OBAMA FINGERS A ‘GOTCHA’ DEBATE  —  Sen. Barack Obama was on the stump today in Raleigh, N.C., the day after his debate in Philadelphia with Sen. Hillary Clinton.  Have a look at his body language when he spoke of the sort of debate it was — a “gotcha” fest — and about Clinton being “in her element.”

George Stephanopoulos Responds To Obama, Defends Handling Of Debate  —  At some point amid the hailstorm of criticism that greeted ABC's handling of yesterday's Dem debate, moderator George Stephanopoulos received an email — one of the many, many missives about the debate he's received — from an Obama adviser.

Dean: I need a decision ‘now’  —  (CNN)— An increasingly firm Howard Dean told CNN again Thursday that he needs superdelegates to say who they're for - and “I need them to say who they're for starting now.”  —  “We cannot give up two or three months of active campaigning and healing time …

Aliza Shvarts: Abortion Goo Girl Rants Against the “Patriarchal Heteronormative”  —  [Note: Yale now claims this was all a hoax.  See below.]  —  [Note: Yale Advisor removes video from YouTube.  See below.]  —  VIDEO UPDATE: Like cockroaches running for the den when the lights go on …

This horrible “debate”  —  As mentioned earlier, family concerns (my father) have trumped other concerns for quite a while.  Among various consequences, and in the cosmic sense a trivial one, is the list of items building up that I am looking for a chance to weigh in on …

Dirt off Your Shoulder  —  This business is pretty cool.  Somewhere between a dog whistle to the kids and a reverse Sister Souljah.  Check out Obama at 2:20:  —  And now Jay-Z:  —  Good stuff, thought I guess rap scold Douthat wouldn't approve.

U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick  —  Representing North Carolina's Ninth District  —  Rep. Myrick Calls for Former President Jimmy Carter's Passport to be Revoked  —  (Washington, D.C.) - Today, Rep. Sue Myrick (NC-9) called on Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to revoke former President Jimmy Carter's passport.

The Two Wars in Iraq & Mistaken Republican Support for Obama  —  [T]he root function of language is to control the universe by describing it.  —James Baldwin.  —  Bush screwed the pooch in Iraq.  There is a good argument to be made that we should not have invaded in the first place.

McCain readies unorthodox campaign  —  For reasons of financial necessity, personal preference and plain politics, John McCain is gearing up to run one of the least traditional presidential campaigns in recent history.  —  The problem is that even prominent strategists within McCain's own party wonder …

Obama Campaign “Flattered” by Hamas Endorsement  —  Hamas endorsed Obama yesterday, and Philip Klein got the reaction from David Axelrod: … Note the slipperiness.  Axelrod first distances himself from the “gentleman from Hamas,” but in the next breath he embraces the gentleman/terrorists' comparison …

Huge War Supplemental in Works  —  The House Democratic leadership is close to finalizing a decision to combine all outstanding Bush administration requests for war funding — totaling at least $170 billion — into one huge bill, according to lawmakers and aides.

Bill Clinton: No ‘Whining’ from Hillary  —  ABC News' Sarah Amos Reports: Former President Bill Clinton says he didn't see his wife “whining” when she's taken some tough political shots on the presidential campaign trail.  —  “When I watched that debate last night, I got kinda tickled,” …