| 8:51 PM: | Justice Antonin Scalia: Al Gore to blame for 2000 US election mess. The 2000 presidential election debacle was the fault of Al Gore, who should have followed Richard Nixon's 1960 example and conceded without legal action, according to the Supreme Court's leading conservative judge. Telegraph. | |
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| 8:16 PM: | McCain Attends Glitzy Pennsylvania Fundraiser. Speaks as he marvels at the mansion with six garages, an elaborate pool with fountains and extensive, manicured grounds behind him: "This is one of the differences between me and Senator Obama. Senator Obama wants every American to have a home. I want every American to have a home like that." Mark Halperin. | |
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| 8:04 PM: | Olbermann: Obama's FISA opportunity - Criminal prosecution loophole is candidate's big chance. In a Special Comment, Keith Olbermann discusses Sen. Barack Obama's second chance to vote on the FISA bill and still show voters that he can stand on principle through the advantage of a loophole within the bill. [Transcript and Video] MSNBC. | |
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| 7:58 PM: | The Path to 270: Ohio-Michigan as McCain Megastate. McCain should not get too distracted with defending his home turf. If this election becomes about Florida, we lose. The same is also true of swing states du jour Virginia and Colorado, which are still slightly to the right of the country, though they used to be 3-5 points moreso. Patrick Ruffini. | |
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| 7:40 PM: | Seymour Hersh On Covert Operations In Iran [Podcast Interview] Fresh Air: In the upcoming issue of the New Yorker, Seymour Hersh writes that the United States may be closer to armed conflict with Iran than previously imagined.[Guest, Seymour Hersh] NPR. | |
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| 7:32 PM: | Obama Courting Evangelicals Once Loyal to Bush. As Barack Obama prepares for a major speech on faith, his campaign is engaged in the most intensive effort yet by a Democratic candidate to reach out to conservative, born-again Christians. NYT. | |
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| 7:32 PM: | McCain Really, Really Wants Someone To Demean His Service Record. Another lesson worth noting from the frothing attacks Republicans are now delivering on Wesley Clark is that the McCain campaign really, really wants a prominent Democrat to demean his service record. Open Left. | |
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| 7:30 PM: | NYC: Here’s One Way Mr. Postpartisan Could Share the Wealth. Why don’t both presidential candidates make Michael R. Bloomberg their running mate? After all, nothing in the Constitution seems to prohibit it. NYT. | |
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| 6:23 PM: | Bill Clinton, Obama have 'terrific conversation' Sen. Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton are expected to meet in the next few days, according to the chairman of Sen. Hillary Clinton's unsuccessful presidential bid. CNN. | |
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| 6:22 PM: | Google and the Anti-Obama Bloggers. Did Google use its network of online services to silence critics of Barack Obama? NYT. | |
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| 6:22 PM: | Slamming Wesley Clark. The general's comments about McCain's military service have been unfairly twisted. But some Obama supporters are going too far in their McCain attacks. Salon. | |
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| 6:21 PM: | Surprising fact: Half of gun deaths are suicides. The Supreme Court's landmark ruling on gun ownership last week focused on citizens' ability to defend themselves from intruders in their homes. But research shows that surprisingly often, gun owners use the weapons on themselves. AP. | |
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| 6:19 PM: | Nader's New York Ballot Label. Ralph Nader's petition in New York will carry the ballot label "Populist". The logo will be a buffalo. Ballot Access. | |
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| 6:18 PM: | McCain Supporter Defends Swift Boat Attacks. A group of John McCain's supporters came together today to defend McCain against charges that he was overstating the importance of his military service. WSJ. | |
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| 3:40 PM: | Longshots In The Veepstakes. Politico asked 14 consultants, campaign staffers, political historians and key fundraisers to name their most unconventional-but reasonably viable-VP picks. CBS. | |
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| 3:23 PM: | Iraqis alleging Abu Ghraib abuse file suit. Iraqi nationals who claimed U.S. military contractors inflicted physical and emotional abuse on them at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison filed the first of four planned lawsuits Monday in federal court. CNN. | |
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| 3:23 PM: | New service lets drivers lock in gasoline prices. The high price of gasoline has some U.S. drivers looking to the future. Reuters. | |
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| 3:07 PM: | MORE: Bill and Barack Chat. If it made sense for Barack Obama to stage a splashy event with Hillary Clinton in a place called Unity, it might have been just as significant that his call on Monday to Bill Clinton was from a town in Missouri named Independence. For all the intrigue that had surrounded this moment, the actual conversation centered on politics, not any lingering hard feelings, sources in both camps say. Time. | |
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| 3:00 PM: | Clinton Presidential Bid Doomed By Bill, Campaign Infighting. In the August issue of Vanity Fair, Gail Sheehy, author of the book, "Hillary's Choice," chronicles the demise of Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, revealing some new tidbits about her historic bid for the presidency. ABC. | |
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| 2:58 PM: | Bush eases equipment export ban for China Olympics. U.S. weapons restrictions meant to keep firearms and other equipment out of China were eased on Monday so that athletes and television crews can use them during the Beijing Olympic Games. Reuters. | |
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| 2:55 PM: | Analysis: Rivals hide immigration similarities. WASHINGTON (AP) -- When it comes to immigration, Barack Obama and John McCain generally agree. It's just that they don't want to say so. AP. | |
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| 2:50 PM: | Obama Supporters Petition Obama Using His Own Campaign Website. Senator Obama - Please Vote NO on Telecom Immunity - Get FISA Right. It's a side-effect of the powerful you-centered campaign. His supporters can use Obama's own campaign infrastructure to organize against his position. Time. | |
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| 2:48 PM: | US, NATO deaths in Afghanistan pass Iraq toll. KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Militants killed more U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan in June than in Iraq for the second straight month. AP. | |
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| 1:06 PM: | Obama Calls President Bill Clinton. Amid reports of tension between Sen. Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton, the Obama campaign announced Monday the presumptive Democratic nominee called Bill Clinton at 11amET this morning from Kansas City. ABC. | |
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| 12:46 PM: | Bill Moyers on Big Oil. "Oh no, they told us, Iraq isn't a war about oil. That's cynical and simplistic, they said. It's about terror and al Qaeda and toppling a dictator and spreading democracy and protecting ourselves from weapons of mass destruction. But one by one, these concocted rationales went up in smoke, fire, and ashes. And now the bottom turns out to be the bottom line. It is about oil." Bill Moyers. | |
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| 11:59 AM: | A Swift Boater Attacks Swift Boating. A little late, I'd say. Andrew Sullivan. | |
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| 11:58 AM: | Obama Releases Second General Election TV Ad. The 30-second spot going up on the air Monday details Obama's entry into politics, says he'll "never forget the dignity that comes from work." The ad will air in Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Virginia. Mark Halperin. | |
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| 11:57 AM: | Obama Finally Condemns MoveOn for 'General Betray Us' We are heartened by Barack Obama's belated entry into the debate over MoveOn.org's egregious attack on the loyalty of General David Petraeus. John McCain. | |
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| 11:56 AM: | Defending Swiftboats. One of the "Truth Squad" Members apparently was part of "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" which attacked John Kerry for his service in 2004. "In hopes of nipping any criticism in the bud," Huffington Post writes, "the campaign brought on board a man quite familiar with how these types of attacks gain legs: Bud Day. MSNBC. | |
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| 11:55 AM: | Obama's Remarks on Patriotism. Expected Democratic nominee Barack Obama gave a speech today in Independence, Mo., on patriotism. WSJ. | |
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| 11:54 AM: | Nevada, Montana may swing. Rocky Mountain voters' individualism makes it hard to pin them down poltically. Politico. | |
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| 11:54 AM: | Colorado, New Mexico up for grabs. The presidential race in the Rocky Western states is in the hands of independent voters. Politico. | |
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| 11:54 AM: | Obama criticizes MoveOn.org in patriotism speech. I understand that Obama is going to move to the center during the general. It's a fairly common practice, but to go after MoveOn which supported him so stongly is a bit much. Crooks and Liars. | |
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| 11:52 AM: | Clark's Comments Play to McCain's Strengths. John McCain's campaign is aggressively pushing back against the idea floated by retired Gen. Wesley Clark that the GOP presidential candidate's military credentials are not as impressive as he claims them to be on the campaign trail. Washington Post. | |
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| 11:52 AM: | Obama: I will never question others' patriotism. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Monday he will never question others' patriotism during the race. USA Today. | |
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| 11:51 AM: | McCain 'Truth Squad' lashes out. Sen. John Warner (R-VA), Col. Bud Day, USAF (Ret.), Lt. Col. Orson Swindle, USMC (Ret.), Lt. Commander Carl Smith, USNR (Ret.) and McCain spokesman Brian Rogers responded in a conference call to Gen. Wesley Clark's (Ret.) most recent attack on McCain's military experience. MSNBC. | |
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| 11:50 AM: | Gallup Daily: Obama Leads McCain, 47% to 42% For the first time in more than a week, the nation's voters favor Barack Obama for president by a statistically significant margin over John McCain: 47% to 42%. Gallup. | |
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| 11:49 AM: | McCain, Supporters Slam Clark and Obama Campaign. The Republican candidate blasts the retired general for saying Mr. McCain's getting shot down as a fighter pilot in Vietnam didn't qualify him to be president. NYT. | |
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| 11:49 AM: | Cheney's Fingerprints. Seymour Hersh's latest New Yorker article describes an expansion of covert operations inside Iran and provides more evidence of Vice President Cheney's zeal to address the Iranian nuclear threat -- possibly by force -- before he and President Bush leave office. Washington Post. | |
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| 11:48 AM: | Kerry's Lesson for McCain. In the two month lull between the end of the primary season and the national party conventions in 2004, Sen. John Kerry lost the presidential race by not defending himself against personal attacks on his military record. Political Insider. | |
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| 11:47 AM: | Presidential Forecast, 6/30: Winning the Week. Electoral College: Obama 293, McCain 168, Toss-up 77. Open Left. | |
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| 11:46 AM: | Obama Rebukes Clark. The McCain campaign would love to keep talking about Wesley Clark's weekend comment -- that McCain "getting shot down" during Vietnam is no credential for commander in chief. Time. | |
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| 11:44 AM: | Obama Tries to Answer Questions of Patriotism. The Democrat says he won't question anyone else's patriotism, and tries to answer critics. NYT. | |
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| 11:43 AM: | Timing the Unveiling of Running Mates Will Be Tricky. The Olympics and two late political conventions are presenting complications for the Obama and McCain camps as they decide when to announce their choices. NYT. | |
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| 9:25 AM: | McConell Concedes GOP Senate Majority Is. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) does not see himself becoming majority leader any time soon, painting a bleak picture for his Republican Senate colleagues as they head into November. The Hill. | |
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| 9:23 AM: | McCain launches Truth Squad. Candidate adds his own version of Fighting the Smears to counter Clark's remarks on McCain's military service. Politico. | |
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| 8:13 AM: | When it comes to money, Minnesota's Senate race is No. 1. "Minnesota's 2008 Senate race leads the nation in campaign money," Minnesota Public Radio reports this morning. USA Today. | |
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| 8:12 AM: | Romney Tops McCain's Veep Short List. According to Politico , Mitt Romney "is at the top of the vice-presidential prospect list for Sen. John McCain. But lack of personal chemistry could derail the pick." Political Wire. | |
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| 8:10 AM: | Some On Left Target McCain's War Record. The highest voltage third rail of this presidential campaign may not be race, sex, or age, but Senator John McCain's military service. CBS. | |
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| 8:10 AM: | Poll: Obama Cuts into McCain's Home State Lead. A new Rasmussen poll shows Barack Obama closing the gap among John McCain's Arizona constituents. The Hill. | |
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| 7:14 AM: | Why TV Ads Are a Waste of Money. With his decision to forgo public funding, Barack Obama can raise as much as he wants, giving him a huge financial advantage in the fall campaign. If he spends that cash on organization, registration, and get-out-the-vote efforts, he will absolutely get his money's worth. But if he spends a major portion of it on television advertising, he will only be doing John McCain a favor. Real Clear Politics. | |
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| 6:44 AM: | Grim proving ground for Obama's housing policy. The candidate endorsed subsidies for private entrepreneurs to build low-income units. But, while he garnered support from developers, many projects in his former district have fallen into disrepair. Boston Globe. | |
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| 6:38 AM: | The Slow Death of the DLC. Obama will not attend the DNC meeting in Chicago. Even though the Illinois senator has moved to the center on so many issues in recent weeks, he's not willing to incur the wrath of liberal Democrats by speaking at the convention of the group described by many as "Republican-lite." Political Insider. | |
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| 6:38 AM: | False Obama Rumors Fly In Flag City USA. In Findlay, Ohio, a Rust Belt town of 40,000, false rumors about Barack Obama have built enough word-of-mouth credibility to harden into an alternative biography, the Washington Post reports. CBS. | |
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| 5:54 AM: | Group with Clinton connections ready to back Obama. A group that helped elect Bill Clinton president and counts Sen. Hillary Clinton, former presidential contender, as one of its leaders -- the DLC -- appears ready to back Democrat Barack Obama in the White House race. USA Today. | |
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| 5:53 AM: | GOP Sharpens Attacks on Obama. Sen. John McCain's allies have seized on a new and aggressive line of attack against Sen. Barack Obama, casting the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee as an opportunistic and self-obsessed politician who will do and say anything to get elected. Washington Post. | |
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| 5:52 AM: | 'W' impersonator stars in Dems' radio ad; 'outrageous,' GOP says. A "W" impersonator (as in George W. Bush) thanks voters for supporting the "big oil energy agenda" in a new radio ad from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. USA Today. | |
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| 5:51 AM: | Obama Explains His Patriotism. Sen. Barack Obama kicks off "patriotism week" today with a "major speech" in Independence, MO. Political Wire. | |
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| 5:50 AM: | Amid Policy Disputes, Qaeda Grows in Pakistan. The story of how Al Qaeda, whose name is Arabic for "the base," has gained a new haven is in part a story of American accommodation to President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan, whose advisers played down the terrorist threat. It is also a story of how the White House shifted its sights, beginning in 2002, from counterterrorism efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan to preparations for the war in Iraq. NYT. | |
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| 5:36 AM: | 'Barack And I Don't Have Interesting Lives' Michelle Obama tells USA Today she and her husband are "basically family people," and Secret Service agents now join them on dates– but "they give us our space." Says comments that have drawn criticism were "misconstrued." Mark Halperin. | |
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| 5:29 AM: | Why Does Anyone Listen to Joe Lieberman? According to Senator Lieberman, the US has been so successful from following John McCain's advice in Iraq that we can expect Islamic extremists to stage another attack on the United States in 2009, no matter who's elected President. However, if we had followed Barack Obama's advice, fundamentalist Shia Iran and extremist Sunni al Qaeda would be partners in running Iraq. Firedoglake. | |
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| 5:25 AM: | Report: Al Qaeda Finds New Haven in Pakistan. NY Times front-pager examines "mounting frustration" in the Pentagon as the terror group successfully regroups from Afghanistan. Mark Halperin. | |
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| 5:23 AM: | Oil surges to $143 a barrel. Crude futures hit new trading high as traders fear the greenback's drop, tension in Iran. CNN. | |
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| 5:14 AM: | Lieberman: '09 attack possible. "Our enemies will test the new president early," Joe Lieberman tells a Face the Nation audience. Politico. | |
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| 5:08 AM: | High gas prices pinch NASCAR fans. CHICAGO (Reuters) - Many NASCAR fans think nothing of jumping in their recreational vehicles or pickup trucks and driving 300 miles or more to watch races in places like Talladega, Alabama; Bristol, Tennessee; and Las Vegas. But rising gasoline prices are forcing them to make tough choices.
Reuters. | |
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| 5:02 AM: | Op-Ed Columnist: The Obama Agenda. (Krugman) We could do a lot worse than a rerun of the Clinton years. But Barack Obama’s most fervent supporters expect much more. NYT. | |
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