Day's End Round-Up

Barack Obama voicing support for the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) rewrite that passed the House Friday had liberal bloggers wondering if Obama actually does represent change. Continuing money trouble for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and an over-the-top ad from Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) also have bloggers talking Saturday.

Obama's support for a FISA deal that includes immunity for telecommunication companies shows he is just another politician, writes Talk Left's Big Tent Democrat. The blogger calls Obama "disingenuous" for leading liberals to believe he would be different. DemFromCT takes Obama's approval of the FISA rewrite as a sign that he is starting to move to the middle, hoping to run as a moderate in the general election.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) ended the month of May with thirteen times the cash on hand that the DNC had in the bank, showing the RNC's strong fundraising may prove equal to the Obama money machine, The Swamp reports. Top of the Ticket writes that the numbers prove President Bush is still a top money magnet for the GOP as Bush hit the closed-door fundraising circuit hard in May.

Cornyn unveiled a ultra-cowboy themed ad at the recent Texas GOP convention that Hot Air's Allahpundit calls "the cheesiest reelection ad ever." Cornyn claims the ad was a joke, but if it was a joke, the conservative blogger asks, where is the punchline?

FROM THE BLOGS:
Hillary Coming Back to the Hill - The Page
Obama up 15 in New Poll - SusanG, Daily Kos
Obamaweek Strikes Again - Mark Hemingway, The Corner
The Cheesiest Reelection Ad Ever - Allahpundit, Hot Air
Obama Promises to Filibuster Telecom Immunity - Talk Left
The Seal Deal - Mark Hemingway, The Corner
Saturday Musings - DemFromCT, Daily Kos
RNC Flush with Cash - The Swamp
DNC Lags Behind - Top of the Ticket
Bush Calls out Dems - John Hinderaker, Power Line

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
More Congressional Computers Hacked from China - The Hill
It's Vetting Time - National Journal
Obama Plans National Push on Ads and Turnout - New York Times

The House approving a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) rewrite including telecom immunity has liberal bloggers fuming Friday afternoon. Former White House press secretary Scott McClellan testifying in front of the House Judiciary Committee and a twitter debate between the Barack Obama and John McCain campaigns also have bloggers talking going into the weekend.

There was nothing bipartisan about the FISA compromise, write Glen Greenwald who calls House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)

House Democrats have sold out their base after agreeing to a deal on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), liberal bloggers furiously charge Thursday. Rep. Don Young

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) has baffled conservative bloggers by saying he didn

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton

The Democratic convention could be a disaster as the convention committee may come up short on funds, conservative bloggers forecast. Democrats should celebrate former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner

Democrats have cause to worry about Barack Obama

The death of Tim Russert, NBC's longtime host of "Meet the Press," stunned the national political community Friday. The debate over how many debates the presidential candidates should have, and the possibility that former Secretary of State Colin Powell may vote for Barack Obama also have bloggers talking.

Russert was by far the most influential journalist in politics, writes Chris Cillizza, who notes that most marked the end of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (D-N.Y.) campaign when Russert said so. Talking Points Memo posts the video of Tom Brokaw reporting the news and notes that Russert had a massive impact on the current presidential race among many others.

The John McCain campaign has found some leverage to get Obama to rethink his position on fewer debates, Marc Ambinder writes, pointing out that Nancy Reagan and the daughters of President Lyndon Johnson have offered up the presidential libraries for use. Open Left's Chris Bowers applauds Obama for rejecting McCain's offer of ten debates, noting that the high number of joint appearance does not offer Obama much to gain.

Powell left open the possibility that he will support Obama and some wondering if he is angling for a spot in Obama's cabinet or on the ticket. Hot Air's Allahpundit thinks Powell would be a powerful boost to Obama's military credentials if he did endorse, but notes that Powell's infamous presentation to the United Nations makes his support less than it once was.

FROM THE BLOGS:
Obama Leans on Team Daschle in Key States - The Fix
Just Keep Saying Success - Matthew Yglesias
Colin Powell May Back Obama - Allahpundit, Hot Air
McCain's Debate Gambit - Chris Bowers, Open Left
12 Steps for Recovering Liberals - Scott Johnson, Power Line
Tim Russert, 58, Has Died - First Read
ANWR Politics - Ramesh Ponnuru, The Corner
Jindal in Details - Top of the Ticket
McCain Slams Court - Swamp Land
FISA and Hoyer - Christy Hardin Smith, Firedoglake

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Tim Russert Is Dead at 58 - New York Times
Maliki Criticizes U.S. Demands - Washington Post
FISA Negotiators Near Deal - The Hill

Barack Obama's birth certificate disproves rumors that he was born outside the country, say bloggers who came to the Illinois senator's defense digging up the document. The results of an internal probe into a National Republican Congressional Committee financial scandal has bloggers shocked. And Obama moving much of the Democratic National Committee to Chicago is the subject of debate.

An unlikely pairing from Daily Kos and The Corner debunks the rumor that Obama was born outside the United States. Kos posts Obama's birth certificate and writes that he's glad to squash false rumors that Obama was born in Kenya under the first name Barry and middle name Muhammad. But the document does not prove anything to some, as suitably flip points out it is not attributed to any person or organization and says it is a certificate of birth, and not a birth certificate.

The NRCC's former treasurer pocketed $725,000 according to an internal audit, The Caucus reports. The blog points out this is the worst time for the report to come out as the committee struggles to keep pace with its Democratic counterpart. The report undermines any GOP demands that Democrats be accountable to get their house in order, Michelle Malkin writes.

And Obama moving much of the party fundraising arm to Chicago is a "major shake-up," writes The Trail. But Marc Ambinder isn't surprised, writing it was a natural move for the Illinois senator's presidential campaign.

FROM THE BLOGS:
DNC Merger with Obama Camp Continues - Marc Ambinder
Obama's Birth Certificate - kos, Daily Kos
Kos Tries to Pass off Obama's Certificate of Birth - Suitably Flip
Obama Shakes up DNC - The Trail
Dean Mum on Obama Using Public Funds - Top of the Ticket
SCOTUS Rules Detainees Can Challenge - Amanda, Think Progress
Jindal: Worse Than Katrina? - Isaiah Poole, Firedoglake
The NRCC Mess Revisited - Michelle Malkin
Slime Attack on Schaffer - Ben DeGrow, The Next Right
Waiting for 2012 for a Real Conservative? - Matthew E. Miller, race42008

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
NRSC Chief Predicts Toughest Election Year Since 1974 - Christian Science Monitor
Dems Attack Lobbying Record of McCain's VP Vetter - The Hill
Justices Rule Terror Suspects Can Appeal - New York Times