin.com, Heading Right, Captain's Quarters, Jack and Jill Politics, Daily Kos, Blue Crab Boulevard and Prairie Weather

Ben Adler / The Politico:
Dartmouth not feeling Obamentum

Discussion: Firedoglake

Josh Gerstein / Latest Politics:
President Clinton Sees Post-Iowa ‘Tidal Wave,’ Faults Press for Obama ‘Fairy Tale’

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias and Los Angeles Times

Mark Blumenthal / Pollster.com:

LOOKING FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE EXIT POLLS? — Looking for leaked exit poll results from New Hampshire? Sorry to disappoint, but whatever their merits, we are unlikely to see any such leaked results until moments before the polls close. — In past years, the network consortium that conducts …

Discussion: Marc Ambinder and Democratic Strategist

New York Post:

IRAN 1, USA 0 — NAVAL ERROR IN THE GULF — EARLY Sunday morning, the US Navy lost its nerve and guaranteed that American sailors will die at Iranian hands in the future. — As three of our warships passed through the Straits of Hormuz, five small Iranian patrol craft rushed them.

Discussion: Weekly Standard, The Corner, Power Line, QandO and Wolf Howling

Paul Kiel / TPMmuckraker:
Today's Must Read

Discussion: Associated Press, The Newshoggers, Washington Post, Boston Globe and American Street

Christian Schneider / The Wisconsin Policy …:

The Woman Who Changed the World — With Barack Obama's meteoric rise topping the news these days, many people have forgotten the bizarre series of events that paved the way to his stunning ascendance. It's especially interesting given that some personal and minor details …

Discussion: American Power, michellemalkin.com, No Runny Eggs, UNCoRRELATED, JammieWearingFool and No More Mister Nice Blog

Washington Post:

See No Good — AT SATURDAY'S New Hampshire debate, Democratic candidates were confronted with a question that they have been ducking for some time: Can they concede that the “surge” of U.S. troops in Iraq has worked? All of them vehemently opposed the troop increase when President Bush proposed …

Discussion: Opinion Journal, Captain's Quarters, Weekly Standard, Bookworm Room, The Anchoress, Political Machine, Say Anything, The Strata-Sphere, Blue Crab Boulevard and Flopping Aces

Jackie Calmes / Wall Street Journal:

Clinton Braces for Second Loss; Union, Senators May Back Obama — NASHUA, N.H. — With Barack Obama strongly favored — even within Hillary Clinton's camp — to win a second straight victory in today's New Hampshire Democratic primary, both rivals are looking to the next battle grounds.

Discussion: New York Times, Time, Captain's Quarters, Taylor Marsh, New York Post, Taegan Goddard's …, You Decide 08!, The Carpetbagger Report, The Caucus and TIME

New York Times:

Obama's Surge Deflates Forum and Talk of a Bloomberg Run — NORMAN, Okla. — He arrived here for what seemed like it could be a big moment. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, eyeing a third-party presidential bid, joined Republican and Democratic elders at a forum to denounce the extreme partisanship …