memeorandum: The Story of the George Bush Presidency: Unstable, Unfinished & Uncomprehending (Shaun Mullen/The Moderate Voice)

10:40 AM ET, January 29, 2008

Top Items:

Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby Poll: McCain Lead Widens As Primary Election Day Dawns in Florida — Giuliani, Huckabee tied in battle for distant third place — UTICA, New York - Arizona Sen. John McCain's lead over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is growing wider as the Republican campaign ends …

Discussion: Firedoglake, Pajamas Media, Taegan Goddard's … and MyDD

Adam C. Smith / St. Petersburg Times:

Crist endorsement is surprising, risky … For Rudy Giuliani, Nov. 18 was to be a pivotal day on his march to the Republican nomination. — Popular Gov. Charlie Crist was to anoint him as the best choice for Florida Republicans, and the two of them, starting in St. Petersburg …

Discussion: Riehl World View

Marc Ambinder:

Romney's Major Florida Advantage — Mitt Romney's had an 8 to 1 television ad advantage in Florida... part of the reason why he's made the competitive. Heck, most of the reason he's made the race competitive has been his ads. — According to Neilsen, he's run 4,475 ads compared to John McCain's 470 through 1/22.

Discussion: Jonathan Martin's Blogs, National Review and Hot Air

Kathryn Jean Lopez / The Corner:
Final Morning of Florida Polls

Discussion: Donklephant

New York Times:
Acrimony in G.O.P. on Eve of Primary

Discussion: Daily Kos, MSNBC, Washington Post and AMERICAblog

David Brooks / New York Times:

The Kennedy Mystique — Something fundamental has shifted in the Democratic Party. — Last week there was the widespread revulsion at the Clintons' toxic attempts to ghettoize Barack Obama. In private and occasionally in public, leading Democrats lost patience with the hyperpartisan style of politics …

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias, Los Angeles Times, Hot Air, MSNBC and NY Daily News

Washington Post / The Trail:

Richardson's Choice — SANTA FE, N.M. — Gov. Bill Richardson's phone has been ringing off the hook. Sen. Hillary Clinton called Sunday night. That was followed by a call from former president Bill Clinton, then a call from Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, who's supporting Clinton.

Discussion: New York Times and TPM Election Central

Shaun Mullen / The Moderate Voice:

The Story of the George Bush Presidency: Unstable, Unfinished & Uncomprehending — Hard to believe, but I still can muster a modicum of sympathy for George Walker Bush. This is because it is apparent after the last seven long years that this son of the Texas oil patch really didn't know what hit him …

Discussion: www.kansascity.com

Frank James / Chicago Tribune:
At SOTU, Obama's Clinton snub was the news

Discussion: Spin Cycle and TalkLeft

Laurie Kellman / Associated Press:
No Chitchat Between Clinton and Obama

Discussion: NO QUARTER and The Democratic Daily

Alessandra Stanley / New York Times: Camelot '08 Overshadows Bush Speech

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:

Clinton, Obama steal Bush's final show — All eyes were on Democratic presidential frontrunners Sens. Barack Obama (Ill.) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) Monday night as spectators and pundits followed their every move during President Bush's final State of the Union address.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, The Swamp, DownWithTyranny!, Tom Watson, Comments from Left Field, Washington Post, No More Mister Nice Blog, Truthdig and The Page

Peter Baker / Washington Post:
Final Year's Realities Push Big Ideas Into Background

Discussion: New York Times, New York Times, Althouse, MSNBC, On Deadline and Associated Press

Wall Street Journal:
Bush's End Game

Discussion: Blue Crab Boulevard

Allahpundit / Hot Air:

Video: Olby names Mary Katharine Ham “worst person in the world” — What deadly sin could she have committed to earn such a distinction? Quote: … Mind you, she's referring to a man whom certain members of the press literally offered to fellate. But never mind that.

Discussion: UrbanGrounds, Patterico's Pontifications and Ed Driscoll.com

CNN:

CNN RELIABLE SOURCES — Obama Wins Big in South Carolina; Bill Clinton Scolds Journalists — THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. — HOWARD KURTZ, HOST (voice over): Race talk. Barack Obama stuns the media establishment …

Discussion: Outside The Beltway and RADAMISTO

Mary Katharine Ham / TownHall Blog: I'm the Worst! — According to a couple incoming e-mails …

Chicago Tribune:

Cash to fugitive's family — Some of the $3.5 million went to pay off certain Rezko debts, while $20,000 went to the family of Alber Najjar, who also had extensive connections with Rezko's food companies but became a federal fugitive in 2004 when he fled to Lebanon following his indictment on bookmaking charges, prosecutors said.

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Norwegianity, The Huffington Post, The Trail, TPM Election Central, Associated Press, Wonkette and The Politico

New York Times:

Text of the State of the Union Address — Following is the text of President Bush's State of the Union address on Monday, as transcribed by the Federal News Service: — Thank you, Madame Speaker. Thank you all. — Madame Speaker, Vice President Cheney, members of Congress …

Discussion: Power Line, The Reaction, Blog entry, rubber hose, Dick Polman's American Debate, Counterterrorism Blog, MSNBC, Truthdig, Lean Left, Washington Wire, No More Mister Nice Blog, FP Passport and CNN

Think Progress:
Embargoed: State of the Union Text

Discussion: New York Sun, Angry Bear, Daily Kos, The Crone Speaks, Wake up America, The Democratic Daily, Taylor Marsh, D-Day and Left in the West

Paul Davenport / Associated Press:

Rep. Grijalva switches to Obama from Edwards — PHOENIX — Democratic U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona is endorsing Barack Obama after earlier backing John Edwards in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. — Grijalva cited Obama's electability and his intention to …

Common Dreams:

Senator Ted Kennedy Betrays Women by Not Standing for Hillary Clinton for President; — Ultimate Betrayal Felt by Women Everywhere — Women have just experienced the ultimate betrayal. Senator Kennedy's endorsement of Hillary Clinton's opponent in the Democratic presidential primary campaign has really hit women hard.

Discussion: Feministe, Say Anything, culturekitchen, Obsidian Wings, Redstate and Public Secrets

Marc Ambinder:

Tonight: Clinton Parties In Florida — Note: polls close in Florida at 7...and 8. This event begins at 7. — Will this really help her? She is going to be overshadowed tonight by the GOP contest. This is would be like the New England Patiots celebrating a pre-season victory. Weird.

Discussion: The Corner and Sister Toldjah