memeorandum: The man who grew a finger (Matthew Price/BBC)

4:35 PM ET, May 1, 2008

Top Items:

Gallup Daily: Clinton 49%, Obama 45% — McCain leads Obama in general election; McCain and Clinton tied — PRINCETON, NJ — Hillary Clinton has edged ahead of Barack Obama, 49% to 45%, in the latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking update. — The four percentage point Clinton advantage …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, NO QUARTER, The Campaign Spot, TPM Election Central and The Strata-Sphere

Nedra Pickler / Associated Press:

DNC chairman under Bill Clinton: Unite behind Obama — WASHINGTON (AP) — A leader of the Democratic Party under Bill Clinton has switched his allegiance to Barack Obama and is encouraging fellow Democrats to “heal the rift in our party” and unite behind the Illinois senator.

Joseph J. Andrew / The Huffington Post:

On My Switch From Clinton to Obama — I have been inspired. — Today I am announcing my support for Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States of America. I am changing my support from Senator Clinton to Senator Obama, and calling for my fellow Democrats across my home State of Indiana …

Discussion: TalkLeft, Taylor Marsh and Roger L. Simon

Rasmussen Reports:

Indiana Democratic Primary — Indiana: Clinton 46% Obama 41% — Senator Hillary Clinton leads Senator Barack Obama by five percentage points in the Indiana Democratic Presidential Primary. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of the state finds Clinton attracting 46% of the vote while Obama earns 41%.

Discussion: Hot Air, MyDD, Agence France Presse, Tennessee Guerilla Women and Buck Naked Politics

Lynn Sweet:

Obama picks up 3 more Illinois superdelegates: Daley, Currie and Stroger. — WASHINGTON—When the Democratic Party of Illinois meet next week to finish filling out the delegate slate, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) will pick up three more superdelegates, according to Steve Brown …

Discussion: The Page, Ben Smith's Blogs, The Jed Report, Donklephant, Marc Ambinder, The Washington Independent and AMERICAblog

Allahpundit / Hot Air:

Rasmussen: Ten-point swing towards Hillary since Wright's presser three days ago — Dude. … He's lost five points to McCain over the past week, too, and seven points over the past month in New Hampshire. Pray tell, what do voters in this important swing state think of Obama's relationship to Wright?

Discussion: TownHall Blog, TalkLeft, QandO, Weekly Standard Blog, Wake up America, RIGHTWINGSPARKLE, The Other McCain and Fox News

WRAL-TV:

Poll: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama in tight race for N.C. votes — RALEIGH, N.C. — It is an exciting time for North Carolina voters. For the first time in decades, they have a say in the Democratic primary for president. — A WRAL news poll released Wednesday shows Barack Obama's double-digit lead …

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
A pre-emptive strike from Andrew

Discussion: TownHall Blog

Mark Pazniokas / Capitol Watch:
Hillary To Pick Up A Super-delegate

Discussion: AMERICAblog, Donklephant, MSNBC, The Washington Independent, Spin Cycle and TalkLeft

Mark Murray / MSNBC:
FIRST THOUGHTS: MCCAIN'S BUSH PROBLEM

Discussion: The Swamp and Wonkette

Rasmussen Reports: Election 2008: New Hampshire Presidential Election

Associated Press:

‘D.C. Madam’ dead in Florida — Woman convicted of running $2 million prostitution ring — TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - A woman convicted of running a high-end prostitution ring in Washington, D.C., committed suicide in a Florida Gulf Coast town on Thursday, police said.

Discussion: The Reaction, Pam's House Blend, michellemalkin.com and The BRAD BLOG

myfoxtampabay.com:

DC Madam commits suicide in Tarpon Springs — TARPON SPRINGS - Police were called to the home of DC Madam Deborah Jeane Palfrey's mother on Thursday to investigate her apparent suicide. — Police have confirmed that the dead person is Palfrey who was 52.

Discussion: The Raw Story, Gawker, Political Machine, Althouse, Wonkette and Outside The Beltway

Justin Rood / ABCNEWS:
D.C. Madam Found Dead of Apparent Suicide

Discussion: TalkLeft, The Reaction and Booman Tribune

tampabay.com:
D.C. Madam commits suicide in Tarpon Springs

Discussion: The Crypt's Blogs, The Swamp and On Deadline

Associated Press:

Huckabee says Obama's former pastor needs him to lose — BILLINGS, Montana: Former Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee said Wednesday Barack Obama's bid for the White House is not being derailed because he is black, but because his former pastor does not want him to show the country's race relations have progressed.

Discussion: Newshoggers.com and The New Republic

Robert D. Novak / Washington Post:
Obama's Misplay — “That is just terrible, absolutely dreadful …

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Crunchy Con, The New Republic, The Campaign Spot and Blue Crab Boulevard

The Politico:
What Obama wishes he could say — Thrown off his game …

Discussion: Cliff Schecter … and The Campaign Spot

Brian Knowlton / New York Times:
Obama Defends Handling of Furor Over Ex-Pastor

Discussion: The New Republic

Xan Brooks / Guardian:
Spike Lee tells US pastor to ‘shut up’

Discussion: The Corner and Don Surber

Michelle Malkin:

The Michelle Obama-patented subject-changer — In a pickle with your spouse over laundry you neglected to do or trash you forgot to take out? — Looking for an easy way to wriggle out of a tough spot with your boss? — Never fear. Michelle Obama is here with her new patented subject-changer:

Discussion: JustOneMinute

Gail Collins / New York Times:
How Will It Play in Apex? — You have to give Bill Clinton credit.

Discussion: Prairie Weather and The New Republic

CNN:
Michelle Obama: Let's get back to issues

Discussion: TownHall Blog and New York Times

Daniela Deane / Washington Post:

Rep. Fossella Arrested on Charges of Driving While Intoxicated — Rep. Vito J. Fossella (R-N.Y.) was arrested overnight in Alexandria and charged with driving while intoxicated, court records showed today. — Fossella is scheduled to appear in Alexandria General District Court on May 12 for an advisement hearing, the records said.

Discussion: The Crypt's Blogs, MyDD and The Daily Politics

CNN:

Poll: Bush most unpopular in modern history — WASHINGTON (CNN) — A new poll suggests that George W. Bush is the most unpopular president in modern American history. — A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Thursday indicates that 71 percent of the American public disapprove …

Discussion: Think Progress, The Moderate Voice, The American Conservative, rubber hose, Democrats.com and Cliff Schecter …

Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:

Wolfson: I'm Not Sure That Joe Andrew Is “Actually From Indiana” — A bit of an odd exchange on MSNBC just now: Howard Wolfson was asked by Andrea Mitchell to respond to former DNC chair Joe Andrew's switch to Obama. — Wolfson seemed to suggest that Andrew isn't really from Indiana, but Hillary is really from New York...

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Spin Cycle

Marc Ambinder:
Andrew Explains Decision To Switch

Discussion: Associated Press, The Page, The Opinionator and Flopping Aces

Mimi Hall / USA Today:

U.S. has Mandela on terrorist list — WASHINGTON — Nobel Peace Prize winner and international symbol of freedom Nelson Mandela is flagged on U.S. terrorist watch lists and needs special permission to visit the USA. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice calls the situation “embarrassing,” and some members of Congress vow to fix it.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, The Reaction, The Swamp and Cliff Schecter …