memeorandum: Ignoring Uptick In Iraq Violence, Lieberman And Graham Accuse War … (Matt/Think Progress)

2:30 PM ET, April 7, 2008

Top Items:

Obama May Not Have Fully Contained Damage From Ex-Pastor — Sen. Barack Obama's Philadelphia speech on race relations last month seemed to put the controversial remarks of his former pastor behind him. But three weeks later, there is evidence of lingering damage.

Discussion: PoliGazette, Hot Air, GINA COBB, Real Clear Politics, Stumper, Wake up America, The Caucus, Macsmind, TalkLeft, The Page and The Politico

William Kristol / New York Times:

The Shape of the Race to Come — I've spent a fair amount of time the last couple of weeks with conservatives of all ages and leanings. Call it my very own listening tour. — It began with a series of conversations with a group of Weekly Standard subscribers.

Discussion: Soccer Dad, The Campaign Spot, Booman Tribune, Hoffmania!, Outside The Beltway, TBogg, Connecting.the.Dots and Prometheus 6

John Kass / Chicago Tribune:
Dialogue on race could begin on hallowed ground

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Commentary and protein wisdom

Wall Street Journal:

Iraq and Its Costs — When Gen. David Petraeus testifies before Congress tomorrow, he will step into an American political landscape dramatically different from the one he faced when he last spoke on Capitol Hill seven months ago. — This time Gen. Petraeus returns to Washington having led …

Discussion: Reuters, Washington Post, Examining Presidential … and American Street

M. Duss / Wonk Room:
Neocons Preparing The Ground For Petraeus Testimony By Hyping Threat Of Iran

Discussion: Weekly Standard Blog and Air America Radio blogs

Articles by the Investigative Project on Terrorism:
For the Record: Seriously, What is the FBI Doing?

Discussion: Little Green Footballs and The Jawa Report

Matt / Think Progress:
Ignoring Uptick In Iraq Violence, Lieberman And Graham Accuse War …

Discussion: Boston Globe, Salon, The Carpetbagger Report and United States Institute …

Sudarsan Raghavan / Washington Post:
Between Iraqi Shiites, a Deepening Animosity

Discussion: Hot Air, Informed Comment, Firedoglake and The Washington Independent

Marc Ambinder:

Ex-Clinton Insider Launches Unity Ticket Drive — Hillary/Obama '08 becomes official today. In a way. — A Clinton insider who served as ex campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle's executive assistant for several years has set up a new website, http://www.voteboth.com/ and plans to register with the Federal Election Commission today.

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, The Field, Comments from Left Field, Political Machine, Balloon Juice, Spin Cycle, Liberal Values, MyDD, Boston Globe and Political Punch

Frank James / Baltimore Sun:

CLINTON MAN'S OBAMA MOMENT — Was Terry McAuliffe, chairman of Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, engaging in his own sort of hedging strategy at a recent meeting of Washington State Democrats? Or was the former Democratic National Committee chair engaging in a kumbayah, all-us-Democrats-are-in-this- together moment?

Discussion: The Daily Dish, The Swamp, The Moderate Voice and New York Times

Marc Ambinder:

Penn: Never Out, Still In — Demoted Hillary Clinton strategist Mark Penn may no longer have the coveted title of chief strategist, but he remains a key member of the campaign's senior staff. — Mr. Penn took part on the campaign's morning message call this morning, as usual.

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blogs, The Page and The New Republic

Mark Halperin / Time:
Exit the Clinton Strategist

Discussion: The Current, Washington Post, Washington Wire, The Field, Truthdig, New York Times, Political Punch, Comments from Left Field and The Page

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
FULL FIRING? OR JUST GELDED?

Discussion: MSNBC, Pollster.com, Trailhead, Guardian, The Mahablog, Shakesville, Corrente, Political Machine, Marc Ambinder and The New Republic

Amanda / Think Progress:

McCain's Speech On Progress In Iraq Interrupted By News Of Mortars Hitting The Green Zone — Today, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) spoke to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, making the case for the “unmistakable progress” in Iraq. — A telling moment in his remarks came when he was arguing why President Bush's surge …

Discussion: New York Times and Slog

Mark Halperin / The Page: Excerpts of McCain's Remarks to VFW Headquarters

Sean Wilentz / Salon:

If the system made sense, Clinton would be far ahead — Under a winner-take-all primary system, Hillary Clinton would have a wide lead over Barack Obama — and enough delegates to clinch the Democratic presidential nomination by June. — Hillary Clinton celebrates with supporters …

Discussion: The Jed Report, The Confluence, Outside The Beltway, Lawyers, Guns and Money, Taylor Marsh and Obsidian Wings

USA Today:

Radio host Ed Schultz: 'I'm sorry ... John McCain is a warmonger' — “I'm sorry, John, the label sticks. John McCain is a warmonger,” liberal radio host Ed Schultz said a few minutes ago on CNN's American Morning. — Schultz called McCain a “warmonger” on Friday as he was warming …

Discussion: Air America Radio blogs, Hot Air, FOX Embeds, Sister Toldjah, Real Clear Politics, Redstate, Say Anything and TPM Election Central

Zachary A. Goldfarb / The Talk:
McCain: Obama ‘Absolutely’ Qualified to Be President

Discussion: The Jed Report and Donklephant

Jonathan Chait / The New Republic:

No Really, You Should Go — Wretched rationalizations for Hillary Clinton's kamikaze campaign. — Last week, Senator Pat Leahy suggested that Hillary Clinton ought to quit the presidential race. How insensitive! How boorish! Pundits gasped, Clinton took umbrage …

Discussion: Reason Magazine, Salon and The Carpetbagger Report

Elisabeth Bumiller / New York Times:

Rice Eyeing Ticket? That's News to McCain — KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Is Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice campaigning to be John McCain's running mate? If so, Mr. McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, said on Sunday that he had not noticed.

Discussion: City Pages, The Sleuth, No More Mister Nice Blog and Political Radar

New York Post:
RICE BIDS TO BE VP: GOPER

Discussion: PoliBlog (TM) and The Glittering Eye

Mark Silva / The Swamp:

WHITE HOUSE: SURGE'S ‘GREAT SUCCESS’ — President Bush is pressing Congress today for approval of the Colombia Free Trade Agreement, and the White House says it doesn't believe it has had any dealings on this with Democrat Mark Penn, the former chief strategist for Hillary Clinton's campaign …

Discussion: New York Times, The Crypt's Blogs, MSNBC, Democratic Strategist and The Carpetbagger Report

John Hood / The Corner:
The Real Colombian-Trade Story

Discussion: Houston Chronicle

Paul Krugman / New York Times:

Grains Gone Wild — These days you hear a lot about the world financial crisis. But there's another world crisis under way — and it's hurting a lot more people. — I'm talking about the food crisis. Over the past few years the prices of wheat, corn, rice and other basic foodstuffs …

Discussion: JustOneMinute, The Huffington Post, American Street, Obsidian Wings, Outside The Beltway, Prairie Weather and Paul Krugman

CNN:

Olympic torch extinguished during Paris leg — (CNN) — The Olympic torch relay was disrupted Monday by protesters in Paris demonstrating against the Chinese government, causing authorities to extinguish the flame three times and put the torch on a bus, according to The Associated Press.

Discussion: QandO, The Moderate Voice, Right Wing Nut House, Hot Air, Donklephant, Time and The Page

HillaryClinton.com:

Clinton Unveils Plan To Find Cure For Breast Cancer On The Ellen DeGeneres Show — Plan Includes $300 Million in Increased Funding For Research Annually And Increased Access To Treatment And Screening Services — Hillary Clinton appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show today and announced …

Discussion: TalkLeft, The Confluence and FOX Embeds