Recommended
 
November
Friday, November 7
Barack Obama: Election Night 11-04-08 (Flickr) -- ESSENTIAL
Incredible Flickr photoset of the Obamas, the Bidens, Plouffe, Axelrod and others watching the election returns in Chicago. [Permalink]

Thursday, November 6
HuffPo: The New Organizers, Part 1: What's really behind Obama's ground game
Zack Exley: "nside the Obama campaign, almost without anyone noticing, an insurgent generation of organizers has built the Progressive movement a brand new and potentially durable people's organization, in a dozen states, rooted at the neighborhood level." [Permalink]

CQ Politics: Theme Set for Obama's 2009 Inauguration
"'A New Birth of Freedom,' commemorating the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birthday, will be woven throughout the inaugural ceremonies." [Permalink]

Guardian (UK): The first election the internet won
Barack Obama built on Howard Dean's pioneering use of the internet and also on Dean's 50-state strategy to remake the electoral map. [Permalink]

Wednesday, November 5
Red State: Obama Administration Survival Guide
"Here's 12 ways I recommend that conservatives and Republicans prepare to face the next four years under President Obama (yeah, get used to that one):" [Permalink]

CNN: The Campaign That Was (video) -- ESSENTIAL
Excellent video montage of what led us to the end of this long, long campaign. [Permalink]

Newsweek: How He Did It
Part one of the publication's in-depth chronicle of Obama's rise. [Permalink]

NYT: The Next President -- ESSENTIAL
"This is one of those moments in history when it is worth pausing to reflect on the basic facts: An American with the name Barack Hussein Obama, the son of a white woman and a black man he barely knew, raised by his grandparents far outside the stream of American power and wealth, has been elected the 44th president of the United States." [Permalink]

Power Line: Ten theses on President-elect Obama
Ten reflections on the next President. [Permalink]

Politico: Why Obama won
"Obama won on his own terms, strategically and symbolically. He rolled up a series of contested states, from Colorado to Virginia, long out of Democratic reach. And his victory reflected the accuracy of his vision of a reshaped country. Racism, much discussed, turned out to be a footnote, and African-American turnout was not unusually high. Instead, Obama drew his strength from an array of racially mixed, growing areas around cities such as Orlando, Fla., Washington, Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio, on his way to at least 334 electoral votes." [Permalink]

Politico: The Obama Revolution
"The Democrats’ moment with Obama, as a brilliant campaigner confronts the challenges of governance, could also prove fleeting. For now, the results -- in their breadth across a continent -- suggest seismic change that goes far beyond Obama's 4 percent margin in the popular vote. " [Permalink]

Tuesday, November 4
Politico: Election Night -- Viewer's Guide (4)
Excellent hourly spreads (PDF) of what to watch for with every wave. [Permalink]

TIme: All That's Left is to Vote, Even for Obama
"'Sometimes, even early on, I thought about governing and the challenges that await the next president,' he said. 'And that's usually what keeps me up at night -- not the prospect of losing.'" [Permalink]

The Caucus: Endgame: Nov. 3
Senator Barack Obama’s sweeping exploration of race in America ['A More Perfect Union'], delivered in March, in the midst of the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. controversy. More than 5.1 million views, despite its length -- 37 minutes, 39 seconds -- marking YouTube's emergence as a vehicle for substantive discourse, not just silly clips. [Permalink]

NYT: Networks May Call Race Before Voting Is Complete
"In something of a compromise, CNN said it might tell its viewers that another news organization had called a particular state, but that it was holding off, and for what reason." [Permalink]

Monday, November 3
X Curmudgeon: Early voting "exit polls"
Not exit polls per se, of course, but the "have already voted" component of various recent opinion polls. [Permalink]

NYT: The Year of Living on the Edge of Our Seats
And honestly, what an exhilarating ride it's been. [Permalink]

Time: A Long Campaign, And a Changed Barack Obama
"Of course, the Obama campaign will be remembered for spectacles like Obama's stadium speech at the Democratic convention and his equally massive appearance in Berlin. But in fact, his campaign just as often deliberately chose not to maximize Obama's crowd appeal. During the primaries, where retail politics was premium, they focused on house parties and ice cream socials, concerned that Obama's celebrity status might put off the famously demanding Iowa and New Hampshire voters." [Permalink]

Funny: This F#$@king Election
Pardon its French, but this site is an amusing rundown of this election's buzzwords. [Permalink]

WaPo: Our Polls Are on the Mark. I Think.
Unlikely voters, cellphone undersampling, a Bradley or bandwagon effect... what could possibly go wrong? [Permalink]

Sunday, November 2
Observer (UK): Barack Obama's impressive road to the White House
"People do lie to pollsters. Pollsters can screw up their measures of voting intention. Voting intentions can change in the frenetic last furlong before election day. The man himself constantly cautions the crowds at his final rallies to take nothing for granted. But the world now expects that the world will get what it wants: President Barack Obama." [Permalink]

Salon: Obama's winning argument
"What Obama needs to explain, over and over again, is that Democratic economic programs have succeeded in promoting growth precisely because they distribute national wealth more widely than the Republican tradition of trickle-down. The numbers have told the story for decades -- and the statistics detailing the Clinton administration's success and the Bush administration's failure have only reinforced the narrative." [Permalink]

Saturday, November 1
Chuck Todd: Decoding Election Day -- MUST-READ ESSENTIAL
State-by-state breakdown with a hefty dose of no-nonsense commentary and insightful analysis. A must-read to prepare for Election Night. [Permalink]

VotoLatino: Early voting map
So which states permit early voting, anyway? [Permalink]

NYT: Obama is up; liberals fret
"'I wrote an e-mail to a friend and said, ''I’m afraid to put this in writing, but I’m really excited about the way this is going,''' Ms. Bellet said. Within minutes, the phone rang; her friend was very worried about Mr. Obama’s prospects. ''Don’t say that!'' the friend said. ''No, no, no. What were you thinking? We can’t go there yet!''" [Permalink]

October
Friday, October 31
Esquire: Why White Supremacists Support Barack Obama
Endorsements -- of sorts -- in no uncertain terms from white supremacists. No really, we're living in interesting times. [Permalink]

Truthdig: Hell to Pay
We're living in interesting times. [Permalink]

Peggy Noonan: Obama and the Runaway Train
And so our beautiful election ends. [Permalink]

Thursday, October 30
Economist: It's time -- ESSENTIAL
The Economist's qualified endorsement of Sen. Obama's candidacy is an excellent read. [Permalink]

Rove: Don't trust the polls
In the WSJ, Karl Rove warns the reader against ascribing credence to the polling numbers in light of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. [Permalink]

Wired: Obama's Secret Weapons: Internet, Databases and Psychology -- ESSENTIAL
The tech mag goes in-depth on the campaign's organization efforts. A must-read. [Permalink]

WSJ: Obama and the Politics of Crowds
If on the morning of November 5 Sen. Obama turns out to have lost, his supporters will be mighty disappointed. If it turns out he won, they will be disappointed too. [Permalink]

FiveThirtyEight: Election Night Preview with Dan Rather
Generations meet: the venerable Dan Rather interviews this year's internet rockstar, FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver on what to expect come Tuesday. Killer quote: if Indiana comes up too close to call, it will be "an early night" for McCain. Great video. [Permalink]

Donklephant: Another Sucker for Obama
"This afternoon, I voted. I cast a ballot that was about 80% Republican, including votes for my Republican Senator and Republican Representative. But for president, I voted for Barack Obama." [Permalink]

Pew Research: Pew Center on the States
Interesting voter data visualizations (maps). [Permalink]

NYT: At Rallies of Faithful, Contrasts in Red and Blue
McCain-Palin people rally like this, Obama-Biden people rally like this. [Permalink]

Wednesday, October 29
National Journal: GOP's Horror Sequel Is Almost A Wrap
"For a time it was thought that perhaps some huge foreign policy event or crisis could refocus public attention away from the current 100 percent concentration on the economy. Perhaps Russia invading the Ukraine, North Korean firing a missile off the coast of Japan, Israel deciding to take out a nuclear facility in Iran or something else might dilute the unrelenting rain on the heads of Republicans. But now, even an apparent U.S. special forces raid into Syria is hardly drawing notice. This cake looks baked." [Permalink]

PhysOrg: Astronauts To Vote From Space
"Commander Edward Michael Fincke and Flight Engineer and Science Officer Greg Chamitoff are living and working onboard the International Space Station. Though they are 220 miles above Earth and orbiting at 17,500 miles per hour, they will still be able to participate in the upcoming election. A 1997 bill passed by Texas legislators sets up a technical procedure for astronauts -- nearly all of whom live in Houston -- to vote from space. " [Permalink]

Pew Research: Exit Poll Preview
Pew interviews Joe Lenski of Edison Media Research, the organization responsible for the exit polling on Nov 4. [Permalink]

Slate: October Unsurprise
They sure don't make them like they used to. [Permalink]

NYT: First look at Wednesday's Obama informercial
Tomorrow night: Strings, flags, presidential imagery and Americana. [Permalink]

NH Union Leader: Obama 'Destroying the Constitution'
Wow. Some people really are afraid of an Obama presidency. [Permalink]

Tuesday, October 28
Marist: Clinton fence, mended
The latest Marist shows a little closure on the supposed Clinton rift: 62% of registered voters in New York State say Senator Hillary Clinton is doing either an excellent or good job, and according to this blog, she gets a 91% positive approval rating from African-Americans. [Permalink]

Crowley: Still Sweating
Crowley isn't relaxing just yet: "My immediate concern is twofold: That McCain is getting some traction with his liberal/socialist/redistributionist charge--the WaPo tracker shows McCain narrowing the gap on the economy over the last week--and, in light of this, that Obama is striking his high-note a few days too early." [Permalink]

McCain Memo: State of the Race and Ballot Position
Interesting memo attempts to justify what the campaign is doing -- in Pennsylvania, mainly. [Permalink]

Time: Why the New Virginia Is Leaning Toward Obama
"The national headquarters of John McCain's campaign are in northern Virginia, near the condo where he stays when he is working across the river in Washington. But McCain didn't get around to actually campaigning in the most pivotal part of this pivotal state -- exurban Prince William County -- until the weekend of Oct. 18. That's when he realized he was running about 10 points behind in a state that hasn't voted Democratic since 1964." [Permalink]

Nat'l Review: John McCain -- The Agony of a Gadfly
Another pre-post-mortem: "This is the McCain paradox: No other Republican candidate had a character and background -- as a courageously independent spirit -- better suited to making the presidential campaign competitive this year. But perhaps no Republican candidate was so poorly suited to the task of running a presidential race." [Permalink]

American Prospect: Against the Great-Man Theory of the Presidency
Ezra Klein: "The president matters. But not as much as you think." [Permalink]

NYT: Axelrod profile
A profile of Obama chief strategist David Axelrod. [Permalink]

Monday, October 27
Time: Against All Odds, McCain Still Sees a Final Comeback
"When Bob Dole realized he wasn't going to win against President Bill Clinton in 1996, Dole started campaigning in states that were of little help to him but where he could assist Republicans trying to hold on to their majorities in Congress. That kind of pivot hasn't happened in this race, though over the weekend conservative writer David Frum openly called on McCain to do just that for the good of the party." [Permalink]

New Yorker: McCain has run out of ideas
"The problem for John McCain, Sarah Palin, and the Republican Party is that the bottom was scraped clean long before it dropped out. Back when the polls were nip and tuck [...] Obama had already been accused of betraying the troops, wanting to teach kindergartners all about sex, favoring infanticide, and being a friend of terrorists and terrorism. What was left?" (Spoiler: it's 'socialism'.) [Permalink]

Fineman: What Have We Created?!
Obama's grassroots support has been record-breaking, but may be a burden to governance. [Permalink]

NY Mag: Palin 2012 round-up
A possible 2012 run for President? The tea leaves -- all of them. [Permalink]

The Next Right: The History Of One Party America
Matthew Gagnon details the periods in recent history where Congress and the White House were held by the same party.

He also advises Republicans to "stock up on your whiskey and vodka for November 4th, but try not to drink yourself into a coma". Wait, vodka? Isn't that a socialist drink? [Permalink]


Sunday, October 26
TNR: The Ballot Blues
Leon Wieseltier's cautious endorsement: "I dread the prospect of Obama's West Wing education in foreign policy: even when he spoke well about these matters in the debates, it all sounded so new to him, so light. He must not mistake the global adulation of his person with the end of anti-Americanism." [Permalink]

Guardian (UK): The Obama we knew
People with a past familiarity with the Senator are interviewed. [Permalink]

NY Mag: The Next New Deal -- ESSENTIAL
Must-read analysis of what might be the largest Democratic mandate in a generation. [Permalink]

Observer (UK): America is showing Europe the way again - ESSENTIAL
Keith Richburg: "[I]t's difficult, if not impossible, to imagine a Barack Obama emerging in Europe soon. [...] What's more, many Europeans can't even bring themselves to call their minority residents what they are - citizens. They are still often referred to as 'immigrants' or 'outsiders', even if they were born in the country, speak no other language, know no other home." [Permalink]

WFTV: Barbara West interviews Sen. Biden
"West: 'How is Senator Obama not being a Marxist?' Biden 'Are you joking? Is this a joke?'" And apparently, Sweden is a socialist country. [Permalink]

Stumper: McCain's Closing Argument
"After struggling for weeks to present a coherent case against Barack Obama, John McCain has finally found a closing argument -- and he's sticking to it. The surprising thing, at least in light of his earlier sallies, may be that it's worth sticking to." [Permalink]

Saturday, October 25
ABC News: Breaking Down the Battleground States
"ABC News has looked at several factors to assess how those electoral votes may fall on Election Day -- including reporting from the campaigns themselves, national party officials, outside groups, House and Senate party committees, state parties and polls. Analysis shows that Republican candidate John McCain's support in these states -- all of which went to George W. Bush in both 2000 and 2004 -- may not be enough." [Permalink]

Friday, October 24
Politico: Historic Caucasian support for Obama
If these numbers hold, they may well contribute to a possible landslide. [Permalink]

Allahpundit: Media spins innocent Lieberman quote to humiliate Palin
The Lieberman quote was completely separated from context. [Permalink]

Krauthammer: McCain for President
In the Post, Charles Krauthammer calls out conservatives on their jumping ship when the going gets rough. [Permalink]

The Nation: Obamalina -- ESSENTIAL
Bob Moser's excellent, must-read analysis of what's the matter with North Carolina. [Permalink]

Larry David: Waiting for Nov. 4th
"The one concession I've made to maintain some form of sanity is that I've taken to censoring my news, just like the old Soviet Union. The citizenry (me) only gets to read and listen to what I deem appropriate for its health and well-being. Sure, there are times when the system breaks down. Michele Bachmann got through my radar this week, right before bedtime. That's not supposed to happen."

Curb your enthusiasm, Larry. [Permalink]


Flickr: Obama energy plan
Okay, this is pretty funny. [Permalink]

RCP: Long National Nightmare -- ESSENTIAL
Steven Stark shares a, well, stark crystal ball scenario where that one guy wins, you know, that Senator from Arizona. Funny in a way, but rooted in reality -- of course McCain can still win, and Stark points to real-world articles and publications to lend his dream emphasis. [Permalink]

Thursday, October 23
RCP: Battleground Virginia
Kyle Trygstad on Virginia's role as a likely 2008 bellwether: "If McCain is losing Virginia on election night we can all go to bed early." [Permalink]

Roll Call: It's not over, but McCain needs a miracle
Mort Kondracke lays out how Obama could still lose. [Permalink]

Politico: GOP blame game
In an article that sees John F. Harris, Mike Allen and Jonathan Martin team up, the 'circular firing squad' McCain camp (ouch!) is described. [Permalink]

NYT: Less about Guantanamo and more about equality
Nick Kristof puts the election into perspective with the aid of some exasperated foreigners. [Permalink]

Time: Four Ways McCain Went Wrong
Spoiler: He Drove into a House Republican Wall; Sarah Palin Needed a Crash Course She Never Got; He Stuck with Attacks That Depended on Dominating the News Cycles; He Stopped Having Fun. [Permalink]

ABC/WaPo: Vote by 2004 outcome
A nice couple of pie charts (scroll down) buried in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll: the poll numbers broken down by states won by Kerry and Bush, respectively, in 2004. [Permalink]

Open Left: McCain's Keystone rationale
Chris Bowers explains McCain's Pennsylvania strategy with numbers. [Permalink]

Ambinder: Palin 2012
Marc Ambinder lays out a convincing case for a 2012 Palin run. (It also assumes an Obama win in 2008.) [Permalink]

Hot Air: The comprehensive argument against Barack Obama
Guy Benson and Mary Katharine Ham make a strong, issue-driven conservative case against Obama. [Permalink]

Crowley: How many polls does it take to screw up an election? - ESSENTIAL
Fantastic in-depth on 'This new, frenetic age of polling'. A must-read. [Permalink]

Wednesday, October 22
CBS2 Chicago: Election Night In Grant Park: Construction Begins
"Construction is underway for a massive stage in Chicago where Barack Obama could declare victory on election night. Tens of thousands are expected to gather in Grant Park just 13 days from now. One way or another, that huge crowd will witness history." [Permalink]

National Journal: In Endgame, Metrics Are Adding Up For Obama
"Maybe some cataclysmic event occurs in the next two weeks that changes the trajectory of this election, but to override these factors, it would have to be very, very big." [Permalink]

Crowley: How Obama Could Still Lose - ESSENTIAL
Crowley carves a perilous path to a possible President McCain. [Permalink]

The Hill: Police prepare for unrest
Law enforcement getting ready for Judgment Day. [Permalink]

Politico: McCain's path to victory through Pa.
What's behind McCain's newfound Keystone strategy? [Permalink]

NYT: The Making (and Remaking) of McCain - ESSENTIAL
Robert Draper's long-anticipated behind-the-scenes look at the McCain campaign is thorough, evocative and revealing. An early (pre-?)post-mortem? Every letter is a must-read. [Permalink]

American Prospect: One Cool Customer
Thirteen days you say? One candidate is unperturbed. [Permalink]

Tuesday, October 21
New Yorker: How John McCain came to pick Sarah Palin
In-depth investigation of the genesis of Palin-the-running-mate. [Permalink]

Newsweek: We're Heading Left Once Again
"The test for the next president is whether he can use the powers of government to act on behalf of Americans. That's a liberal idea." [Permalink]

Wkly Std: Pundits prematurely declare victory for Obama.
Another jumping-the-gun story: "If you watched Meet the Press on Sunday, you came away feeling as though Colin Powell's endorsement of Obama was more important than the actual election. " [Permalink]

WSJ: Google CEO Backs Obama
Will campaign for the candidate as well. [Permalink]

Republican Jewish Coalition ad: "Concerned about Obama?" -- ESSENTIAL
Jewish interest group ad reportedly airing in Florida calls Obama's judgment into question; but, tellingly, does not call on the viewer for voting McCain. The only call to action in the ad is to phone Obama's senatorial office and plead with him not to sit down with Ahmedinejad, stopping just short of adding, "when he's President." [Permalink]

CNN: Many in McCain camp think NM, IA, CO are "gone"
In a must-see clip from CNN Monday night, John King says most in the top of the McCain campaign believe New Mexico, Iowa and Colorado are no longer worth fighting for. The remaining strategy is a risky push for Florida, Nevada and Pennsylvania. [Permalink]

Orlando Sentinel: GOP insiders: McCain's Florida campaign "botched", "Dukakis-like"
"One who has advised the McCain organization called it the 'most poorly run presidential campaign of the last 25 years. It's truly Dukakis-like,' referring to the hapless 1988 campaign of Democrat Michael Dukakis. 'They have absolutely no strategy for winning,' said the veteran operative, who did not want to be identified criticizing a candidate he supports. 'I see [...] no rhyme or reason to this campaign or its scheduling or its planning.'" [Permalink]

MTV: How Wasilla skaters beat Sarah Palin
A member of Alaskan rock band 'Portugal. The Man' recounts how persistence payed off in a battle against erstwhile mayor Sarah Palin. [Permalink]

WaPo: Poll-Driven Press Goes Out on a Limb
Howie Kurtz wonders: With the numbers breaking for Obama, is the media trigger-happy on calling the election prematurely? [Permalink]

Monday, October 20
Bloomberg: The $500 million dollar man
According to Bloomberg, Obama may have over ten times as much cash at his disposal than his opponent. [Permalink]

AFP: Tide of voters could swamp US electoral system
Recent history provides ample indications for vulnerabilities in the US voting system's ability to cope with large numbers of voters. If in two weeks the turnout turns out to be as huge as anticipated, how will the system cope? [Permalink]

Little Democrats: Mama didn't vote for a llama.
Luckily, not for Godzilla either. Click the pages to find out who she did vote for -- don't expect to be surprised. [Permalink]

YouTube: The North Carolina Obama Straight Flip
Attention Tar Heels: in NC, voting for a straight party ticket doesn't include your vote for President. So choose your presidential vote, then a straight party ticket (if you want to), then flip the ballot for non-partisan races. This instructional video shows you how to do it for a straight Obama-Democratic vote. [Permalink]

WISCTV: Obama Campaign Nixes Madison Rally
The candidate cancels a planned event near Wisconsin's State Capitol. Pulling out (because of confidence, not lack of it)? [Permalink]

Sunday, October 19
Vimeo: Obama '08 - Vote For Hope
Nicely animated hip hop video sings the praises of Sen. Obama. [Permalink]

Politico: Obama set to break fundraising records
"Barack Obama has raised more money for his presidential bid than all candidates combined raised in the open 2000 presidential race and is on track to top the joint sum raised by President Bush and John F. Kerry in 2004." [Permalink]

Newsweek: It's Not Easy Bein' Blue
Despite accusations from the right that Obama would govern as an extreme progressive, the United States remains a center-right country. [Permalink]

FOX News: McCain ready for potential Nov. 4 loss
McCain tells Chris Wallace: "Oh, sure. I mean, I don’t dwell on it. But look. I've had a wonderful life. I have to go back and live in Arizona, and be in the United States Senate representing them, and with a wonderful family, and daughters and sons that I'm so proud of, and a — and a life that's been blessed[.]" [Permalink]

Jonathan Martin: Nice timing
Martin notes that Obama's first appearance after the endorsement by General Powell is in Fayetteville, NC, a strong military town in a state where Obama is playing offense. [Permalink]

NY Post: What an Obama presidency will look like
The New York Post looks at the first 100 days of a possible Obama administration. [Permalink]

WaPo: The Speech That Could Close the Deal
David Ignatius: "he country is looking for two conflicting qualities in the next president -- change and stability. Obama certainly embodies the former. [...] The stability theme is a harder one for Obama, but it's likely to be crucial in bringing home the victory the pollsters are predicting. The country is frightened, more now than it was a few months ago. People want reassurance that Obama, for all his talk about change, isn't going to overturn the apple cart. A dream television spot in the final week would be a fireside chat between Obama and his sometime economic adviser Warren Buffett. That would close the deal, I suspect." [Permalink]

Saturday, October 18
NYT: Nov. 5, 2008
With a strong majority in both houses of Congress and up to three Supreme Court appointments, a President Obama could be one of the most powerful officeholders in recent history. [Permalink]

Weekly Standard: Sarah Palin's Future
What's in store for Gov. Palin if John McCain loses? And what if he wins?

Also, an interesting moment:

"I asked Palin whether she'd do things differently if she could repeat those weeks. She answered by silently mouthing 'yes.' When two aides--we were on a McCain-Palin bus with staff and security--said 'yes' aloud, she chimed in, 'Yes     yes, yes, yes.'" [Permalink]


Top of the Ticket: Rep. Bachmann wants members on Congress tested for patriotism
Bizarre video shows Michele Bachmann questioning her colleagues' love of country. The first five minutes is a migraine-inducing repetition of talking points; the beef comes right after that. [Permalink]

NYT: Polls Cause Campaigns to Change Their Itineraries
The McCain campaign is explicitly aiming for a narrow-victory scenario. Obama is expanding his operation to states like West Virginia, Missouri and North Carolina. [Permalink]

NYT: Behind McCain, Outsider in Capital Wanting Back In
Cindy McCain didn't feel so welcome when she was first introduced in DC. [Permalink]

New Yorker: Biden's Brief -- ESSENTIAL
In-depth must-read explores Biden's role in a potential Obama administration. [Permalink]

Friday, October 17
PBS: Frontline: The Choice 2008
Excellent documentary explores both candidates in depth. [Permalink]

Ben Smith: Hating Obama
I try to refrain from posting these "Someone really, really doesn't like Obama" videos because, well, they are essentially incidents. And there can be found equal loons on the left as well. But this is a convincing sampling. And they really, really don't like Obama. [Permalink]

Video: McCain at the Al Smith Dinner (part 1)
Video from McCain's appearance at the Al Smith Dinner. Quotes:

"Maverick I can do; but Messiah is above my pay grade."
"Obama has a pet name for me: 'George Bush'." [Permalink]


Video: McCain at the Al Smith Dinner (part 2)
Continuing McCain's appearance at the Al Smith Dinner.

"I admire Obama's skill and determination."
"I can't wish my opponent luck -- but I do wish him well." [Permalink]


Video: Obama at the Al Smith Dinner (part 1)
Video from Obama's appearance at the Al Smith Dinner. Quotes:

"I love the Waldorf Astoria -- I hear that from the doorstep, you can see all the way to the Russian Tea Room."
"I was not born in a manger -- I was born on Krypton [...] and sent to save planet Earth." [Permalink]


Video: Obama at the Al Smith Dinner (part 2)
Continuing Obama's appearance at the Al Smith Dinner.

"Biggest weakness? I guess I might be a little too awesome."
"My middle name is actually 'Steve'." [Permalink]


LAT: Protestant Latinos favor Obama, poll says
"'The shift is a direct result of the immigration reform debacle,' said the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, one of the four groups sponsoring the survey. 'This is why Latino evangelicals are shifting to Barack Obama.'" [Permalink]

Politico: McCain's puzzling electoral map strategy
With the McCain campaign pulling out of Michigan but continuing to campaign in states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Iowa and New Hampshire -- which today seem Democratic lockups -- do they know something we don't? [Permalink]

zombietime: The Left's Big Blunder
In-depth examination of the 'meta-campaign' surrounding the general probama atmosphere in mainstream media and blogs alike is slightly paranoid, but very thorough and makes some interesting points. [Permalink]

Politico: Nation could face short Election Night
Finally, an article on the question that has kept your humble editor occupied for weeks now: if the election turns out not to be close, when will the networks call the election? [Permalink]

Salon: The 60th senator
The War Room speculates: If the supposed Democratic wave does extend to the Senate, where might a filibuster-proofing sixtieth seat come from? [Permalink]

GQ: Who It Takes
Great photo series of candidates, former candidates, spouses, advisors, and other campaign operatives. [Permalink]

Rolling Stone: Obama's Moment
It's October, and Obama's on the cover of Rolling Stone again. Here's the interview. [Permalink]

Thursday, October 16
Ambinder: Obama at the Al Smith Dinner
More quotes, this time from Obama's appearance. [Permalink]

Ambinder: McCain at the Al Smith Dinner
Selected quotes from what has been a comedic/cathartic highlight of the campaign so far. Must-see when there is video, but for now it's a must-read. [Permalink]

Pollster: Getting to 270 for McCain
"No matter what, McCain has a long shot to get to 270. But The road has to go through Ohio and Florida and both states are looking better for him than any others he must win. What he is doing in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin is a mystery to me." [Permalink]

techPresident: Obama Across America: Seeing the Big Picture
A visualization of upcoming Obama events across the country. Please ignore the cheesy choice of music. [Permalink]

Wednesday, October 15
First Read: Joe the Plumber
The full exchange to which was often referred during the debate. [Permalink]

CS Mon: Obama gaining among rural voters
"Barack Obama is gaining support in the rural, conservative town of McArthur, Ohio, reflecting nationwide trends in which the Illinois senator has been consolidating support among independents and in some traditional Republican strongholds." [Permalink]

The Hill: Obama's first 100 days start early
Obama and Congress looking ahead: "Obama's unveiling of an economic recovery package on Monday that was closely coordinated with leaders on Capitol Hill amid the nation's financial crisis represented a passing of the torch for the Democratic Party." [Permalink]

PPP: Whatever Happened to the PUMA Effect?
PPP battleground polling suggest the 'PUMA' effect (Hillary supporters being tepid in their endorsement of Obama) was short-lived. [Permalink]

WaPo: An Unwitting Assist From the Hockey Mom
Hillary's base is solidified for Obama by... Palin. [Permalink]

Cillizza: The Hofstra Hoopla: Handicapping the Final Debate
Nice debate pre-game from The Fix listing both candidates' advantages and handicaps. [Permalink]

Salon: Which John McCain will show up to debate?
Great preview of the final debate: "With his campaign on the rocks, McCain could hit reset one more time and abandon civility in his final showdown with Barack Obama." [Permalink]

Tuesday, October 14
FiveThirtyEight: "Dead girl, live boy territory"
"McCain now has to go on a run of his own, a large enough run to wipe at least 8 points off of Obama's lead, and perhaps more like 9 or 10 to cover his inferior position in the Electoral College and the votes that Obama is banking in early and absentee balloting. It is imperative that McCain does not just draw tomorrow night's debate, does not just win a victory on points, but emerges with a resounding victory, the sort that leaves the spin room gasping for air. Failing that, we are getting into dead girl, live boy territory." [Permalink]

Alaska Daily News: Palin's Orwellian spin
"Sarah Palin's reaction to the Legislature's Troopergate report is an embarrassment to Alaskans and the nation. [...] Her response is either astoundingly ignorant or downright Orwellian." [Permalink]

The Trail: Questioning Obama
"It is hard to think of a new president who inherited such a rapidly altered landscape. Franklin Roosevelt inherited a country in crisis, but the crash on Wall Street began years before he was elected in 1932. The 44th president's world has been turned upside down in a matter of months, and literally on the eve of the election." [Permalink]

Wolfson: A PreMortem for The McCain Campaign
"[T]he choices that Senator McCain has made during this race will impact the margin of his defeat and the fortunes of other Republicans on the ballot. Today it's worth considering what Senator McCain could have done differently." [Permalink]

Quinnipiac: Obama battleground state leads 'may be insurmountable'
"'Sen. Obama's leads in these four battleground states are as large as they have been the entire campaign. Those margins may be insurmountable barring a reversal that has never been seen before in the modern era in which polling monitors public opinion throughout the campaign,' said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute." [Permalink]

George Mason U: OH, NC voter registration analysis
Who are those new people being registered to vote? [Permalink]

Monday, October 13
GigaOM: Obama campaigning in Xbox 360 video games
"'I can confirm that the Obama campaign has paid for in-game advertising in Burnout,' Holly Rockwood, director of corporate communications at Electronic Arts, the game's publisher, told me via email[.]" [Permalink]

WaPo: Examining the so-called "Bradley Effect" (2)
"Kohut theorizes that polling discrepancies do not come from respondents who lie, but from people who decline to participate in polls. That is a growing problem, with studies showing that as many as half the people contacted for polls refuse to participate." [Permalink]

NYT: Examining the so-called "Bradley Effect" (1)
"Pollsters and political scientists say concern about a Bradley effect -- some call it a Wilder effect or a Dinkins effect, and plenty call it a theory in search of data -- is misplaced. It obscures what they argue is the more important point: there are plenty of ways that race complicates polling." [Permalink]

NY Post: McCain blew it
"John McCain blew it. Barack Obama will win the election, and there may be nothing that McCain can do to stop it." [Permalink]

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.: Attacks on ACORN Based Not on Facts, But on Fear of 1.3 Million Poor People Registering
"Obviously it's not right for a fake 'Tony Romo' to be registered in Las Vegas, so someone was probably playing a not-very-funny joke, or trying to pad their registration numbers to get paid a little more money rather than doing the hard work in the hot Nevada sun that helping voters to register requires, or maybe a provocateur was setting up ACORN for some bad press. But remember the basic point--it's not voter fraud unless someone shows up at the voting booth on election day and tries to pass himself off as 'Tony Romo.' And who would try to do that? No one is going to be that stupid." [Permalink]

American Thinker: Who Wrote Dreams From My Father?
In a sort of mother-of-all-conspiracy-theories, Jack Cashill tries frantically to imply William Ayers wrote one of Sen. Obama's books. [Permalink]

Alaska Daily News: "Very much appreciating being cleared"
In a bizarre conference call, Gov. Palin claims to be "very pleased to be cleared of [...] any hint of any kind of unethical activity there", while the Branchflower report clearly states she violated a statute of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act. [Permalink]

Sunday, October 12
Politico: If you ignore the polls, PA is still a swing state
The McCain camp may have pulled out of Michigan, it is still willing to put up a fight in Pennsylvania, which currently favors Obama with double-digit spreads in most polls. [Permalink]

Gazette (CA): Two elections
The Montreal Gazette humorously compares the American election to the Canadian one. [Permalink]

RCP: Largest spread so far for Obama
Obama hits a spread of +7.6 percentage points in the RealClearPolitics average of national polls, making for his largest lead over McCain so far and besting his previous high of +7.5 points in late June. [Permalink]

Saturday, October 11
RCP: Obama reaches polling high
Sen. Obama has the support of 49.7% of the electorate in the RealClearPolitics average of national polls, his highest level of support so far. [Permalink]

Blog: "RNC to stop funding McCain ads, shift resources to Senate campaigns"
Little more than speculation at the moment, but with far-stretching implications if true. [Permalink]

YouTube: Sen. McCain calls for respect (ESSENTIAL)
Ignore the somewhat gung-ho ("gotcha"?) framing by TPM: this short clip pulled from CNN will prove one of the most important and memorable moments of the campaign. The narrative for the endgame appears set:

Stock markets worldwide plunge, investor confidence is at a historic low, and Sen. Obama is soaring in the polls. Sen. McCain, apparently in an attempt to stem the tide, responds by casting doubts upon Obama's character and by openly calling for examination of his alleged ties to former Weatherman Bill Ayers (which are widely considered tenuous at best).

Meanwhile, McCain-Palin rallies take a turn for the grim as supporters grow more vocal and caustic in their opposition of Obama, with occasional (and isolated) threats to his person even reported in places. Now, the Obama-Biden campaign challenges McCain to "say it to [Obama's] face", and the McCain campaign's new tone meets with harsh criticism from the press.

Which brings us to the video: McCain apparently sees no option but to backtrack, and here reassures his audience of Obama's character and calls for respectful discourse.

Twenty-four days is a long time in politics, and it's important to keep in mind that Obama by no means has this in the bag. But watching this video, it's hard not to infer a sense of resignation in John McCain's voice. [Permalink]


Friday, October 10
Christopher Buckley: Obama could be a "great" leader (ESSENTIAL)
In a stellar -- if somewhat highfalutin -- endorsement, the late William F. Buckley's son lays out the justification for his first Democratic vote ever: calling McCain's recent attacks "mean-spirited and pointless" and strongly criticizing the Palin selection, the younger Buckley endorses Sen. Obama as a candidate of necessity. "He is, it seems clear enough, what the historical moment seems to be calling for." Essential reading. [Permalink]

NYT: Weathermen prosecutor "amazed and outraged"
In a letter to the NYT, erstwhile Weathermen prosecutor William C. Ibershof strongly deplores attempts to link Sen. Obama to the actions of Bill Ayers in the 1960s. [Permalink]

Nat'l Journal: Going Obama's Way
"If voters stay focused on the economy, this contest could soon be out of McCain's reach. If their attention returns to national security in the next week or so, he could still come back." [Permalink]

WSJ: Presto, change-o!
"And now, America, we introduce the Great Obama! The world's most gifted political magician! A thing of wonder. A thing of awe. Just watch him defy politics, economics, even gravity!" [Permalink]

Economist: Economy sags, Obama soars
Bad news is good news when you are the challenger, and the news has been awful of late. [Permalink]

Thursday, October 9
State of the Union blog: Polls correlate with stock market
Convincing chart shows polling fluctuations correlating strongly with those of the stock market. [Permalink]

Pollster: 29 Days to Go and a Transformed Election
"The economic situation has virtually ended John McCain's presidential aspirations and no amount of tactical maneuvering in the final 29 days is likely to change that equation." [Permalink]

David Frum: Going negative won't save McCain now
"Anybody who imagines that an election can be won under these circumstances by banging on about William Ayers and Jeremiah Wright is -- to put it mildly -- severely under-estimating the electoral importance of pocketbook issues." [Permalink]

Tuesday, October 7
AP: Candidates stretch truth in debate
An early fact-check while the debate is still going. [Permalink]

NPR: Debate Twitter Dialtest
Interesting experiment by NPR using Twitter to gauge Internet users' responses in near-real time. [Permalink]

Monday, October 6
Guardian (UK): McCain's strategic retreat is the real story - ESSENTIAL
Michael Tomasky, in a great big-picture state-of-the-race rundown, explains how McCain's alleged retreat from Michigan fundamentally changes the strategy of the race on both sides. [Permalink]

Daily Kos: Richard Trumka speech to the USW
In one of the most passionate speeches of the cycle so far, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer delivers a stirring speech to the United Steelworkers convention condemning racism. [Permalink]

NYT: Obama - Palin
With Republicans fantasizing about Sen. McCain ditching Gov. Palin in a final Hail Mary pass, Frank Rich suggest that if Palin is the GOP's "last hope for victory", he should flip the order of the ticket. Palin-McCain '08! [Permalink]

New Yorker: The Appalachian Problem
The New Yorker's in-depth on Sen. Obama's challenge in the Appalachians. [Permalink]

LAT: Obama and Race in Appalachian VA
Frank talk about the significance of ethnicity in this election in one of the most demographically challenging areas for Sen. Obama. [Permalink]

Sunday, October 5
Barack Obama: Keating Economics
Video highlighting Sen. McCain's involvement with the Keating Five to be posted Monday at noon ET. [Permalink]

Economist: Examining the candidates
Economists share their views on the candidates with The Economist. [Permalink]

Rolling Stone: Make-Believe Maverick
Lengthy in-depth investigation viciously criticizes Sen. McCain's record. [Permalink]

Saturday, October 4
WaPo: Odd Moments in the VP Debate
Peculiar episodes from the VP debate. [Permalink]

Nat'l Journal - ESSENTIAL: A Tie Goes To The House
What would happen in the unprecedented case that both candidates get 269 electoral votes. Essential reading. [Permalink]

DCW: A reality check
"Let's not get carried away with this landslide talk." [Permalink]

Friday, October 3
Politico: McCain's fate now hangs on three states
"McCain figures that winning one of those three big remaining swing states [Wisconsin, Minnesota and Pennsylvania], plus those he considers safe, would put him 10 shy of the 270 electoral votes he needs to win." [Permalink]

Thursday, October 2
Electicker: Best of the VP Debate liveblogs
Ambinder (The Atlantic): "[T]he topline here is that, when it comes to worrying about Palin, the McCain campaign can now exhale ... (one GOPer e-mailed: 'We live to fight another day.')"

Seelye (The Caucus/NYT): "'Gwen,' Mr. Biden says slowly and gravely. 'No one in the United States Senate has been a better friend of Israel than Joe Biden.' [...] Ms. Palin is the one who sounds slightly condescending, saying she respects Mr. Biden's support for Israel. (Remember, the pre-debate commentators said Mr. Biden was the one who had to be careful about appearing condescending.)"

Cillizza (The Fix/WaPo): "No idea what Biden is saying right now. Defending his Senate votes is not what he wants to be doing..."

Marshall (TPM): "Didn't Palin just get the name wrong of our Army commander in Afghanistan. His name is David D. McKiernan. Who's the McClellan she was talking about? She pretty clearly misstated what he said, but she seems not even to know who he is." [Permalink]


Time: Biden's Debate Challenge: Keeping His Mouth Shut
"If Barack Obama had consulted 100 wise Democrats about selecting Joe Biden as his running mate, asking them, 'What would be your biggest concern?,' he would have received 100 identical responses. In the words of Robert Draper's classic GQ profile of the Delaware Senator: "Joe Biden Can't Shut Up." [Permalink]

Salon: Is Sarah Palin just playing dumb?
The War Room asks: "Could the halting, bumbling Sarah Palin of the last few weeks be part of an elaborate rope-a-dope scheme to lower expectations for her performance tonight?" [Permalink]

Simpsons: Homer tries to vote for Obama
Maybe in Ohio -- but not in America! [Permalink]

Kos: Know Your Stuff, Obama Supporters
ShadowSD's wonderful collection of Probama propaganda. [Permalink]

Barack Obama: The American Promise (video)
Feel-good video focuses on the grassroots movement for change. [Permalink]

Alternet: Sarah Palin -- master of the non-answer
Andrew Halcro who served two terms on the Alaska State House as a Republican and ran for Governor as an independent in 2006 shares some insight on Gov. Palin's debate record. [Permalink]

Time: Poll - Obama Makes Gains with Women, Hits New High
"Obama now leads McCain 50%-43% overall, up from 46%-41% before the parties' conventions a month ago. Obama's support is not just broader but sturdier; 23% of McCain supporters said they might change their mind, while only 15% of Obama's said they could be persuaded to switch." [Permalink]

Slate: Chomsky vs. Palin
Making sense of the Governor's word salads. [Permalink]

Slate: The Poetry of Sarah Palin
"In campaign interviews, the governor, mother, and maverick GOP vice presidential candidate has chosen to bypass the media filter and speak directly to fans through her intensely personal verses, spoken poems that drill into the vagaries of modern life as if they were oil deposits beneath a government-protected tundra." [Permalink]

Politico: Palin's accent takes center stage
"Hard as it may be for political junkies to believe, Thursday's debate will be the first time a lot of Americans will actually hear Sarah Palin speak - and they’re in for something distinctly different. It's not just her habit of referencing moose hunting or pit bull cosmetology that distinguishes the governor. It's that accent." [Permalink]

TNR: Mis-Schlep
FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver thinks the Jewish demographic is overrated. [Permalink]

Wednesday, October 1
Ambinder: The New Yorker has some fun
Awesome play on the Russia-Alaska hype, with a nod to the famous 'The World As Seen From New York's 9th Avenue' and 'Newyorkistan' maps. [Permalink]

NYT: How McCain Wins
Bill Kristol lays down the underdog strategy. [Permalink]

September
Tuesday, September 30
New Yorker: Foreign Countries
Hendrik Hertzberg: "[This excerpt from Couric's interview with Palin] seems to be a case of incoherence of thought leading to incoherence of syntax. Pronouns wander in search of antecedents like Arctic explorers in a blinding snowstorm." [Permalink]

The Atlantic: On strategy and tactics
James Fallows: "Some examples are so familiar as to need no explanation: McCain choosing the ten-day tactical 'bounce' from the surprise choice of Sarah Palin, in exchange for the enormous strategic risk in choosing an un-vetted and now obviously unqualified running mate. Or McCain rolling the dice with his threat to boycott the debate -- and then, once on stage, appearing to be only mildly interested in the financial-bailout deal that 72 hours earlier was the stated reason for overturning all agreements about the debates." [Permalink]

Monday, September 29
CBS News: Video of the McCain/Palin interview
"Sen. John McCain and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin were in Ohio Monday for a campaign rally. In their first joint interview, CBS News anchor Katie Couric asked them about a statement Palin made the other day, because it didn't seem to square with her running mate's policies in the war on terror in Pakistan." [Permalink]

Newsweek: Palin Is Ready? Please.
In a scathing op-ed, Fareed Zakaria calls Gov. Palin's bluff. [Permalink]

Chi Trib: Smooth sailing for Obama until debate arrived in Iran
"For most of the debate Friday night, Sen. Barack Obama was the one who presented himself as presidential and strong. And Sen. John McCain appeared to be the guy who was wavering. Then came Iran." [Permalink]

Sunday, September 28
LAT: Race for president builds characters - ESSENTIAL
In essential reading, Todd Gitlin explains how the election is about what version of the America Myth you subscribe to. [Permalink]

Politico: For candidates, it's all about Ohio
"With only five weeks until Election Day, Barack Obama spent Saturday in two Republican states that Democrat John Kerry never seriously contested in 2004: North Carolina and Virginia. " [Permalink]

Wednesday, September 24
Politico: Bush, McCain, Obama to meet on bailout
"[President] Bush, in fact, did call for [a bipartisan] meeting Wednesday in his speech, but it was unclear what would be accomplished with presidential politics coming into what are already difficult talks." [Permalink]

Demand the Debate 2008: Demand the Debate
Petition demanding both major party candidates show off next Friday night. [Permalink]

Politico: McCain plan a 'stunt' or 'smart move'
"Opinion typically broke sharply along partisan lines, suggesting that McCain’s strategy could deepen dissent over the Bush administration's proposed $700 billion economic bailout for financial institutions, rather than smoothing over differences in Congress." [Permalink]

Tuesday, September 23
TIME: John McCain and the Lying Game
Joe Klein explores John McCain's skirmishes with the truth:

"In the early weeks of the general-election campaign, a consensus has grown in the political community - a consensus that ranges from practitioners like Karl Rove to commentators like, well, me - that John McCain has allowed his campaign to slip the normal bounds of political propriety." [Permalink]


Monday, September 22 Sunday, September 21 Saturday, September 20
Rolling Stone: The Weasel, Twelve Monkeys And The Shrub
The late David Foster Wallace's account of the 2000 Republican primaries. [Permalink]

Friday, September 19 Thursday, September 18
NYT: A New McCain on the Campaign Trail
Adam Nagourney:

"Mr. McCain's once easygoing if irreverent campaign presence - endearing to crowds, though often the kind of undisciplined excursions that landed him in the gaffe doghouse - has been put out to pasture. He takes far fewer chances, meaning there are fewer risque jokes, zingers at a familiar face in the crowd, provocative observations on policy or politics, or exercises in self-derogatory humor. By every appearance, this Mr. McCain is, or at least is struggling to be, disciplined and on message in a way befitting of American politics today, if not quite befitting of the McCain of yesterday." [Permalink]


TNR: Running Against Sarah
"From beauty queens to political veterans, Palin's former foes offer battle-worn advice." [Permalink]

Wednesday, September 17 Tuesday, September 16 Monday, September 15
Electicker: Distance (video)
Some perspective on Sarah Palin's claim that Russia's proximity to Alaska helps her foreign policy credentials. An Electicker original video. [Permalink]

Politico: On the stump, Obama moves past hope
"Barack Obama sounds more like a man trying to shake a rain cloud these days, dispensing a teeth-clenching, I-get-your-pain stump speech in town after town that offers only snippets of the unbridled optimism that long permeated his campaign pitch." [Permalink]

NYT: Candidates Strive to Break Through Media Fog
"In this Wild West [campaign] atmosphere, Mr. McCain's campaign was able to get attention by leaping on a colloquial remark that Mr. Obama made about 'putting lipstick on a pig' - he was referring to Mr. McCain attempting to present himself as an agent of change - and the campaign charged that he had meant that as an attack on Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, Mr. McCain's running mate. [A]ssociates said that at the very least, they were able to distract attention from Mr. Obama. Yet at the end of the day no one was really sure how much those charges broke through or mattered to regular voters." [Permalink]

Wkly Std: Palin, natural-born executive
In a highfalutin puff piece, Steve Hayward (of the American Enterprise Institute, natch) argues that Palin has it all. [Permalink]

Politico: Independents swing toward McCain
"In the wake of Sarah Palin['s selection], John McCain has opened up a 15-point lead among independents [...] and Barack Obama has a real problem." [Permalink]

Friday, September 12
Lakoff: Don't Think of a Maverick! - ESSENTIAL
Cognitive linguist George Lakoff tackles Obama's ad strategy head-on, and hits it out of the park. Essential reading. [Permalink]

Kos: Obama is losing Ohio
Paul Hackett worries that the Buckeye State might slip through Obama's fingers. [Permalink]

NYT: Obama Plans Sharper Tone as Party Frets
It seems like everyone and their mother has an opinion on what Obama's next step should be, but: "'We're sensitive to the fluid dynamics of the campaign, but we have a game plan and a strategy,' said Mr. Obama's campaign manager, David Plouffe. 'We're familiar with this. And I'm sure between now and Nov. 4 there will be another period of hand-wringing and bed-wetting. It comes with the territory.'" [Permalink]

US Election Atlas: 2004 Election Night Timeline
As a walk down memory lane, a minute-by-minute summary of 2004 poll closings and calls. [Permalink]

IHT: Biden living up to his gaffe-prone reputation
A short overview of Biden's faux pas so far. They're not that bad, really. [Permalink]

James Fallows: The Palin interview
"[Palin] evidently has not been interested enough even to follow the news of foreign affairs during the Bush era." [Permalink]

WaPo: The Anger Factor
In the wake of Lipstickgate, Howard Kurtz summarizes how the heat in the debate is quickly being turned up. [Permalink]

TIME: Sarah Palin's Myth of America - ESSENTIAL
Joe Klein lucidly explains "So Obama faces an uphill struggle between now and Nov. 4. He has no personal anecdotes to match Palin's mooseburgers. His story of a boy whose father came from Kenya and mother from Kansas takes place in an America not yet mythologized, a country that is struggling to be born - a multiracial country whose greatest cultural and economic strength is its diversity." Essential reading. [Permalink]

MSNBC: Obama's woes have nothing to do with 'lipstick'
Howard Fineman runs down the list on what ails the Obama campaign. [Permalink]

Thursday, September 11
The Field: The Post-Convention Roadmap to the Real Knock-Out Punch
"The 2008 presidential election is about registering those voters mentioned above, and getting them out to vote. Period. End of story. Little else matters." [Permalink]

WCSH6: John McCain interview
The Portland (ME) local station asks McCain some tough questions and gets some very evasive answers. What are Palin's national security credentials? "Energy. She knows more about energy than probably anyone else in the United States of America." And yes, the 'Alaska is next to Russia' line is in there as well. [Permalink]

Wednesday, September 10
Matt Damon: "A bad Disney movie"
I'm not too big on 'Here's celebrity X's musings on candidate Y' links, but Matt Damon makes a salient point in well under two minutes on what little we would know about a possible President Palin. [Permalink]

FOX News Embeds: McCain embraces the staged rally
"For a candidate who once railed against 'stale soundbites, staged rallies and over-managed messages,' John McCain seems to have turned over a new leaf. Today marks the four-week anniversary since McCain held his last press conference (8/13 in Birmingham, MI) and three weeks since his last public town hall meeting (8/20 in Las Cruces, NM). McCain's new campaign strategy: staged rallies with thousands of supporters." [Permalink]

TNR The Plank: Obama's Polldrums
John B. Judis: "I expect that by November, as [Palin's] novelty wears off and as voters focus more on her qualifications, she will have proven to be either of no effect or a liability to McCain. [...] In the absence of a major misstep by McCain or, perhaps, Palin, I would not expect Obama to enjoy again the kind of margin he enjoyed in late June and early July. This is going to be a close election. Obama is going to have trouble winning Ohio (with its white working class) and Virginia (with its pro-military seacoast), two states on which the campaign has counted. He may have to win Colorado, New Mexico, and New Hampshire to take the election." [Permalink]

Politico: Autumn Angst - Dems fret about Obama
"'On the one hand, it could be a temporary reshuffling of the deck,' [field organizer Steve Rosenthal] added. 'And on the other hand, it underscores the deep-seated problems we have in this race with race, class and culture.'" [Permalink]

Newsweek: McCain-Palin Distorts Our Finding
"A McCain-Palin ad has FactCheck.org calling Obama's attacks on Palin 'absolutely false' and 'misleading.' That's what we said, but it wasn't about Obama." [Permalink]

ESSENTIAL - Newsweek: The Politics of Stupidity
"Years from now presidential historians will look back on Sept. 9 as the day the 2008 campaign got completely and utterly stupid." [Permalink]

ABC: Match-o-matic!
From anonymized candidates' statements, choose the ones you agree with most, and have your choice revealed at the end. [Permalink]

NY Daily News: Hi, I'm John McCain, & I'm voting for Barack Obama
Silly but entertaining human interest piece about a McCain namesake. [Permalink]

Tuesday, September 9
WaPo: Five myths about voters' not-so informed choice
'5 Myths About Those Civic-Minded, Deeply Informed Voters' -- spoiler: Voters are not that informed, but Bill O'Reilly's audience knows just as much as Jon Stewart's, facts don't help, better education doesn't make for better informed voters, and young voters aren't too informed either. Now get off my lawn! [Permalink]

AP: Omaha's electoral vote draws Obama's attention
Nebraska, like Maine, splits its electoral votes. All of them (in NE) have gone to the GOP candidate in recent history. But Obama is eyeing the one vote from Omaha's congressional district. [Permalink]

Plouffe to to Post: "your poll is wrong"
Obama campaign manager David Plouffe has some serious doubts about a suggested 20 point swing in support from white women. [Permalink]

Telegraph (UK): "A trail of enemies"
The British paper slays some myths about Palin's resume. [Permalink]

Monday, September 8
Barack Obama: "No Maverick" (video)
The Obama/Biden campaign directly accuses McCain/Palin of lying in this ad. [Permalink]

Politico: McCain plans new Palin rollout
The campaign's plan to present the Governor to (and via) the media. [Permalink]

Politico: 7 things to watch as the fall race kicks off
Spoiler: whether the bad economy helps Obama, whether Palin will prove a fad, whether Biden makes it through the VP debate looking good, the presidential debates, the role of the Clintons, Reverend Wright, and McCain's legendary temper. [Permalink]

Sunday, September 7
Allahpundit: No, Obama did not 'admit' to being a Muslim on ABC
On Hot Air, Allahpundit's gracious and highly commendable plea not to conjure up fictitious smears by taking video clips out of context. It ends with a jab at Sullivan for his Palin smears, but that's wholly justified IMO. Excellent piece. [Permalink]

Politico: Doh!: Top eight gaffes of the campaign
"The modern media is brutally unforgiving with its microphones and video cameras: Any word, any image, at any moment can haunt a candidate for a lifetime. [...] Here is Politico's list of the top eight gaffes that are virtually certain to haunt John McCain and Barack Obama until Election Day." [Permalink]

Steve Almond: Dear Barack: When They Lie, Call Them Liars
In the Huffington Post, Steve Almond calls upon Sen. Obama to call out his critics when they are being economical with the truth. [Permalink]

On the Issues: Governor Sarah Palin
A compendium of the Vice Presidential candidate's positions. [Permalink]

ADN: Palin asked Wasilla librarian about censoring books
"Back in 1996, when she first became mayor, Sarah Palin asked the city librarian if she would be all right with censoring library books should she be asked to do so." [Permalink]

Rolling Stone: Obama on the Trail
"He's delivering the same message Democrats always rely on. So why does it sound like a clarion call this time around?" [Permalink]

ADN: Abortion opponents give Palin high marks
The Anchorage Daily News explores Gov. Palin's positions on abortion and sex ed. [Permalink]

NYT: The campaign so far (map)
Map of TV spending and campaign stops during the general election campaign. [Permalink]

Saturday, September 6
Jeff Strater: Sen. Clinton to campaign for Obama/Biden
Hillary will be campaigning for the Obama/Biden ticket this next week in Florida. Several local Florida news outlets are announcing the visit. The Obama campaign is calling these events the "Change we Need Rally with Sen. Hillary Clinton". [Permalink]

First Read: Biden sneaks out to teach class
"With Cheney-esque stealth, Biden made a surprise appearance this morning at the Constitutional law class he had been scheduled to teach before his selection as Barack Obama's running mate. " [Permalink]

Humor: Sarah Palin vetoed your school bus
It had to happen. In any case, she's not your new bicycle. [Permalink]

NYT An Adviser Puts His Stamp on the McCain Campaign
Profile of senior McCain adviser Steve Schmidt. [Permalink]

Barack Obama: "I've Been Called Worse On The Basketball Court" (video)
Sen. Obama responds to attacks on him articulated at the RNC. [Permalink]

Friday, September 5
Sen. Biden: "Their America is not the America I live in"
Joe Biden goes on the attack in this video from the trail. [Permalink]

Barack Obama: "I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper" (video)
While everyone else was talking about Gov. Palin, Sen. Obama gave a speech in Milwaukee that some commentators and bloggers rightly count among his best. [Permalink]

Thursday, September 4
Politicalmaps.org: McCain's speech mapped
States and countries mentioned plus a tag cloud (word frequency). [Permalink]

AP: Attacks, praise stretch truth at GOP convention
The Associated Press fact-checks the attacks levied against the Obama campaign by speakers at the RNC. [Permalink]

Slate: They've Got To Be Kidding
Fred Kaplan criticizes what he perceives as twisted logic at the RNC. [Permalink]

Slate: Obama's Acceptance, Annotated
Mouse over the highlighted passages to see an explanation of a phrase's significance. [Permalink]

Politico: Palin reignites culture wars
"The campaign of Democrat Barack Obama put up an ad in at least seven key states Tuesday lambasting GOP nominee-to-be John McCain as an enemy of abortion rights. At the Republican convention here, former Tenn. Sen. Fred Thompson took a shot at Obama’s stand in favor of legal abortion. " [Permalink]

Ben Smith: Palin raises $8 million -- for Obama
Obama spokesman Bill Burton says, "Sarah Palin's attacks have rallied our supporters in ways we never expected. And we fully expect John McCain's attacks tonight to help us make our grass-roots organization even stronger." [Permalink]

Wednesday, September 3
YouTube: The Hillary Kiss 'n' Miss
Hilarious DNC footage of Bill trying to give Hillary a peck but gets snubbed for... well, watch. [Permalink]

TNR: Republicans Heading For an Iceberg
Spoiler: "If [McCain] doesn't move away from the militant right--and if the questions about Palin don't subside--he is likely to lose the election, and even to lose it big." [Permalink]

Tuesday, September 2
Ben Smith: Obama to appear on O'Reilly Thursday night
"The move is timed to counterprogram John McCain's speech to the Republican National Convention, which is likely to drive Fox's ratings sky-high and to give Obama access to a conservative audience." [Permalink]

The Atlantic: The "Eagleton Scenario"
"Could Sarah Palin become the first running mate since Thomas Eagleton in 1972 to be dropped from a major-party ticket? Joshua Green offers a look at how such a scenario would unfold." [Permalink]

YouTube: "Sarah 'Pawlenty'"
RNC vice-chair Jo Ann Davidson goes for the hybrid candidate. [Permalink]

Slate: How to replace a running mate
Jacob Leibenluft -- writing for Slate's Explainer -- answers the question: "What happens if someone nominated for President or Vice President resigns from the ticket or dies before Election Day?" [Permalink]

YouTube: James Carville vs. Rep. Bachmann on Palin
On CNN, Carville calls Rep. Bachmann out on her equating Gov. Palin's record with that of Sen. Obama. Bachmann replies by calling Carville's comments 'demeaning to women'. [Permalink]

WSJ: Why McCain still has a chance to win
Spoiler: it's his patriotism. [Permalink]

Truthdig: Curb Your Enthusiasm for Obama
Chris Hedges doubts the extent of the change Sen. Obama would effect as President. [Permalink]

Palintology: 2006 Palin debate video
Interesting footage from the 2006 AK gubernatorial race. Looks like 'divide and conquer' is an effective strategy in a three-way debate. In Alaska, anyway. [Permalink]

Slate: How Palin made the GOP change its mind about presidential qualifications.
"The whole 'experience' debate is silly [but] it's a hardy perennial: If your opponent is a governor, you accuse him or her of lacking foreign-policy experience. If he or she is a member of Congress, you say this person has never run anything. And if, by any chance, your opponent has done both, you say that he or she is a 'professional politician.' When Republicans aren't complaining about someone's lack of experience, they are calling for term limits." [Permalink]

Bill Kristol: A Star Is Born?
In an NYT op-ed, Kristol acknowledges the riskiness of McCain's Veep gambit, but also posits that it might be a boon in the end. [Permalink]

NYT: Disclosures on Palin Raise Questions on Vetting Process
"A series of disclosures about Gov. Sarah Palin [...] called into question on Monday how thoroughly [Sen.] McCain had examined her background before putting her on the Republican presidential ticket." [Permalink]

Monday, September 1
YouTube: Campbell Brown grills McCain spokesman on CNN
Brown puts McCain campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds' feet to the fire in this compelling clip. We learn that Bounds is unable or unwilling to name a single executive decision by Gov. Palin, and Bounds learns that contrary to his beliefs, the Governor of Alaska has no decision-making authority in equipping the AK National Guard. [Permalink]

The Atlantic: What McCain Didn't Know About Sarah Palin
"And why he probably would have picked her anyway." (by Marc Aminder) [Permalink]

August
Sunday, August 31
Guardian (UK): Why this is the most vicious election campaign ever
A mudslinging primer, especially suited to those not familiar with US political theater. [Permalink]

Mudflats: Alaska politics blog
A lowly Alaskan blog is thrust into the spotlight by McCain's unlikely Veep pick. Very critical of Palin, but worth the read for an informed AK insider's look. [Permalink]

The One Blog: The Palin gamble
"To be clear, the thrust of the Dems' argument will not be that Palin is too inexperienced; it will be that McCain is being disingenuous when he argues that Obama is." [Permalink]

Newsweek: McCain's 'Hail Sarah' Pass
Jonathan Alter: "Palin's debut was good theater, but there's a reason that rookies rarely score hat tricks." [Permalink]

Wkly Std: Let Palin Be Palin
Bill Kristol: "Why the left is scared to death of McCain's running mate." [Permalink]

Saturday, August 30
Science debate 2008: Sen. Obama's answers
"I will restore the basic principle that government decisions should be based on the best- available, scientifically-valid evidence and not on the ideological predispositions of agency officials or political appointees. More broadly, I am committed to creating a transparent and connected democracy, using cutting-edge technologies to provide a new level of transparency, accountability, and participation for America's citizens. Policies must be determined using a process that builds on the long tradition of open debate that has characterized progress in science, including review by individuals who might bring new information or contrasting views." (via Politicalfilter) [Permalink]

Newsdesigner: Newspaper front pages, August 29, 2008
How the front pages looked the day after Sen. Obama's acceptance speech. (via PoliticalFilter) [Permalink]

Friday, August 29
TNR: An Astonishingly Arrogant V.P. Selection
"[S]urely a campaign that has been charged with being too naïve to manage rogue state dictators can have a bit of fun with the idea that a one-time Miss Congeniality could effectively face down Vladimir Putin, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, or Kim Jong Il." [Permalink]

Wkly Std: What Palin Does
A pro-con rundown of what the Governor brings to the table. [Permalink]

Gov. Palin: Remarks in Dayton, OH
Text and video of the GOP VP roll-out. [Permalink]

fivethirtyeight: Sarah Palin Thoughts, Revised and Extended
While I'm recovering still from McCain's bombshell pick, here are Nate's thoughts. "Suppose, for instance, that McCain is 2 points down in the election. Suppose furthermore than there is a 50 percent chance that Palin boosts his standing by 3 points, and a 50 percent chance that she makes a major gaffe that costs McCain 10 points. That's actually a pretty good gamble for McCain to take, since he'd wind up winning the election 50 percent of the time (by one point) and getting blown out the other 50 percent of the time (by 12 points) -- better than losing the election by 2 points 100 percent of the time." [Permalink]

Politicalmaps: Obama's speech mapped
Countries, US states and words mentioned in Sen. Obama's speech. [Permalink]

Thursday, August 28
Martin Luther King: August 28, 1963
The "I have a dream" speech, video (above) and text. [Permalink]

DNC: Thursday Schedule (revised)
NOTE: this is revised from the version on the DNC website. [Permalink]

Politico: McCain to address Obama directly in TV ad tonight
In light of this, VP speculation skyrockets. Oddly, Lieberman's and Pawlenty's stock seem to rise in the wake at the cost of Romney's, even though Mitt had been the clear front runner for a few weeks now. [Permalink]

Politico: Black perspectives on Obama's nomination
"To call this a historic moment feels like understatement. Obama's nomination represents a sea change, a psychological shift in a country that still struggles with the painful and complicated legacy of slavery." [Permalink]

Sen. Biden: "Time for America to get back up"
Text of the VP nomination acceptance speech. [Permalink]

Wednesday, August 27
Video: Roll call as seen from the nosebleeds
8-minute video from way up in the stands gives an excellent perspective on the expertly orchestrated moment that transpired just now, complete with Sen. Clinton as deus ex machina. WARNING: **LOUD** digital audio clipping from noise in the hall - and rather poor picture quality. Still, a great vantage point, and uploaded insanely quickly by zennie62. [Permalink]

Daily Kos: Tuesday's best soundbites
Muzikal203 lists the killer quotes from the speeches that were under-reported by the networks on Day 2 of the DNC. [Permalink]

HuffPo: Hillary speech reax
Overview of punditry reactions, with video. [Permalink]

Tuesday, August 26
Gov. Brian Schweitzer: Remarks to the DNC
A rousing speech, to which the prepared text really doesn't do any justice. But here it is, regardless. [Permalink]

Mark Warner: Keynote speech to the DNC
Quotes Jefferson: "I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past." [Permalink]

Sen. Robert Casey: "Four more months" - remarks to the DNC
Includes excellent soundbites such as "That's not a maverick, that's a sidekick" and "Four More Months!". [Permalink]

The Fix: Five things Hillary needs to do tonight
I tend to dislike "X must do Y"-style opinioneering -- but Cillizza's top five seems to hit the mark. Money quote (and also the last line of the piece): "And, the more gracious Clinton is tonight, the easier it is for Obama to return the favor on Thursday and, in doing so, start the healing process in earnest." [Permalink]

Rep. Dennis Kucinich: "Wake Up America" - remarks to the DNC
"If there was an Olympics for misleading, mismanaging and misappropriating, this administration would take the gold. World records for violations of national and international laws. They want another four-year term to continue to alienate our allies, spend our children's inheritance and hollow out our economy." [Permalink]

Ted Sorensen: Remarks to the DNC
Former advisor and speechwriter to JFK: "I have long dreamed that our party would produce another president matching John F. Kennedy’s intellect and integrity, his capacity to inspire justice at home and peace around the world —- and this week my dream is coming true. Once in a lifetime, said the poet, hope and history meet in one extraordinary man and movement —- I thank the good Lord that I've lived long enough to meet and help such men twice in my lifetime, John Kennedy and Barack Obama." [Permalink]

Video: Biden thanks DE delegates
The Senator gets emotional while thanking Delaware delegates for their support. [Permalink]

Salon: How Democrats can take back the South
Bob Moser, author of "Blue Dixie" says don't give up on the region -- but don't pander to it with Clintonian centrism. [Permalink]

Monday, August 25
Michelle Obama: Text of speech to the DNC
"All of us driven by a simple belief that the world as it is just won't do - that we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be." [Permalink]

NYT: DNC seating plan
See which delegations got premium floor seats, and which states and territories have to make do in the nosebleed section. Spoiler: Delaware got moved up, natch. [Permalink]

Politico: Five things to watch at the DNC tonight
"Here’s what to watch once the TV cameras close in on opening night." [Permalink]

Fox News: 20 Years of the Clintons at the Conventions (***PDF***)
An overview of Senator and President Clinton's Democratic Convention history. Warning: this is a PDF file. [Permalink]

Halloween: Trick or Vote!
Clever canvassing idea for October 31. [Permalink]

Sunday, August 24
NYT: Delegates for Clinton Back Obama, but Show Concerns
"'Clinton and Obama were close together all the time, and Hillary didn't make it [...] It was easy to switch because I feel we need to get a Democrat in because the Republicans have really messed up the country.'" [Permalink]

HuffPo - Sandy Goodman: What Happens To Biden's Senate Seat If He Becomes VP
"[...] Biden's successor would be named by Delaware's 73-year-old Democratic governor, Ruth Ann Minner. [I]f Biden is chosen vice president and resigns his Senate seat before her term runs out in January, she's sure to appoint another Democrat to succeed him, according to James Soles, a retired professor of political science at the University of Delaware." [Permalink]

Turn Maine Blue: Credentials Committee Report
"This is a list of all resolutions taken up by Credentials. All resolutions passed." [Permalink]

Slate: How Michelle's speech will humanize Barack Obama
Liza Mundy explains how on Monday, Michelle Obama will face the unenviable task of emphasizing her husband's personal story while reassuring Americans that she and Barack are just like everybody else. [Permalink]

NPR: Biden Primer
Some background from NPR's Vox Politics blog. A quick read. [Permalink]

DNC: Live video feed
It requires Silverlight and something called "Move Player", but it looks pretty spiffy. [Permalink]

Joe Biden: Introduction
Short introductory video posted to the Obama campaign website. [Permalink]

Open Secrets: The Money behind Biden
The Center for Responsive Politics' roundup on Senator Biden's fundraising and personal finance history. [Permalink]

Saturday, August 23
Politico: Biden for dummies
"Over that long career, Biden has depicted in many ways: A grieving young senator, an undisciplined campaigner, a foreign policy wonk, a happy warrior presidential candidate waging a quixotic campaign. If nothing else, Saturday’s announcement that he will join the Democratic ticket is a remarkable high point for someone who is the political equivalent of a marathon runner -- Barack Obama was 11 years old when Biden was first elected to the Senate." [Permalink]

On the Issues: Senator Joe Biden
A compendium of the Vice Presidential candidate's positions, ratings and voting record. [Permalink]

The Caucus: The 3 A.M. Text Message
"A user named Bonnie said the early morning text was the 'only way I’d ever dream about Joe Biden.' And Pat Byrne, a Twitter user in Detroit, changed their cellphone settings so the text message would specifically 'wake me up at night.' 'Unless you are Barack Obama, please don’t text me in the middle of the night,' the user added." [Permalink]

Friday, August 22
Newsweek: Biden's Mighty Mouth
"If Biden's the veep, his liabilities may be his best assets." [Permalink]

DCW: Convention Speakers and Agenda
List of speakers and other events at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. [Permalink]

TNR: What the Hell Is Taking So Long?
"You can let the suspense build and build if you've got a Hillary or a Gore socked away somewhere. Possibly a Biden or a Webb (or some unorthodox pick like a general or a Republican). But you'd better not come with Jack Reed or Evan Bayh after toying with people for over a week." [Permalink]

Politico: In VP timing, Obama defies pols' expectations
"In dragging out the announcement of his vice-presidential nominee to almost the eve of the Democratic National Convention, Barack Obama has at once demonstrated his willingness to defy conventional political expectations -- and to hold the news media in his thrall while doing it." [Permalink]

RCP: McCain raises the bar
In memo, McCain camp tries to raise expectations by suggesting Obama should get a 16 point bump out of the convention. [Permalink]

Thursday, August 21
PoliticalFilter: Community Weblog
PoliticalFilter is a community blog about politics (US and international). It's sort of a spin-off from Metafilter. "Anyone, regardless of political affiliation, can sign up for an account at PoliticalFilter and then make blog posts on political subjects or comment on other blog posts." [Permalink]

HuffPo - Paul Hunt: Don't Go Breaking My Heart, Barack
Another original Electicker op-ed, this time packaged as an allegorical love letter. [Permalink]

Tuesday, August 19
Time: Obama Sharpens the Message
"Ironically, the very things that helped Obama win the Democratic nomination are unsettling his party now. Democrats fear that his lofty style of politics will be little match for a Republican opponent who is looking to be tougher than they had thought, and they worry that his message of hope -- which has drawn crowds in the tens of thousands and inspired a record primary turnout -- is not specific enough for people who are trying to figure out how to pay for their next tank of gas and hold on to their homes." [Permalink]

MSNBC: Biden the clear frontrunner for Veep
With Biden in the spotlight, NBC highlights the Delaware Senator's strengths and weaknesses. "'Joe won't be afraid to get in McCain's face, which is what Obama needs,' said one non-contender source. Others have pointed out to Obama that this is why Biden would be hard to control as vice president. But maybe Obama has decided to worry about that later." [Permalink]

Spaceref: Obama's space program
Speeding next-gen vehicle development while retaining the Shuttle option, embracing human space exploration while also conducting robot missions and emphasizing earth-oriented research. Looking forward while hedging one's bets. [Permalink]

Wednesday, August 13
The Electoral Map: Obama Running Ahead of Kerry in 41 States
Governing.com's Josh Goodman uses Pollster.com data to compare Sen. Obama's standing at this point to Kerry's at this time in 2004. [Permalink]

DCW: Clinton and the roll call vote
DemConWatch makes a lucid suggestion: "Here's how it could go: Time it to end at 10:05 - just after the networks come on the air. Obama goes over the top - everyone celebrates - great visuals. Then, the NY delegation asks to be recognized. A certain former president, and superdelegate, asks that the nomination of Obama be made unanimous. The motion passes, and a great celebration of party unity follows. Five minutes of that, and a voice comes on the loudspeaker, saying, ladies and gentlemen, the next vice president of the United States, and the VP nominee comes to the podium." [Permalink]

HuffPo - Paul Hunt: Obama, The Change Candidate Abroad, Too
Electicker's first humble submission to the Huffington Post. "Until recently, when people asked me why I'm so engrossed in an election being contested in a country thousands of miles from mine, my stock reply was 'Well, I heard it's a pretty important country.' A pithy yet truthful rejoinder, I thought -- now I realize it was a lame cop-out. Or at the least, it's hardly the most compelling reason for non-Americans to pay attention to this election. So here's a better one." [Permalink]

Tuesday, August 12
Slate: The Lives of Barack Obama
Interactive timeline lists the Senator's previous residences and occupations, and tallies the number of times they are mentioned in his own words and in news coverage. [Permalink]

Monday, August 11
The Atlantic: THE CLINTON MEMOS
Scanned versions of the internal Hillary memos referenced in the article. [Permalink]

The Atlantic: The Front-Runner's Fall
Josh Green's much-anticipated article on the leaked memos from HRC's campaign. [Permalink]

Chart: Tax cuts for some, miniature American flags for others
Sen. McCain's and Sen. Obama's proposed tax cuts/increases, by family income bracket. [Permalink]

DNC: Release on Convention's Nightly Themes
And they are: Monday, August 25 -- One Nation Monday’s headline prime-time speaker will be Michelle Obama. Tuesday, August 26 -- Renewing America's Promise Senator Hillary Clinton will be the headline prime-time speaker on Tuesday night. Wednesday, August 27 -- Securing America's Future The Vice Presidential Acceptance Speech The headline prime-time speaker on Wednesday will be Barack Obama's Vice Presidential Nominee. Thursday, August 28 -- Change You Can Believe In Barack Obama's Acceptance Speech [Permalink]

Sunday, August 10
Photo: Suckerpunch
You know how they say a picture is worth a thousand words? I have no idea as to its origin - it looks like a magazine scan is all I can tell - but this is seriously making the rounds online, as in this Digg post for one. Its historical (Senatorial?) context will conceivably be pointed out by someone soon - but expect it to be referred to often in the weeks to come. A photo like this, you just can't make it up. [Permalink]

Barack Obama: VP alert via email/text message
Another clever marketing/database-building strategy from the Obama camp: if you sign up on the campaign's website you are promised a heads-up via email and/or text message as soon as Sen. Obama announces his running mate. [Permalink]

Politico: 'Invasion of Georgia' a '3 a.m. moment'
"When the North Caucasus slid into war Thursday night, it presented John McCain and Barack Obama with a true '3 a.m. moment,' and their responses to the crisis suggested dramatic differences in how each candidate, as president, would lead America in moments of international crisis. " [Permalink]

WaPo: That Was the Obama We're Still Waiting For
Guardian USA editor Michael Tomasky ponders the apparent disappearance of post-partisan themes from Sen. Obama's rhetoric. [Permalink]

Friday, August 8
Newsweek: The 'Process' President
"The election will not be won on [Obama's] energy policy or health-care policy. If he wins, it will be because voters want to fix the way we make decisions." [Permalink]

Thursday, August 7
Democratic Party: Renewing America's Promise
The draft of the 2008 Democratic National Committee platform has been released. Ambinder links to the pdf and provides some short summaries and analysis. [Permalink]

Financial Times: Democratic jitters as Obama heads for Hawaii
"With polls showing him neck-and-neck with John McCain at a stage at which many Democrats expected he would be in the clear lead, they worry about the kind of stray image that helped to defeat John Kerry in 2004." [Permalink]

The Trail: The Clinton Question
Dan Balz explores President Clinton's hypothermic stance towards Senator Obama: "You can argue a lot of things, or discuss or debate them into the wee hours of the night, but a brief television interview is not the time or place to do so. " [Permalink]

Wednesday, August 6
Kos: McCain vs. McCain
dansac describes a more aggressive Obama at today's town hall in Indiana: McCain's lobbyist ties and Bushist voting record are all there, and the kicker: "In the coming days it's going to be interesting to see this coming debate between John McCain and... John McCain!" [Permalink]

Politico: The biggest flip-flops of 2008 (so far)
"Politico, in conjunction with PolitiFact, a partnership between the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times and Congressional Quarterly, sorts through the charges to get to the truth of five key flip-flop allegations." [Permalink]

538: Election flowchart
Nate Silver has become an authority of sorts on the mathematically more advanced aspects of this election: or, you could say, he's this cycle's resident numbers guy. (Whatever happened to Tanenbaum?) Anyhow, he presents a three-point sequence of Election Day events that I feel compelled to share: "1. Can McCain win Michigan? If so, McCain is very likely to win the election. 2. If McCain loses Michigan, can Obama win Ohio? If so, Obama is very likely to win the election. 3. If Ohio and Michigan are split, can Obama win Colorado or Virginia? If so, Obama is very likely to win the election, having essentially to pick off just one or two smaller states West of the Mississippi (Iowa, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana) while perhaps also having to defend New Hampshire." [Permalink]

NYT Mag: Is Obama the End of Black Politics? - ESSENTIAL
Must-read, thorough examination of what Obama's candidacy means to black communities. It veers off into inexplicable directions at times ("And as in the rest of the political world, this rebellion is happening on the Internet, driven by ordinary Americans with laptops and a surprising amount of free time"), but more importantly it offers seldom-seen lucidity like in this passage: "For most black Americans, Obama's candidacy represented a kind of racial milestone, the natural next phase of a 50-year movement. But for Michael Nutter, the reverse was also true: not supporting Obama's candidacy marked a kind of progress, too. [...] I asked Nutter if he found it insulting to have me come barging into his office, demanding to know why he didn't pick the black guy. [...] 'It's presumptuous. It demonstrates a continuation of this notion that the African-American community, unlike any other, is completely monolithic [...] I don't remember seeing John Kerry on TV and anybody saying to him, "I can’t believe you’re not for Hillary Clinton." Why?' [Permalink]

Tuesday, August 5
Electicker: Berlin leftovers
When you're at the scene on your own you tend to miss some of the media coverage. So here's a minor media recap of Obama's appearance in Berlin: NYT, LAT, WaPo, Boston Globe, The Swamp. [Permalink]

DCW: Pepsi Center Walkthrough (photos)
Denver's Pepsi Center is preparing for the Democratic Convention. [Permalink]

First Read: Debate moderators announced
Jim Lehrer & Gwen Ifill from PBS, Tom Brokaw (NBC) and Bob Schieffer for CBS. What, no ABC-moderated debate? The last one went so well! [Permalink]

Monday, August 4
Scout Tufankjian: Obama photo collection
Large collection of photos of the Obama campaign. [Permalink]

Barack Obama: Text of energy speech
"You won't hear me say this too often, but I couldn't agree more with the explanation that Senator McCain offered a few weeks ago. He said, 'Our dangerous dependence on foreign oil has been thirty years in the making, and was caused by the failure of politicians in Washington to think long-term about the future of the country.' What Senator McCain neglected to mention was that during those thirty years, he was in Washington for twenty-six of them. " [Permalink]

Sunday, August 3
NYT: Obama asks crendentials committee to give FL & MI full voting rights
Not unexpected, but still noteworthy: now Sen. Obama is the presumptive nominee, the campaign seeks to seat the convention delegations from Florida and Michigan in full. [Permalink]

Saturday, August 2
Scribd: Obama document repository
Obama campaign posts documents to the well-known doc sharing site. WaPo article [Permalink]

Wkly Std: Barack Obama's Lost Years
Conservative commentator Stanley Kurtz pieces together an ideological image of Obama's writings in Chicago papers over the years. [Permalink]

Friday, August 1
538: "Nobody heard what you said."
What do people remember from Obama's overseas trip? They remember what it looked like, not so much what he said, argues Nate Silver, citing this legendary tale from the Reagan years. [Permalink]

Youtube: Hillary and the convention ballot
"What we want to have happen is for Senator Obama to be nominated by a unified convention of Democrats, and as I have said the best way (...) to do that is to have a strategy so that my delegates feel like they had a role and that their legitimacy has been validated, and that (...) there is a catharsis, and (...) everybody can go 'Great, let's go out and win.'" [Permalink]

July
Wednesday, July 30
Commoncraft: Electing a US President in Plain English (video)
Lest we forget the mechanics of what will take place on November 4th and how the numbers all add up, here's a classroom primer of the US electoral system. [Permalink]

538 ESSENTIAL: Sebelius Shell Game?
Required reading: more on the "the buzz on Kaine means we should keep an eye on Sebelius" theory. Nate Silver makes a level-headed argument on signal vs. noise and how much, if anything, we should read into the campaign reverse psych strategy we're conjuring up in our very own heads. [Permalink]

Ambinder: Kaine & Sebelius
Ambinder is right: if Kaine is supposed to be the running mate in waiting, the silence from the Sebelius camp is deafening in comparison. [Permalink]

Slate: Teflon to the core
It's not that the media refrain from attacking Obama; it's just that nothing seems to stick. [Permalink]

Tuesday, July 29
RCP: ESSENTIAL - Our First Transnational President?
Rich Lowry's well-written op-ed at first masquerades as a puff piece but quickly unmasks itself as a damning critique of Sen. Obama while concisely defining the fine line between global interests and American values he has to walk. Essential reading. [Permalink]

Ambinder: Sebelius, Kaine, Bayh, Biden
Marc Ambinder mulls over the alleged Obama VP shortlist: "(T)he way to look at these names, I think, is to analyze what picking each would say about the Obama presidency and what he expects in a vice president." [Permalink]

Monday, July 28
Youtube: Kaine endorses Obama in Spanish
In light of the growing speculation about the Virginia Governor's ranking on the shortlist, here's a shaky but amusing video of Tim Kaine singing the praises of Obama en Español. [Permalink]

Sunday, July 27
NYT Op-Ed: How Obama Became Acting President
"It almost seems like a gag worthy of 'Borat': A smooth-talking rookie senator with an exotic name passes himself off as the incumbent American president to credulous foreigners. But (what drew heads of state and talking heads) was the raw power Mr. Obama has amassed: the power to start shaping events and the power to move markets." [Permalink]

Friday, July 25
Spiegel: No. 44 Has Spoken
Opinion: "Anyone who saw Barack Obama at Berlin's Siegessäule on Thursday could recognize that this man will become the 44th president of the United States. He is more than ambitious -- he wants to lay claim to become the president of the world." [Permalink]

Is Obama President?
Good question, answered. [Permalink]

The Page: RNC announces convention schedule
"The party announces the block schedule for their convention in St. Paul starting Sept. 1. The festivities will kick off at 3:30 pm and go until 11 pm ET (with a 30-min break at 7:30 pm)." [Permalink]

Times (UK): He ventured forth to bring light to the world
"And so it was, in the fullness of time, before the harvest month of the appointed year, the Child ventured forth - for the first time - to bring the light unto all the world." [Permalink]

Barack Obama: Berlin video
Video of yesterday's Tiergarten speech as provided by the campaign. [Permalink]

Thursday, July 24
RCP: Sen. Obama - A World that Stands as One
Full text of Thursday's speech in Berlin. [Permalink]

Wednesday, July 23
Spiegel: Obama camp 'frustrated' over Berlin
"Spiegel has learned that the Obama team is frustrated by the controversy surrounding the candidate's Germany visit, with some asking why the trip is so difficult for the Germans to comprehend." [Permalink]

Tuesday, July 22
Spiegel: Berlin Reopens World Cup 'Fan Mile' for Obama
"Don't bring bags or placards, but make sure to smile for the camera! Barack Obama doesn't want to let anything steal the show at his Berlin debut, where the streets and the Victory Column are being transformed into a 'fan mile' for the US Democratic Party's presidential candidate." [Permalink]

Time: Never Underestimate McCain, But ...
Michael Grundwald argues that the nation's yearning for change, coupled with McCain's inability (thus far) to find a voice, amount to a 'perfect storm' against the Republican candidate. [Permalink]

HuffPo: McCain's 99 Problems
Seth Grahame-Smith runs down the list. [Permalink]

FOLLOW ELECTICKER ON TWITTER FOR BERLIN UPDATES
Get the latest media reports and, on Thursday, follow Electicker's live coverage from the ground in Berlin. [Permalink]

Monday, July 21
WSJ: Europe Has an Economics Lesson for Obama
Across-the-aisle fiscal reform projects in European legislatures should inform a candidate for the US Presidency. [Permalink]

FT: One simple way to predict a victor
Clive Crook: "History suggests Mr McCain is toast." [Permalink]

Spiegel: Will Europe's Adulation of Obama Soon End?
A summary of German press on the Senator's upcoming visit. "Germans are infatuated with the Democrat, particularly because he isn't George W. Bush. But German commentators doubt the love affair will survive this week's foreign policy speech." [Permalink]

Kos: Obama, one million Germans, and history
MBNYC explains how almost no location in Berlin is free from symbolic ambiguity. "Obama has chosen a location that speaks to a history we're well advised to understand and remember. In practical terms, he also picked the one spot in Berlin that can accommodate the huge crowds inspired by his candidacy and by the idea that America is turning over a new leaf. As to the larger symbolism, there are few places I can think of in Berlin better suited for a repudiation of America's own recent war of conquest and aggression than the German Empire's shattered monument to its own futile triumphs." [Permalink]

Sunday, July 20
Der Spiegel (DE): We stand by our al-Maliki quote
"Despite a half-hearted retraction (by way of CENTCOM, no less - ed.), the comments have stirred up the US presidential campaign. SPIEGEL stands by its version of the conversation." A full transcript of the interview is provided. [Permalink]

NYT: Veepstakes in plain sight
"Mr. Obama is likely to announce his choice the week before the Democratic convention begins on Aug. 25, party officials said. Mr. McCain is leaning toward announcing his as soon as the Democratic convention is over, though associates said he had not ruled out making the announcement before the Olympics begin on Aug. 8." [Permalink]

Saturday, July 19
The Trail: Obama Aide Envisions a Game-Changing Movement
Deputy campaign manager Steve Hildebrand muses on the broader progressive movement, the 50-state strategy and the upcoming voter registration drive. [Permalink]

Pollster: New Pew data on cell phones
An illustration of the modest but structural disparity between land line-only and cell phone polling samples. [Permalink]

Ambinder: Al-Maliki agrees with Obama - it's a big deal
"This could be one of those unexpected events that forever changes the way the world perceives an issue. Iraq's Prime Minister agrees with Obama, and there's no wiggle room or fudge factor. This puts John McCain in an extremely precarious spot: what's left to argue?" [Permalink]

NYT: The Buzz About a McCain-Romney Ticket
"These days Mr. Romney, a telegenic former Massachusetts governor, is serving as a wingman extraordinaire for Mr. McCain on cable television. (...) Now Mr. Romney is attracting perhaps more buzz than anyone else as a potential running mate for the man he once derided. " [Permalink]

WaPo: McCain to Focus On Domestic Issues
"As Sen. Barack Obama takes a highly publicized trip abroad over the next week, Sen. John McCain plans to highlight his commitment to the nation's domestic challenges in stops across the country." [Permalink]

Ben Smith: Obama in Afghanistan
Pool report from the reporters accompanying the Senator from Chicago to Andrews AFB. [Permalink]

Friday, July 18
Electicker: OBAMA'S TRAVEL SCHEDULE
Here's what we've been able to piece together from news reports and other public sources. All of this is of course tentative and subject to change.

  • Sat Jul 19: Sen. Obama arrives in Afghanistan Saturday, after a short stopover in Kuwait, with Sens. Hagel (R-NE) and Reed (D-RI) as part of a Congressional delegation.

  • Sun Jul 20: The Senator meets with Pres. Karzai. Upon leaving the country he makes another intermediate stop in Kuwait, meeting with Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah.

  • Mon Jul 21: Sen. Obama visits Iraq.

  • Tue Jul 22: The Senator is expected to visit Israel, where he will meet with Pres. Peres, PM Olmert, Ministers Barak of Defense and Livni of Foreign Affairs and opposition leader Netanyahu. Additionally, he is slated to visit Jordan and meet with King Abdullah II.

  • Wed Jul 23: The Haaretz report cited above also quotes Palestinian peace negotiator Saeb Erekat as saying Sen. Obama will meet with Pres. Mahmoud Abbas and PM Salam Fayyad of the Palestinian National Authority in Ramallah on this day. However, further meetings with Israeli leaders on this day cannot be ruled out.

  • Thu Jul 24: In the morning, Sen. Obama will arrive at Berlin's Tegel Airport for what is claimed to be the overseas trip's main PR event. During the day he will meet with Chancellor Merkel of Germany and Foreign Minister Steinmeier. At 7 PM, he is scheduled to speak for up to an hour about Euro-American relations at the Victory Column in the Tiergarten park, with the Brandenburg Gate behind the crowd, which will likely flood Strasse des 17. Juni. Sen. Obama will spend the night in Berlin.

  • Fri Jul 25: Sen. Obama will meet with Pres. Sarkozy of France at Elysee Palace in Paris.

  • Sat Jul 26: The Senator will meet with UK PM Brown and opposition leader Cameron in London.

  • [Permalink]


    Berliner Zeitung (DE): More Obama Berlin details
    The gist: Obama will speak for up to an hour - stage to be set up with Victory Column behind the Senator and the Brandenburg Gate behind the audience, allowing video shots of both - Large video screens to be erected along 17th June St. [Permalink]

    RCP: Laugh, Obama, Laugh
    "Barack Obama's levity-free reaction to the now-famous New Yorker cartoon leaves one reluctantly wondering: Is he humor-challenged?," Kathleen Parker asks. And, "the wicked retort is invariably more effective than righteous indignation." [Permalink]

    Times (UK): Hysteria alert: Barack Obama starts world tour
    "(T)here's something a bit deeper, a bit more meaningful about the enthusiasm that will be on display next week. Part of it is doubtless that Europeans simply think they recognise one of their own - the closest thing America can produce to a social democrat. (...) The rise of Senator Obama is a reminder of what the rest of the world still admires - sometimes very grudgingly - about America: a constant capacity to renew itself." [Permalink]

    WaPo Op-Ed: The Audacity of Vanity
    Charles Krauthammer: "What Obama does not seem to understand is that the Brandenburg Gate is something you earn." [Permalink]

    Guardian (UK): Obama's excellent adventure
    Press wrap on the Senator's overseas journey. [Permalink]

    Thursday, July 17
    Rolling Stone: Kanye, Wyclef, N.E.R.D. at convention
    "On the celebrity front, Scarlett Johansson, Ben Affleck, Warren Beatty and Annette Bening are all planning on appearing. Both Coors and Anheuser-Busch are sponsoring, so a good time will be had by all." [Permalink]

    Seattle P-I: The candidates that roared
    Marianne Means in the Post-Intelligencer: "(Obama) originally planned a photo opportunity in front of Berlin's Brandenburg gate, which [...] stands not far from the city hall where President John F. Kennedy in 1963 made his dramatic declaration 'Ich bin ein Berliner' before a cheering, weeping crowd of more than 100,000. I was there, and I have never experienced such a public wave of emotion -- the Berlin airlift of 1948-1949 was fresh in memory and the tensions in the beleaguered city were still high. [...] What has Obama ever done for Berlin, or Germany? A stranger not yet a president high-handedly usurping a nation's premier symbol of unity and peace for selfish campaign purposes is not a very smart way to improve our relations with that foreign country." [Permalink]

    Martin: McCain implies he will be in Senate next year
    "Could I mention the presence of my friend Congressman Steve Pearce who I believe will be joining me in the United States Senate. (...) Steve, thank you" [Permalink]

    Cologne Stadt-Anzeiger (DE): Obama to speak at Victory Column
    Government sources in Berlin say he will speak at the famous Tiergarten monument during the evening of the 24th, according to the paper. He will allegedly meet with Chancellor Merkel earlier in the day while also making stops at the Jewish Museum and the US Embassy, the latter providing a Brandenburg Gate photo op after all. [Permalink]

    Wednesday, July 16
    TPM: Bayh as Veep?
    Sen. Bayh might be a tough sell: "That's because in 2003, Bayh was an honorary co-chair of the neocon pro-war Committee for the Liberation of Iraq -- a group he joined along with none other than John McCain and Joe Lieberman, according to a press release from during the run-up to the invasion." [Permalink]

    Politico: 'Idiot's Veto' not worth the cost
    Roger Simon on the New Yorker cover flap: "If a single person might not get a joke, then you should not tell the joke. All humor (and everything else) should be reduced to the lowest common denominator just to make sure nobody misunderstands anything. This would, of course, remove a lot of the humor from life." [Permalink]

    Observer (UK): The world is waiting to love America again
    "An Obama presidency would certainly make many nations feel better about American leadership. He has expressed a willingness to listen more to allies and talk more to potential foes. He has taken domestic political fire for saying he would open a dialogue with Tehran. But he has also shown a reflex to make hawkish statements. His mixture of dialogue and firmness would make a refreshing change." [Permalink]

    WaPo: Anchoring Obama's Trip
    US network anchors are gearing up to interview the Senator in Europe: "The Washington Post has learned that Brian Williams, Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric will travel overseas next week, lured by the prospect of interviews with the presumed Democratic candidate. That means the NBC, ABC and CBS newscasts will originate from stops on the trip and undoubtedly play it up." [Permalink]

    Tuesday, July 15
    CBS: Will Romney's Combative Style Net VP Nod?
    "Since dropping out of the Republican race in February, he has gone from being John McCain's fiercest rival to one of the Arizona senator's most visible surrogates. What was inconceivable during the height of their primary battles, the prospect of a McCain/Romney ticket, is now a real possibility." [Permalink]

    New Yorker: Flip Flop Flap
    "Obama, it turns out, is a politician." [Permalink]

    Politico: Hill Democrats miffed at Obama
    'After a brief bout of Obamamania, some Capitol Hill Democrats have begun to complain privately that Barack Obama’s presidential campaign is insular, uncooperative and inattentive to their hopes for a broad Democratic victory in November. ' [Permalink]

    Monday, July 14
    NYT: Obama - My Plan for Iraq
    The Senator lays out his plan for Iraq in an Op-Ed in the New York Times. [Permalink]

    New Yorker: How Chicago shaped Obama
    Epic investigation of the Senator's Illinois years. [Permalink]

    Sunday, July 13
    NYT Editorial: McCain's budget plan is blowing smoke
    'Either he has a secret plan to balance the budget or he's blowing smoke. [...] It is safe to assume there is no secret plan.' [Permalink]

    Politico: 5 presidential campaign cash myths
    527s don't matter that much, McCain's not really running a publicly financed campaign for the general election, he did not break campaign finance law in the primary, Lobbyists and PACs don't matter that much either, and Hillary Clinton's debt doesn't matter that much either. There, now you don't have to read the article. [Permalink]

    Telegraph (UK): Brown, Cameron prioritize Obama
    'Barack Obama has been told that Gordon Brown and David Cameron are prepared to drop all other business to meet him when he travels to Britain later this month.' [Permalink]

    Friday, July 11
    WSJ: Hagel to Join Obama on Iraq Trip
    'The buzz this week that Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska is planning to join Sen. Barack Obama on an up-coming visit to Iraq is correct, two sources with knowledge of the trip confirmed Friday.' [Permalink]

    The Trail: Obama's Accidental Sister Souljah Moment
    The Washington Post blog posits Jesse Jackson handed the Democractic candidate his Sister Souljah moment: 'Barack Obama leads a charmed life. He finally had his Sister Souljah moment and didn't even have to show up. Jesse Jackson did it for him solo.' [Permalink]

    Thursday, July 10
    Guardian: In praise of... Rathaus Schoeneberg
    Is the town square at the former West Berlin city hall - where JFK gave his famous 'Ich bin ein Berliner' speech and which is now named John-F.-Kennedy-Platz - the obvious compromise for what people are starting to refer to as 'Brandenburg Gate'? [Permalink]

    Ambinder: Obama's Europe Trip, Risks And Benefits
    'Obama's trip to Europe will be a huge event (...) If Obama does speak at the Brandenburg gate -- and it's unclear whether he will at this point -- you could envision a crowd of more than 200,000 watching and cheering him. (...) His trip has to be flawless, message-wise, tone-wise and in its execution.' [Permalink]

    Economist: New and improved
    Another angle: Obama is not moving to the center enough. [Permalink]

    ESSENTIAL - NYT: The Audacity of Listening
    Gail Collins provides a powerful companion piece to last week's 'New and Not Improved' editorial. 'When an extremely intelligent politician tells you over and over and over that he is tired of the take-no-prisoners politics of the last several decades, that he is going to get things done and build a 'new consensus,' he is trying to explain that he is all about compromise.' [Permalink]

    Wednesday, July 9
    NYT: Prospect of Obama at Brandenburg Gate Divides German Politicians
    With the pillars of the Brandenburg Gate looming in the background, tens of thousands of adoring Berliners turn out to greet Senator Barack Obama with wild cheering. It may have seemed like the perfect campaign stop on the candidate’s highly anticipated European tour, an ideal way to burnish his foreign policy credentials. Instead, the plan — widely dissected in the German news media but never confirmed by the Obama campaign — has exposed fissures in the German government, with the conservative chancellor, Angela Merkel, strongly criticizing the proposal and the Social-Democratic vice chancellor and foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, speaking out in favor of it. The ensuing uproar here has underscored the hazards for Mr. Obama in taking his presidential campaign overseas. [Permalink]

    Tuesday, July 8
    Politico: Networks may limit convention coverage
    'Major television networks are considering curtailing coverage of the Democratic National Convention after Monday’s announcement that Barack Obama will accept his party's nomination in a Denver stadium. According to several broadcast executives, the networks will still cover all the major speeches. But beyond that, all options are open as they look for savings to balance out the anticipated costs surrounding the stadium event. The acceptance event is an unexpected departure from the traditional convention hall format for which they have spent months planning.' [Permalink]

    Times (UK): Obama's Berlin visit sparks German row
    '(A) simmering row between the German Government and the local Berlin authorities could rob the Democratic politician of a photogenic moment at the Brandenburg Gate and derail his flagship tour of Europe this month. The plan, Obama advisers have told Der Spiegel magazine, is to use the visit on July 24 to signal an imminent improvement in the transatlantic relationship.' [Permalink]

    Salon: Barack by the books
    'The works that have influenced Obama illustrate that he would be the most literary president in recent memory -- and one likely to govern from the center.' [Permalink]

    Monday, July 7
    Spiegel: Obama in Berlin July 24 (and Electicker will be there)
    According to Der Spiegel, all signs point to a July 24 appearance (although details remain sketchy). Here's what Roger Cohen (in NYT) thinks he should say. Assuming an appearance on the 24th goes through, Electicker plans to attend the event. [Permalink]

    Sunday, July 6
    Ambinder: Invesco Field announcement 'monday'
    An official announcement that Obama will accept his candidacy not at Denver's Pepsi Center but at the nearby Invesco Field at Mile High stadium (which can accommodate at least 75,000) will come Monday, according to Marc Ambinder's sources. [Permalink]

    Rolling Stone: A Conversation With Barack Obama
    Admittedly, it's pretty fluffy. But the music angle is pretty good. [Permalink]

    BBC: Candidate Flip-flop overview
    A few examples of Obama and McCain changing positions on various issues. [Permalink]

    Saturday, July 5
    Spiegel: Obama may speak in front of Brandenburg Gate
    Obama is likely to visit Europe before the end of July, and Berlin Senate has reportedly been asked whether Obama can speak in Pariser Platz, in front of the Brandenburg Gate, where President Reagan gave his famous 'Tear down this wall' speech. [Permalink]

    NYT: Rising Convention Costs and Delays Worry Democrats
    "For all Senator Barack Obama's success at raising money and generating excitement among voters, he faces a daunting challenge as he prepares to claim the nomination in August: a Democratic convention effort marred by costly setbacks and embarrassing delays." [Permalink]

    CNN: Why Europe loves Barack Obama
    Today's Eurobamania, by way of CNN: "Leaving Amsterdam, I was slightly alarmed when the security agent inspecting my bags asked me to step aside. The agent, a Dutchman of African descent, leaned over the table and asked me in a lowered voice: 'Do you think Barack Obama really has a chance to win the election?'" [Permalink]

    Friday, July 4
    WSJ: Can Barack Buy the Presidency?
    Karl Rove makes his point about money and how it relates to the Obama campaign. "Mr. Obama may be overreaching by running ads in (...) states Republicans won by comfortable margins in recent years. It would require a shift of (a size that rarely happens). Big shifts do occur – witness West Virginia in 2000, which swung more than 20 points between 1996 (when Bill Clinton carried the state) and 2000 (when George W. Bush did) – but these require sharp contrasts on big issues, not just money." [Permalink]

    538: Does an Edwards-Rove debate mean no Edwards VP?
    Is a Buffalo debate planned for September between Karl Rove and John Edwards - beside totally awesome - the death knell to a hypothetical Edwards running mate bid? [Permalink]

    HuffPo: Europe is Obamaland: Senator's Remarkable Popularity Transcends Borders
    More swooning on the Old Continent, with an ominous nod at the Kerry campaign: "Europe, and much of the world, awaits the coming of Obama, and a political dawn to sweep away the long night of the Bush era. Of course, it may only be a matter of time before Republicans start accusing Obama of being, 'too French.'" [Permalink]

    ESSENTIAL • NYT: New and Not Improved
    Essential reading: the NYT blasts Sen. Obama's post-primary revisiting of issues in a short, sincere, clearly laid-out editorial [Permalink]

    Wednesday, July 2
    Slate: Political predictions markets explained
    "The idea behind political prediction markets is simple. Lots of people wager on the outcome of political campaigns: Who's going to be the Democratic presidential nominee? Will the Republicans take back the House? And when the votes are counted, the winning bettors collect." [Permalink]

    June
    Sunday, June 29
    NYT: Obama Camp Thinks Democrats Can Rise in South
    "As they look to the fall election, Democrats face a strategic decision that has bedeviled their party for 40 years: How hard should they fight in the South?" [Permalink]

    Friday, June 27
    Map of the political blogosphere
    Interesting visualization of who links who, albeit a little light on details. [Permalink]

    Prezvid: The Man with the Plan (video)
    David Plouffe lays out the strategy for November. It involves Powerpoint slides! [Permalink]

    Newsweek: Inside Obama's 50-state strategy
    "Let's do the math. If Obama holds all the Kerry states, he's at 252. Add Iowa for 259. Add a win in Virginia or North Carolina, 'and it's game, set, match,' says Plouffe." [Permalink]

    So, how much would you pay for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton's autographs?
    The LA Times' Top of the Ticket speculates the "unity check" may be worth more than the amount on the check itself. [Permalink]

    Unity: watch live
    Obama & Clinton campaign in Unity, New Hampshire. [Permalink]

    Thursday, June 26
    Gawker: Obama magazine covers
    As the article mentions, the Tiger Beat one is a forgery by The Onion. However — yes, he really is on the front page of Rolling Stone again. [Permalink]

    NY Mag: Raise High the Rafters
    Must-read dissection of Obama's rhetorical style focusing on the immense expectations Obama will face when he takes the stage at the convention. [non-print version] [Permalink]

    RCP: Obama's 50-state strategy
    "If everything goes according to the campaign's plan, Barack Obama should win all of the states John Kerry carried in 2004, plus a few that haven't been seriously challenged by a Democratic candidate in years." [Permalink]

    Sunday, June 22
    NYT: Leader of the Pack
    Pamphleteer Tony Horwitz pleads with Barack to get back into the habit: "To capture voters in coal country and smokestack towns, he needs an old-fashioned coffin nail." [Permalink]

    Thursday, June 19
    NYT: Comparing Bush and McCain
    "Democrats say that electing John McCain would bring the equivalent of a third Bush term, while Republicans say these charges are just political spin. Here is where Mr. McCain and Mr. Bush stand on key issues." [Permalink]

    Wednesday, June 18
    Quinnipiac: Obama leads in FL, OH, PA
    Latest poll shows narrow leads for Obama in swing states Florida and Ohio and a 12-point lead in Pennsylvania. [Permalink]

    Tuesday, June 17
    The Bush Years; C.E.O., U.S.A.
    Lest we forget: a prescient assessment of a dawning George W. Bush administration, a week before Inauguration Day, 2001. [Permalink]

    Tuesday, June 10
    NYT: At the Brokered Convention
    Amusing "What If?" fantasy By William Safire musing on the possibility of delegate mayhem on the floor of the Democratic convention... of 2004. [Permalink]

    Monday, June 9
    WaPo: Each Party Is Set to Hunt The Other's Usual Ground
    "[Both Senators are] determined to shake up an electoral map that has been virtually static over the past two elections." [Permalink]

    Sunday, June 8
    Meng Bomin: Final D Primary Map
    Remember: the primaries are not the general election. Still, while we're here, with little to do but battle primary withdrawal syndrome: Meng Bomin's final primary maps. [Permalink]

    Saturday, June 7
    In support of Obama, European leaders break protocol
    In many democratic nations, any outspoken involvement in an ongoing foreign election is appropriately taboo. However, some European politicians seem to have some trouble hiding their Obamania. After candid sort-of-endorsements from Britain, Holland and Italy, here's a recent example from Germany. [Permalink]

    Friday, June 6
    Video: Obama on Your Shoulder
    He shows up when what you do is wrong. Also, he's really tiny. [Funny] [Permalink]

    Thursday, June 5
    Seriously, golf gear?
    The McCain campaign website currently has four tabs: Decision center; General Election; Obama & Iraq; and... golf gear. [Permalink]

    NYT: How different groups voted
    Another cool thingamajig from the Times; this one interactively shows demographic groups' voting patterns in the Dem primaries. [Permalink]

    NYT: Where candidates found support
    Must-see infographic shows where Sen. Clinton's and Sen. Obama's respective bases lay. [Permalink]

    Wednesday, June 4
    ABC: Clinton Preparing to Drop Out of Presidential Race
    ABC News's story on Clinton's dropping out is an interesting recap of the primary season. [Permalink]

    Tuesday, June 3
    Malkin: Where's the Michelle Obama tape?
    After I myself got a little swept away in the snowballing rumor mill, here's a sober view - from a very conservative blogger, no less. Michelle Malkin: "Larry Johnson, the main source of the rumors, is not, not, not to be trusted." [Permalink]

    Sunday, June 1
    Is a "Whitey" tape about to be released?
    Weeks-old rumors on the purported existence of video showing Michelle Obama engaged in slighting language against white people - at the Trinity church pulpit, some claim - have resurfaced today: conservative blogs are atwitter with speculation that the alleged footage's release is imminent, and word is that Neil Cavuto will address the issue Monday on Fox News at 4 PM ET.

    Larry Johnson, formerly with the CIA and a strong critic of Senator Obama, writes that he will post "news" on the tape Monday 9 AM ET on his blog. And lastly, for what it's worth, here's video of George Stephanopolous hinting at a possible event along these lines.

    Electicker does not usually post on rumors and passes no judgment on the content or even existence of this purported footage before it is actually released. However, the sudden intensity of the speculation is such that just putting this out there seems warranted. Still, as always, take it with a grain and salt, and we'll see how things develop. [Permalink]


    Newsweek: Hillary, You Didn't Win. Now Don't Whine
    "[The] complaint, that Hillary Clinton may be denied the nomination because she's the victim of sexism, doesn't hold water. " [Permalink]

    May
    Friday, May 30
    Rules & Bylaws Comittee meeting survival kit
    Tomorrow! And here's what you need - besides popcorn and an undying hunger for procedural minutiae - to survive what promises to be the BEST Rules & Bylaws Comittee meeting EVER: The Caucus's Q&A | Espinoza's timeline | Clinton counsel's letter | Who's who | DNC memo | and lastly, C-SPAN or CNN. Fun starts at 9:30 AM ET and continues into the afternoon. [Permalink]

    Newsweek: Obama needs the Clintons in Denver
    If Hillary threatens to pull a Ted Kennedy at her convention speech, maybe Obama should have the man himself at hand, health permitting. [Permalink]

    Thursday, May 29
    Politico: Obama's winnin', but the drama's Clinton's
    Stellar tongue-in-cheek column by Roger Simon: "Obama leads Clinton in [...] pledged delegates, superdelegates, states won, etc. But he definitely trails her badly on drama." [Permalink]

    TPM: Obama's Route To The White House
    In the vein of the Salon article, Talking Points Memo examines Obama's electoral challenges, focusing especially on scenarios where Obama would carry most of the 2004 Kerry states, but lose either Florida or Ohio. [Permalink]

    Reader's Digest: Obama interview
    Obama on the first 100 days of his would-be presidency, partisanship and foreign policy. [Permalink]

    Wednesday, May 28
    Florida & Michigan - how we got here
    Ed Espinoza runs down the timeline of how two states' race to the start of the primary season became a drag toward the end of it. (Note: I believe Saturday's RBC meeting will at least be carried on C-SPAN, but I'm not quite sure.) [Permalink]

    Tuesday, May 27
    The Note: Thinking About Tomorrow
    Well-written state-of-the-race overview. "Don't expect too much at Saturday's Rules & Bylaws Committee meeting. Michael Tackett writes: 'The DNC already decided that Florida and Michigan should be penalized [...]. If the party is to stand for anything, it will uphold its rules.'" [Permalink]

    Monday, May 26
    Castro: The empire’s hypocritical politics [English]
    In Granma, Fidel Castro criticizes Obama's Cuba speech, but sounds almost wistful doing so: "What did he say in his speech in Miami, this man who is doubtless, from the social and human points of view, the most progressive candidate to the U.S. presidency?" [Permalink]

    Politico: Obama, Clinton cash flow stymies analysis
    Clinton and Obama have filed fundraising reports so large that Microsoft Excel trembles with fear (and an insufficient number of rows). [Permalink]

    Sunday, May 25
    Newsweek: A Memo to Sen. Obama
    "The good news is that you have all but won the nomination. The bad news, if we are willing to face reality, is that the country - some parts of it, anyway - may not be ready to elect a black president of the United States." [Permalink]

    Politico: How small stories become big news
    The Politico reflects on Assassigate and the media storm it spawned. A sobering read. [Permalink]

    Saturday, May 24
    Is Barack Obama Muslim?
    An in-depth, thorough investigation of the question that has been bugging observers since well before the start of the primary season. Be warned though, some might find this a lengthy read. [Permalink]

    Olbermann: "Clinton, we cannot forgive you this"
    "You actually used the word 'assassination' in a time when there is a fear, unspoken but vivid and terrible, that our again-troubled land [...] might target a black man running for president." | text | video of Clinton remark and non-apology apology [Permalink]

    Friday, May 23 Thursday, May 22
    IHT: Obama's uphill battle with Florida's Jews
    Misinformation and a general uneasiness pose a tangible obstacle for Sen. Obama in a crucial state. [Permalink]

    Wednesday, May 21
    Hillary's bicycle kid speaks
    You've probably heard Clinton's story about the 11 year-old who sold his bicycle to donate to her campaign, but wow, does he talk like a politician. [Permalink]

    Tuesday, May 20
    Sen. Obama's remarks in Des Moines, IA
    Will be remembered as the "Change is coming to America" speech: one of the best-written speeches of the season. [Permalink]

    Text: Sen. Clinton's remarks in Louisville, KY
    "[...] I'm going to keep making our case until we have a nominee, whoever she may be." [Permalink]

    Richard Cohen: Why Clinton Fights On
    "A man cannot play the victim, especially a sexual one. I am tempted to say it would be unmanly, but that's not exactly what I mean. I mean it does not befit a leader. The Internet would sizzle with ridicule. [...] Nothing dies on YouTube." [Permalink]

    Monday, May 19
    TPM: Gore fundraiser invitation (image)
    The Uniter is here: on the day of the RBC hearing Al Gore will host a fundraiser with Howard Dean and a host of Clinton and Obama supporters. Speaking of the Goremeister™, here's an argument that he should be VP. [Permalink]

    Sunday, May 18
    Brave New Films: The Real McCain
    Shrewd editing exposes contradictions in some of McCain's remarks. [Permalink]

    WaPo: How McCain can win.
    Fox News analyst Dick Morris lays down the playbook for McCain. [Permalink]

    Saturday, May 17
    Salon: How will Barack Obama get to 270?
    Swing states galore: a thorough must-read look ahead to electoral vote challenges in November. [Permalink]

    Time: What Obama Owes the Clintons
    Senator Obama largely owes his unique opportunity in the current climate to President Clinton's policies in the 1990s, Time posits. [Permalink]

    Friday, May 16
    Politico: Obama's endorsement timing
    From Richardson after the Wright affair to Edwards right after being clobbered in WV, Obama's campaign knows when to roll out major endorsements - while keeping a steady trickle of superdelegates going as media background noise. [Permalink]

    Thursday, May 15
    RCP: "If Clinton Wants VP, Obama Can't Stop Her"
    Bob Beckel explores that 'other' brokered convention: a Vice President one. [Permalink]

    The Page: Calendar
    What to watch in months to come. Hang it on your wall. [Permalink]

    Time: McCain's policy speech
    In speech, Sen. McCain envisions his first term as President. Full text. [Permalink]

    Chris Matthews: "Appeasement" (video)
    Matthews blasts a certain Kevin James on his lack of historical aptitude. Lots of two-way (sometimes three-way) shouting. [Permalink]

    US election logos, 2008-1960.
    A potpourri of election logos from 1960 onwards. [Permalink]

    Olbermann: "Mr. President, shut the hell up."
    We're all familiar with Keith Olbermann's diatribes, but this one is particularly sublime. Transcript. [Permalink]

    Wednesday, May 14
    The Hill: Do Senators want to be VP?
    The Hill asked all 97 senators who are not running for president the same question: "If you were asked, would you accept an offer to be the VP nominee?" [Permalink]

    NYT: Edwards endorses Obama
    "There is one man who knows in his heart that it is time to tear down that wall and make one America, Barack Obama." [Permalink]

    Tuesday, May 13
    Sen. Clinton’s Remarks in Charleston, W.Va.
    "[O]ur nominee will be stronger for having campaigned long and hard, building enthusiasm and excitement, hearing your stories, and answering your questions. And I will work my heart out for the nominee of the Democratic Party to make sure we have a Democratic president." Partial video. [Permalink]

    OMG Maps
    I keep looking for a Dem vote-by-county primary map; there's one on Wikipedia but it's no longer linked from the article. DKos's Meng Bomin totally geeked out and brought us a truckload of useful maps. [Permalink]

    fivethirtyeight: WV Preview
    Interesting writeup predicts +39 margin and 105,000 votes for Clinton and a 19-9 delegate split. (I've been on the fence about fivethirtyeight, myself, and it's a bit of a statistics-fest, but hey, he got NC & IN right.) [Permalink]

    Monday, May 12
    ABC: Graphs!
    ABC's slides show development of delegate count and popular vote over the Democratic primary season. Direct link to Powerpoint file. [Permalink]

    Politico: How to end a presidential campaign
    Ben Smith provides Clinton with six options, which may be summarized as denial, bargaining, more bargaining, anger, depression, and acceptance. [Permalink]

    Sunday, May 11
    CJR: Election Mania... in Europe
    Columbia Journalism Review observes a curious interest in the US Presidential elections exhibited by some Europeans - more specifically: by the Dutch. [Permalink]

    NYT: Electoral map
    Quick visual primer on battleground states and their performance in recent elections. [Permalink]

    Politico: Obama camp's 'unsung hero'
    Profile of Jeffrey Berman, the Obama campaign's resident delegate geek. [Permalink]

    Saturday, May 10
    NYT: Pragmatic Politics, Forged on the South Side
    In-depth piece on Sen. Obama - very human-interesty, but somewhat informative on his Illinois State Legislature years. [Permalink]

    Obama takes lead in supers.
    ABC called it sooner, but now pretty much everyone agrees: Obama has collected more superdelegate endorsements than his opponent. Graphs: NYT, DCW numbers; DCW difference. [Permalink]

    Politico: Under Clinton's rules, Obama still wins
    "[...] Obama can fully accept [...] Clinton's terms on Michigan and Florida and still win a majority of pledged Democratic delegates on June 1, allowing him to lay claim to the nomination under the New York senator's own rules." [Permalink]

    Swamp: McCain paints Obama's portrait
    "I do not seek the presidency on the presumption that I am blessed with such personal greatness that history has anointed me to save my country in its hour of need." [Permalink]

    Thursday, May 8
    Mark Salter: Memo on "Sen. Obama's attack"
    Scathing dismissal of Senator Obama's remarks, from the McCain campaign. [Permalink]

    NYT: Sen. Clinton's remarks after the IN & NC primaries in Indianapolis, IN
    For the sake of completeness, the text of Clinton's post-primary speech last Tuesday. [Permalink]

    Video: Obama walks through the Capitol
    Oddly satisfying three-minute video of the Senator walking through the Capitol's Statuary Hall and Great Rotunda inside a bubble of overexcited reporters. (Wait a minute, his day job is on the other side!) Barely intelligible, but excerpts here. [Permalink]

    The Five Mistakes Clinton Made
    I was all prepared to hate on the hindsightedness of this, but taken as a "what went wrong" rather than a "what did she do wrong", it's really informative. [Permalink]

    Rove: it's Obama, warts and all
    In WSJ, a look ahead at a McCain-Obama general. Thoroughly Rovian yet insightful. "Almost everything we think we know right now will be revised and even overturned during the next six months." [Permalink]

    Wednesday, May 7 Tuesday, May 6
    NYT: Sen. Obama's remarks after the IN & NC primaries in Raleigh, NC
    "You know, some were saying that North Carolina would be a game-changer in this election. But today, what North Carolina decided is that the only game that needs changing is the one in Washington, DC." [Permalink]

    The Dem Primary Season in 7 Minutes
    For those who haven't been paying attention, and for those who have: funny and informative video boils down the story so far. [Permalink]

    WaPo: Rolling the dice
    "Barack Obama, it is now clear, is gambling on a grown-up electorate." Also: political geography of Indiana & North Carolina. [Permalink]

    Monday, May 5
    Politico: Clinton fate hangs in the balance
    "None of the remaining six states hold caucuses, [...] where the Obama campaign's organizational strength and savvy shines. Four of the six are closed primaries, which neutralizes Obama's strength among independents and Republicans. None have African-American populations above 10 percent - a key Obama constituency. And two rank among the top 10 states with populations aged 65 or older - a group Clinton runs well with." [Permalink]

    New Yorker: No Endgame
    "[Clinton's] campaign seems to have entered a new, almost mystical phase, in which the number of votes received or delegates pledged no longer matters. 'We don’t think this is just going to be about some numerical metric,' Geoff Garin, one of her chief strategists, recently told the Washington Post." [Permalink]

    NYT: Ruthlessness and Grit Seen in Clinton's Style
    "She has learned how to be ruthless," said Robert B. Reich, an Obama supporter who served as Mr. Clinton’s secretary of labor[...]. "I doubt that it came to her naturally, but she has learned." [Permalink]

    Sunday, May 4
    HuffPo: Clinton Camp's "Nuclear Option"
    "Hillary Clinton's campaign has a secret weapon to build its delegate count, but her top strategists say privately that any attempt to deploy it would require a sharp (and by no means inevitable) shift in the political climate within Democratic circles by the end of this month." [Permalink]

    Saturday, May 3
    Slate on the state of the 'race'
    Timothy Noah's scathing diatribe on how he feels Clinton's path to the nomination is mostly an illusion. [Permalink]

    Friday, May 2
    Politicalmaps.org: Indiana
    The sources can be a bit random at times, but Politicalmaps.org's maps are always informative. Here's one that may be helpful to those looking to know more about Indiana demographics (but take the projections with a sizable grain of salt). Also, North Carolina. [Permalink]

    Thursday, May 1
    Joe Andrew: On My Switch From Clinton to Obama
    In the Huffington Post, Andrew's detailed motivation for his switch from Clinton to Obama. [Permalink]

    April
    Wednesday, April 30
    NYT: A Strained Wright-Obama Bond Finally Snaps
    "[H]e was aware that, shorn of their South Side Chicago context, the words and cadences of a politically left-wing black minister could have a very problematic echo. [...] Then came Mr. Obama's announcement in early 2007 that he would be running for president. Mr. Obama had invited Mr. Wright to deliver the invocation at the event in Springfield. But [...] Rolling Stone had just published a profile of Mr. Obama that included some colorful snippets from the pastor's sermons." [Permalink]

    Youtube: Hillary vs coffee machine
    They say there are three major narratives: human vs. other humans, human vs. him- or herself, and human vs. machine. Guess which story this one tells. (She would have gone for a Red Bull instead, had she known what that is.) [Permalink]

    Senate: McCain is a natural-born citizen.
    It's a legal non-issue, really, but still interesting to see the Senate, by way of Sen. McCaskill et al. (including co-sponsors Sens. Clinton of NY and Obama of IL, by the way) affirm McCain on this somewhat ill-defined concept from the Constitution. [Permalink]

    Politico: Clinton regains her self-confidence
    Though she's still betting on some major game-changing event, Clinton's spirits are buoyed by favorable polls, better fundraising and a rattled-looking opponent. Nonetheless, the math is still against her. [Permalink]

    NYT: Indiana voting rules exotica
    Indiana has an open Democratic primary, meaning Republicans and independents can vote too. *But*, you need to have voted for more Democratic than Republican candidates in the last general election. [Permalink]

    Politico: Obama may win Hill superdelegate fight
    Everyone is all atwitter over this today, so for posterity: A Politico article, quoting Sen. McCaskill (D-Mo.), claims that many officially uncommitted congressmen have quietly made up their minds, and that many of them plan to support Obama. The WSJ seems to agree. Also: "the working assumption [among the GOP] seems to be that the Democratic contest is over and Obama has won." [Permalink]

    Tuesday, April 29
    NYT: Will Edwards endorse?
    "Theories abound: They'll endorse before the [NC] primary. Or after there is a nominee. Or Mr. Edwards will endorse Mr. Obama and Mrs. Edwards will endorse Mrs. Clinton. Or none of the above." [Permalink]

    Monday, April 28
    Politico: Obama team remains unshaken
    "After Sen. Barack Obama's third major primary loss and endless media coverage dedicated to dissecting the apparent weaknesses of his candidacy, one of the most striking elements of his campaign this week was what's missing: any hint of internal upheaval." [Permalink]

    TNR: Plouffe Piece
    "One of Plouffe's most underappreciated accomplishments began, fittingly enough, with a spreadsheet. After New Hampshire, Plouffe realized that, if the campaign was going to become a battle of attrition, he needed to convince onlookers that the pledged-delegate total was sacrosanct." A profile of the Obama campaign's geek-in-chief. [Permalink]

    New Yorker: Bill vs. Barack
    Ryan Lizza's dispatch from President Clinton's campaign trail. Guess what: an adviser is quoted as saying, "He doesn’t like Obama." [Permalink]

    Transcript: Obama on Fox News Sunday
    Leap year or not, Chris Wallace had some pressing policy issues to discuss, like angry pastors, death penalty-wielding pro-lifers, sixties radicals, and flag pins. [Permalink]

    Sunday, April 27
    CQ: Make or Break Moments on the Presidential Campaign Trail
    From Nixon's dog Checkers to the Dean Scream, those media moments upon which presidential campaigns have hinged. [Permalink]

    American Presidency Project: Presidential Debates
    A collection of debate transcripts both contemporary and historical, from 1960 onwards. [Permalink]

    Saturday, April 26
    Newsweek: Only in America
    Evan Thomas, Holly Bailey and Richard Wolffe explore the gap with working class voters Obama needs to close. [Permalink]

    HuffPo: Electoral Map Favors Democrats
    "A downtrodden economy, the war in Iraq and a public call for change have created an Electoral College outlook and a political environment filled with extraordinary opportunity for the Democrats and enormous challenge for the GOP nominee-in-waiting." A look at which states might be in play in November by Liz Sidoti. [Permalink]

    WaPo: Clinton donors switching to Obama
    "More than 70 top Clinton donors wrote their first checks to Obama in March, campaign records show." [Permalink]

    Caucus/WSJ: Billification
    Who's got the busiest campaign schedule? That's right, Bill Clinton. [Permalink]

    Friday, April 25
    FactCheck.org: What happens if neither candidate wins enough delegates to secure the nomination?
    Back, for a moment, to the intricacies of DNC rules and the (un)likelihood of a brokered convention. [Permalink]

    Media Jump Ship from Obama To Clinton
    I was slightly skeptical about this being more than just a passing artifact of Clinton's PA win, but the HuffPo's political editor Thomas Edsall seems to make a convincing case, citing everyone from Cillizza, TNR and the Times of London to Karl Rove. (But we linked the Rove article yesterday already, and twice just feels icky.) Ambinder seems to agree with Edsall. [Permalink]

    ChiTrib: Obama plans major drive to register voters
    Obama: "That's why I'm so proud that today our campaign announced a massive volunteer-led voter registration drive in all 50 states to help ensure every single eligible voter takes part in this election." Details to follow in a Friday conference call. [Permalink]

    Thursday, April 24
    Karl Rove: Is Obama Ready for Prime Time?
    In the WSJ, Rove slams Obama using rhetorical devices straight from someone's playbook. I can't remember who. [Permalink]

    Tuesday, April 22
    NYT: The Low Road to Victory
    "The Pennsylvania campaign, which produced yet another inconclusive result on Tuesday, was even meaner, more vacuous, more desperate, and more filled with pandering than the mean, vacuous, desperate, pander-filled contests that preceded it." [Permalink]

    Trail: Obama Predicts a Race Through June
    "I've come to the conclusion that this race will continue until the last primary or caucus vote is cast, and that's not that far away,", Obama told reporters. [Permalink]

    Monday, April 21
    HuffPo: Clinton on Larry King
    Says she'll campaign vigorously for Obama, should he be the nominee. [Permalink]

    Page: Obama on the Daily Show
    Obama said Clinton's tough campaigning did him 'a favor': "She has put me through the paces," he said. If he wins the nomination, he said, everything's "going to be old news" by the general election. [Permalink]

    Slate: Can a pledged delegate break their pledge?
    "Isn't it kind of crazy?" Cynthia Baughman asks. "Our primary is on Tuesday, the whole country is obsessed with it, and yet no one can say how binding it is?" [Permalink]

    Newsweek: Adios, Sound Bites & Fat Cats
    '[W]hen I read an advance text of Obama's Philadelphia speech on race, I told my wife that it was well written but contained no eight- to 15-second sound bites to counteract the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr.'s greatest hits. [...] It turns out the Obama campaign planned it that way.' [Permalink]

    Final SurveyUSA poll: PA Clinton +6
    Clinton 50, Obama 44. Interestingly, 'Among men, Clinton had led narrowly in 3 of the 4 previous tracking polls, but finishes down 15.' [Permalink]

    Sunday, April 20
    PolWire: Bonus Quote of the Day
    Obama: 'Either Democrat would be better than John McCain. And all three of us would be better than George Bush.' A bit of bigger-picture perspective from the Senator from Illinois. [Permalink]

    Saturday, April 19
    Torrent: The Colbert Report, April 17
    A season high point featuring Clinton, Edwards and Obama. As a rare exception, a torrent link - just because it's a must-see, for those who wouldn't catch it otherwise. [Permalink]

    NYT: For Clintons, a Time to Find Truest Friends
    'I didn't want to get into my reasons,' Mrs. Larson said. 'I just told her [endorsing Obama] was something I had to do.' [Permalink]

    Thursday, April 17
    TIME: Dems Play Trivial Pursuit
    "What's troubling is the gap between the magnitude of our challenges and the smallness of our politics — the ease with which we are distracted by the petty and trivial." [Permalink]

    Wednesday, April 16
    Caucus: Dem debate liveblog
    Highlights: "Interestingly, Obama, who has been defensive so far during this debate, pulls back from the back-and-forth over this embarrassment for Clinton and says it's important that they not get 'caught up with gaffes' that we miss that this election is 'a defining moment' in the nation's history." "Clinton, given equal time, brings up the 'B'-word (bitterness), which Obama has been avoiding all night. Then she tosses in Farrakhan and Hamas and it turns into a big stew of negative associations for Mr. Obama." [Permalink]

    The Nation: "Devastating" Clinton video
    By the pro-Obama Jed Report. It's certainly tendentious, but if anything it's an interesting artifact of the Internet age. [Permalink]

    Tuesday, April 15
    NYT: Possible Clinton governor run dismissed (yet applauded) by NY Dems
    Lentol, a prominent Clinton backer: "Especially since I'm supporting her for president, I would say she certainly could do a bang-up job as governor of the state". [Permalink]

    Reid: Dem contest over "soon"
    But did he say "very soon" or "fairly soon"? There is a difference. [Permalink]

    March
    Monday, March 31
    Rove: How to Win in a Knife Fight
    In Newsweek, a rundown of Rovian strategies for winning a brokered convention by the man himself. [Permalink]

    Sunday, March 30
    Superdelegates: A guide to the undecided
    "'There are no undecided superdelegates,' explained a Democratic superdelegate who asked to remain anonymous. 'Or at least there are very few of them. Most undeclared supers are just that, undeclared.'" [Permalink]

    Saturday, March 29
    Noonan: Getting Mrs. Clinton
    In the WSJ, Peggy Noonan asks, "What, really, is Mrs. Clinton doing? She is having the worst case of cognitive dissonance in the history of modern politics." [Permalink]

    WaPo: Obama's Internet strategy
    In February, the Obama campaign spent 10 times as much on online advertising as Clinton and more than 20 times as much as McCain. [Permalink]

    Thursday, March 27
    Dodd talks to the Nat'l Journal
    Sen. Dodd's thoughts on ending the stalemate. [Permalink]

    Wednesday, March 26
    The Right Choice?
    The American Conservative thinks it's Barack Obama. [Permalink]

    Obama is Nietzschean
    Insightful commentary on Obama's promise of assuaging political nihilism. [Permalink]

    Tuesday, March 25
    NYT: Can a Liberal Be a Unifier?
    Obama promises to transcend red-and-blue politics and build a new governing majority. But can he? [Permalink]

    NYT Op-Ed: Hillary's "Long Defeat"
    "For another three months, we'll have the Carvilles likening the Obamaites to Judas and former generals accusing Clintonites of McCarthyism [...] We'll have campaign aides blurting 'blue dress' and only-because-he's-black references as they let slip their private contempt." [Permalink]

    Sunday, March 23
    PA voter registration up dramatically
    Ahead of Monday's deadline, Democratic enrollment is up by 110,000, with more than 58,000 changing affiliation to Democratic. Dem primary turnout in '04 was 789,882. [Permalink]

    Friday, March 21
    Politico: The Clinton Myth
    "One big fact has largely been lost in the recent coverage of the Democratic presidential race: Hillary Rodham Clinton has virtually no chance of winning. " [Permalink]

    Truth About Trinity
    Blog examines the Jeramiah Wright remarks in their original context. [Permalink]

    Wednesday, March 19 Monday, March 17
    Clinton robo-calls of Obama-committed pledged delegates
    An Iowan county delegate's account of receiving an automated call asking whether he will instead support Clinton at the convention. [Permalink]

    FL Dems: No revote
    "We researched every potential alternative process – from caucuses to county conventions to mail-in elections – but no plan could come anywhere close to being viable in Florida." [Permalink]

    Thursday, March 13
    Obama camp grills HRC statement
    Clinton's "Keystone Test" memo, annotated by the Obama campaign in surprisingly forward terms. [Permalink]

    Monday, March 10
    Politico: Dems brace for six-week brawl
    After so many contests in such a short span of time, the six-week lull between MS and PA is unprecedented in the Internet age. [Permalink]

    Sunday, March 9
    DK: Proper Expectations
    A detailed and insightful breakdown of the delegate math that lies ahead, at Daily Kos no less. [Permalink]

    Meet the Press: Rendell vs. Daschle (transcript)
    Clinton endorser PA Gov. Rendell and Obama adviser Fmr. Sen. Daschle battle it out over FL & MI and the delegate issue. [Permalink]

    Saturday, March 8
    Bill Clinton: Joint Ticket Would Be "Almost Unstoppable"
    Buzz is growing about a possible joint ticket, with Bill floating the idea today as well. [Permalink]

    Friday, March 7
    What If There is No Back Room?
    Newsweek's take on the delegate dilemma, speculating on an indecisive first ballot at the convention. [Permalink]

    Thursday, March 6
    Obama aide: Hillary a "monster"
    "'She is a monster, too – that is off the record – she is stooping to anything,' [Samantha] Power said, hastily trying to withdraw her remark." [Permalink]

    RNC snaps up domain names
    The RNC has been registering election-related domains, even pre-emptively cybersquatting potential anti-McCain domains. [Permalink]

    SurveyUSA: electoral vote maps
    The first polling maps from the head-to-heads. [Permalink]

    Wednesday, March 5
    "Thank You, Signed, Barack Obama"
    Obey Giant: the guy who made that popular Obama poster gets a letter from the man. [Permalink]

    Monday, March 3
    Dallas Morning News: We recommend Barack Obama
    A late endorsement by the Texas paper: "On questions of substance and leadership style, Mr. Obama is the better choice." [Permalink]

    Sunday, March 2
    Houston Press: "Barack Obama and Me"
    Journalist Todd Spivak's notes from Obama's years in the Illinois Legislature. [Permalink]

    Times (UK): Obama may pick Republicans for cabinet
    "Earlier Obama had told the audience [...] that he intended to follow the example of his hero, President Abraham Lincoln, and appoint a cabinet of the talents, irrespective of party labels." [Permalink]

    February
    Thursday, February 28
    TNR: NYT almost endorsed Obama
    "The divisions within the Gray Lady's editorial board mirrored the deep divide that has split Democrats in this tightly contested campaign." [Permalink]

    Wednesday, February 27
    Slate Delegate Calculator
    Can Clinton catch up? Play out the scenarios for yourself. [Permalink]

    Tuesday, February 26
    The Fix: Russert's Tough Questions
    Tim Russert's grilling of the candidates in a nutshell. [Permalink]

    Harry Shearer: "Found Objects"
    Amusing and interesting clips from downtime during live newscasts. Among others, Katie Couric during the NH primary night and Mike Huckabee. (via Metafilter) [Permalink]

    Monday, February 25
    RCP/CBS: Obama up 16 nat'ly (6 avg'd)
    CBS poll has Obama 54-38 over Clinton, bumping the Real Clear Politics Dem nomination average up to 6%. [Permalink]

    Sunday, February 24
    SNL: Mike Huckabee overstays his welcome
    YouTube clip of Huckabee's appearance on Saturday Night Live. [Permalink]

    Saturday, February 23
    WaPo: If Obama went 0-10...
    Imagine that Obama had lost ten races in a row. [Permalink]

    Hillary Is Mom Jeans
    Okay, I take it back. Hillary is not your new bicycle. [Permalink]

    Friday, February 22
    TX debate transcript
    Transcript from last night's Texas Democratic debate. [Permalink]

    Thursday, February 21
    NYT: A Primer for Viewing the Democratic Presidential Debate
    Oddly, no mention of popcorn or at which points to sip an alcoholic beverage. [Permalink]

    Sen. Clinton's Delegate Spin Site
    Delegate Hub gives the rundown on the delegate count. Don't worry: it's "Paid for by Hillary Clinton for President" (scroll down), but "Hillary Clinton for President is not responsible for the content of any external websites". So it can't even remotely be slanted, right? [Permalink]

    Wednesday, February 20
    NPR: Texas Primary-Caucus Combo Explained
    NPR explains the Texas two-step. [Permalink]

    Tuesday, February 19
    Mariachi band for Obama
    Obama gets an endorsement from another important demographic. ;) [Permalink]

    Sunday, February 17
    Actually, I Think We Can
    "I suspect, though, that part of it might be the assumption that idealism is necessarily woolly and misty-eyed and all about singing Kumbaya, while realism is necessarily cynical and disillusioned." [Permalink]

    Truth-o-meter: Huckabee eats squirrels
    It's true. Also, a random excuse to link to Politifacts because it's interesting. [Permalink]

    Saturday, February 16
    Hillary Clinton Is Your New Bicycle
    No, Hillary is your new bicycle. By Coudal Enterprises. [Permalink]

    Canadian Superdelegates
    The Toronto Star interviews two men who may get to exert their influence over the nomination - from Canada. [Permalink]

    A faint hope
    A montage of fainting incidents at Obama rallies. [Permalink]

    Friday, February 15
    Superdelegate Transparency Project
    The Superdelegate Transparency Project compares primary results with superdelegates' current pledges or endorsements and their eventual votes. [Permalink]

    Thursday, February 14
    Barack Obama Is Your New Bicycle
    Why there is only one pair of footprints in the sand? That's where Barack Obama carried you. Hilarious Obamafavorgenerator by Mat Honan. Via Metafilter. [Permalink]

    The Onion: Election Glossary
    The Onion explains arcane terms as "caucus" and "delegate". [Permalink]

    Wednesday, February 13
    Boston.com: Obama Q&A
    Obama addresses some questions on fundamental constitutional issues in this article from December. [Permalink]

    Monday, February 11
    RCP Time Blog: Potomac Polls
    Last polls (I suppose) going in. [Permalink]

    BBC: Election at-a-glance
    Every day, the BBC recaps campaign events, quotes and the look ahead. [Permalink]

    RCP: Can Obama Close?
    Arnon Mishkin lays out some of the electoral challenges Obama faces. [Permalink]

    Sunday, February 10
    Cleveland Plain Dealer endorses Obama, McCain
    Includes audio interviews with the candidates by Ohio's largest paper. [Permalink]

    Friday, February 8
    YT: Derrick Ashong explains why he is for Obama.
    An unexpectedly lucid man-in-the-street interview on the day of the LA Dem debate. From YT user thelatestcontroversy. [Permalink]

    BBC News: Q&A - What happens next?
    The Beeb spells out where we go from here. [Permalink]

    Thursday, February 7
    Obama's Donation Blitz
    Track Obama's post-Super Tuesday donations. [Permalink]

    Wednesday, February 6
    FL & MI Democratic caucuses?
    Reports say the DNC is asking the Dems in Florida and Michigan to hold caucuses to ensure the states' delegates to be seated at the convention come summer. [Permalink]

    HRB: A Primer on Momentum.
    RCP's HorseRaceBlog wrote this interesting analysis of the M-word, back in January. [Permalink]

    Monday, February 4
    NYT: Obama is a Mac, Clinton a PC
    "In the long run, however, Mr. Lessig believes that it is the ability to motivate the electorate that matters, not simple matters of style. And he’s a Mac user from way back." [Permalink]

    CFP: Super Tuesday info
    Poll closing times, demographics, Nov '04 results breakdown, primary/caucus & delegate info, you name it. [Permalink]

    Rove joins Fox News
    Will debut on Super Tuesday. [Permalink]

    The Swamp: Clinton cries in CT
    She cries if she wants to; but is it her party? [Permalink]

    Vote
    Matt Haughey leaves little doubt. [Permalink]

    Sunday, February 3
    RCP: Robert Novak - Dem. Stalemate
    "[The] unexpected reality [of a stalemate] is produced by Obama's appeal, Clinton fatigue and extreme proportional representation adopted by the Democratic Party." [Permalink]

    HuffPo: Obama vs. the Clock
    "If the election were held last Tuesday, Clinton would have walked away with it. If it were to be held a week from this Tuesday, Obama would waltz to victory." [Permalink]

    Caucus: Obama's Super Bowl Ad
    Meanwhile, Barack is watching the game over beer and chili with his Secret Service entourage. "Who can compete with Budweiser?" [Permalink]

    Times of London: The Vote from Notting Hill
    How expat voters - "3,000 miles from Washington and on the wrong side of the Atlantic" - may influence the race for the White House. [Permalink]

    Newsweek: Obamacans
    Some prominent Republicans have caught Obama fever. [Permalink]

    Saturday, February 2
    CNN: A super guide for Super Tuesday
    State-by-state rundown of the looming spectacle. [Permalink]

    Analysis: Is there life after Super Tuesday?
    CNN ponders the significance of Super Tuesday, and explains the "reverse bandwagon effect". [Permalink]

    NYT: Obama's not interested in the polls
    "I’ve never worked for a candidate who asked less about polls." [Permalink]

    Friday, February 1
    FOX News: Ann Coulter & Clinton
    Coulter "endorses" Hillary in this strange Fox News clip, saying she'd pick her over even McCain. [Permalink]

    The Living Room Candidate
    Presidential campaign commercials 1952-2004 [Permalink]

    January
    Wednesday, January 30
    Truthdig: Amigos de Los Latinos
    "Soy Barack Obama, y yo apruebo este mensaje." [Permalink]

    Gallup: Clinton only 6% over Obama
    Obama has now cut the gap with Hillary Clinton to 6 percentage points among Democrats nationally in the Gallup Poll Daily tracking three-day average. [Permalink]

    Tuesday, January 29
    AP: Obama gives Rezko money to charity
    Obama to donate contributions from "Chicago businessman whose past connections to the Democratic presidential candidate have created a distraction". [Permalink]

    Frankenbama and Hillastein
    Two scary hybrids by robinmadden on Flickr. I foresee blossoming novelty mask sales. [Permalink]

    Youbama
    That's right - a YouTube for Obama. [Permalink]

    Beliefnet: Obama is the Dems' "Reagan"
    "[I]f this man gets his party's nomination, he's going to be the next president. By a landslide. [...] If I were a Republican, I'd be very, very afraid. Oh wait, I am a Republican." [Permalink]

    The Daily Political
    A Digg for politics. [Permalink]

    WaPo: Clinton's risky gamble
    Hillary's demographic gambit. [Permalink]

    TGP: Delegate count variants
    Delegate tallies in various confusing flavors. [Permalink]

    Prospect Mag: Obama the Conservative
    Obama should be good news for conservatives, too - on both sides of the pond. (via Metafilter) [Permalink]

    Cartoon: Inspiring Obama
    We're here to help. [Permalink]

    Salon: Bush's dismal state
    "Beginning with the president's first formal State of the Union in 2002, each year he has stood before Congress with a lower approval rating than the year before." [Permalink]

    CNN: Awkward moment
    The two Senators went to great lengths to avoid acknowledging each other in the Chamber. [Permalink]

    State of the Union text
    Full text of the SOTU. [Permalink]

    Monday, January 28
    xkcd supports Obama
    And asks you to do the same. [Permalink]

    Sunday, January 27
    YouTube | Super Tuesday site
    Should be interesting on the day. [Permalink]

    Chicago Tribune endorses Obama
    "Obama's key opponent, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, unifies only her foes." [Permalink]

    Saturday, January 26
    Guardian | The Bill effect
    How Bill's involvement may backfire [Permalink]

    NYT endorses McCain (in 2000)
    The Gray Lady's Republican endorsement op-ed, eight years ago. [Permalink]

    CNN | Michelle vs. Bill
    Not only that, Yale vs. Harvard as well. [Permalink]

    Final SC poll: Obama 15pt spread
    Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby final poll going in: 41 over 26. Final RCP average has Obama at 38, Clinton at 27. [Permalink]

    Friday, January 25
    NYT endorses McCain
    "Still, there is a choice to be made, and it is an easy one." [Permalink]

    NYT endorses Clinton
    "'Firstness' is not a reason to choose." [Permalink]

    Thursday, January 24
    270 To Win
    It takes 270 electoral college votes to win the presidency. Make your own map. [Permalink]

    CounterPunch | The Presidential Candidates and the Politics of Sex
    "Ironically, the traditional liberal vs. conservative argument over personal freedom and big government is reversed when it comes to a woman's right to choose." [Permalink]

    FT | Obama clash may tarnish Bill's global brand
    "By laying into Mr Obama so cynically, Mr Clinton is trashing his own reputation for idealism." [Permalink]

    AP | Why Super Tuesday won't decide nominations
    There just aren't enough delegates. [Permalink]

    Wednesday, January 23
    Are We At War With Iran?
    "And I hope I never have to update this page." [Permalink]

    Guardian | Poll results add fuel to Rep race for FL
    "Radio equipment the fire fighters carried into the towers was antiquated, and Giuliani knew it." [Permalink]

    Liveleak | President Putin of Germany
    A little bit of knowledge espoused by foreign policy wonk McCain. [Permalink]

    The Onion | War for the White House
    The venerable publication's campaign center. [Permalink]

    Flickr | Obamaganda
    You know it's 2008 when meticulously composed campaign promo photos like these pop up in the feeds next to every other schmuck's shots. [Permalink]

    Tuesday, January 22
    Flickr | VOTE
    Beautiful photo by dietrich. [Permalink]

    Monday, January 21
    DKos | NV Voting irregularities
    "[A] voter registration list only in Spanish, and only with Hillary supporters on it. Obama supporters later found the registration list with the rest of the people--in the garbage can of the ladies restroom." [Permalink]

    Sunday, January 20
    MyDD | How the Blogs Were Run
    Natasha Chart\'s roundup of political blogs. [Permalink]

    Slate | Map the Correspondent
    Cool feature from Slate using Google Maps. Nice if you don't already have a bunch of candidates to stalk, I guess. [Permalink]

    Guardian | Super Tuesday explained
    What you should know about Super-whooper-gooper Tuesday. [Permalink]

    Saturday, January 19
    The Fix | Delegate Math: Who Won Nevada?
    Turns out percentages and delegates are two different things. Or aren't they? [Permalink]

    Youtube | Ch-ch-changes
    Amusing video edit riffing on the C-word. Spare some change, buddy? [Permalink]

    Youtube | Esteban Colberto
    Hilarious Spanish-language dub of Lou Dobbs interview on The Colbert Report. [Permalink]

    Politico | Wuerking drawings
    This is where a one-line description would go. [Permalink]

    NYT | Nevada's Caucuses
    But it could also go here. [Permalink]

    Guardian | If you had to vote for one of them...
    In-depth comparison of GOP candidates. [Permalink]

    Friday, January 11
    Metafilter | The Obama Phenomenon
    And then here would be another description. [Permalink]

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