memeorandum: Vote for McBama — When it comes to America's obvious domestic … (Robert J. Samuelson/Newsweek)

9:00 PM ET, June 11, 2008

Top Items:

Dems pound McCain for new Iraq quote — The Obama campaign and Democratic leaders accused Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) of being confused and heartless after he told NBC's “Today” show Wednesday that it's “not too important” when U.S. troops return from Iraq. — Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) …

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blogs, The Daily Dish, The Washington Independent, TPM Election Central, The Swamp, Sister Toldjah, Comments from Left Field, Buck Naked Politics, Liberal Values, Right Wing News, Macsmind, marbury, Confederate Yankee, Taylor Marsh, The Democratic Daily, American Street, rubber hose and Political Machine

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:

Kerry: McCain confused, ‘unbelievably out of touch’ — John Kerry, who's served in the past as Obama's heavy-hitter on national security, expressed incredulity at McCain's remark this morning that the timing of troops return is “not too important.” — “It is unbelievably out of touch …

Discussion: TIME.com, protein wisdom, TownHall Blog, Top of the Ticket, Salon, Balloon Juice, Boston Globe, Firedoglake, The New Republic, WTF Is It Now?!? and RADAMISTO

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:

EX POST MCCAINO — The McCain campaign is hitting back hard against Democratic criticism of his “not that important” quote this morning on Today. But as often is the case with McCain, the explanations of what he said are even sillier than the original statement.

Discussion: The Swamp, The New Republic, The RBC and TPM Election Central

Marc Ambinder:

It's Not Important? Context Is Always Important — Democrats and allies are jumping on John McCain for telling NBC's Matt Lauer that “it's not important” when troops return from Iraq. Period. There's no because. There's almost never a because when one side seizes on the comments of another.

Discussion: John McCain 2008, The Opinionator, The Daily Dish, Hot Air, Wake up America, Think Progress and MyDD

Kelly Moeller / Political Punch:
Playing the Age Card? …

Discussion: New York Times, The Carpetbagger Report, TPM Election Central, MSNBC, The Jed Report, Hullabaloo, Swampland, AMERICAblog, Commentary and Oliver Willis

Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:
McCain Campaign: Dems Took “Not Too Important” Quote Out Of Context

Discussion: The New Republic, VetVoice, Obsidian Wings, The Reaction and The Carpetbagger Report

Michael Goldfarb / John McCain 2008:
Who's Confused Now? — Among the accusations he leveled this morning …

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blogs and Hot Air

Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:

Obama Gains Among Women After Clinton Exit — Now running as strongly vs. McCain among women as Clinton did — PRINCETON, NJ — Since Hillary Clinton decided to concede the Democratic nomination to Barack Obama last week, Obama has established a lead over Republican John McCain in general-election polling.

Discussion: Wonk Room, Political Radar, Attackerman, The Swamp, The Caucus, The Nation, Taegan Goddard's …, Hotline On Call, Political Machine, The Moderate Voice and Reproductive Health

Mark Murray / MSNBC:

NBC/WSJ Poll: Post-primary bump for Obama — Challenges for both Obama, McCain indicate very competitive race ahead — WASHINGTON - Days after becoming his party's presumptive nominee and receiving an endorsement from his chief rival, Hillary Clinton, Democrat Barack Obama has opened …

Discussion: TPM Election Central

Washington Wire:

WSJ/NBC Poll Shows Change Trumps Experience — Susan Davis reports on the presidential race. — The latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll results will be released later today, but an early teaser offers a snapshot on how voters are sizing up the John McCain-Barack Obama contest.

Discussion: Daily Kos

Jackie Calmes / Wall Street Journal: Obama Leads, but Margin Is Less Than Some Expect

Mark Murray / MSNBC: TEASING TODAY'S NBC/WSJ POLL

Robert J. Samuelson / Newsweek:
Vote for McBama — When it comes to America's obvious domestic …

Discussion: Outside The Beltway and Real Clear Politics

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:

Johnson resigns — Obama and his campaign staunchly defended Jim Johnson against the charge that his ties to troubled mortgage lender Countrywide disqualified him from sitting on Obama's vice presidential search committee, but Johnson just pulled the plug: He resigned as chairman of the steering committee just now.

Discussion: Fox News, New York Sun, protein wisdom, Balloon Juice, The Washington Independent and Rezko Watch

CNN:
Obama's VP vetter steps aside

Discussion: Washington Post, TownHall Blog, Political Machine, The Carpetbagger Report and MyDD

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Is Johnson News a Sign of Weakness in Obama Camp?

Discussion: The Trail, Marc Ambinder, FOX Embeds and Salon

Scott Glover / Los Angeles Times:

9th Circuit's chief judge posted sexually explicit materials on his website — Alex Kozinski, who is presiding over an obscenity trial in L.A., admits he posted sexually explicit photos and videos. He says he didn't think the public could see the site, which is now blocked.

Discussion: TalkLeft, StephenBainbridge.com, Patterico's Pontifications, Associated Press, Law Blog, Threat Level, Obsidian Wings, LA Observed, On Deadline and Shakesville

TPM Election Central:

Is Bobby Jindal — Who May Be On McCain's Veep Shortlist — An Exorcist? — Bobby Jindal, the 36-year old governor of Louisiana, is being taken seriously by the national press as a candidate on the shortlist to be John McCain's Vice President. No one doubts that he's a political prodigy …

Discussion: Opinion L.A., Talking Points Memo and Swampland

Mark Leibovich / New York Times:

Those Loyal to the Clintons Take Note of Who Was Not — WASHINGTON — Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was gracious in her full-throated endorsement of Senator Barack Obama. But that does not mean all is forgiven by others in the Clinton universe. — For proof, look no further than Doug Band …

Discussion: The Crypt's Blogs, Power Line, Wake up America, Wilshire & Washington, Political Machine, Achenblog, The Swamp, AMERICAblog, The New Republic and I Am TRex

David Sarno / Web Scout:

The Obama campaign deleted my blog post! — A couple of days ago, as part of my experimenting with how political rumors get started online, I created a blog in the community section of barackobama.com, the official campaign web site, and added a post. As background, there have been several dust-ups lately …

The Hill:

New Gang of 14 won't back McCain — At least 14 Republican members of Congress have refused to endorse or publicly support Sen. John McCain for president, and more than a dozen others declined to answer whether they back the Arizona senator. — Many of the recalcitrant GOP members declined …

Ezra Klein / American Prospect:

MORE FURMAN FUROR. — What I can't figure out about the furor of Barack Obama's decision to name Jason Furman his economic policy director is where have these people been? This is like getting pissed at Project Runway because it's a show about clothes. — Austen Goolsbee …

Discussion: Washington Monthly and Matthew Yglesias

Matt / Think Progress:

McCain On Whether Cheney Might Serve In His Administration: ‘Hell, Yeah’ — As Vice President Dick Cheney makes the rounds on “the GOP's rubber chicken circuit” these days to raise funds for conservative candidates, he always implores his audiences “to make sure that we elect John McCain the 44th President of the United States.”