Morning Read

Now that Senate Republicans have rallied behind Sen. Tom Coburn

Despite claims in the traditional media that the presidential race is a toss-up, the evidence now shows that Barack Obama has built a significant lead, according to his blogging backers. Obama and John McCain are scrutinized for past comments on the U.S. military surge as both talk about a withdrawal from Iraq. And with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) starting a fight over the measures Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) has blocked, Coburn has taken to the blogs to accuse Reid of distracting the chamber.

State polls show that Obama could win the election without winning a single swing state, but political scientists are split over whether Obama is poised to win handily or if the race is too close to call, writes Thomas B. Edsall in the Huffington Post. Obama leads by nine percentage points in the latest Gallup tracking poll, making Atrios question the narrative that the Democrat isn't winning by enough. Obama has a "clear, if modest, lead" and has received a "significant, if modest" bounce from his trip abroad, writes Daily Kos's DemFromCT, who is still waiting for others to report those facts.

Though McCain has touted his decision to support the surge as evidence of his good judgment, the Republican had hedged his bets by raising questions over its execution back when it began, TalkingPointsMemo's Josh Marshall reminds readers. But unless Obama acknowledges the positive results of the surge, he shouldn't argue that his withdrawal plan is correct, writes RedState's Pejman Yousefzadeh.

Coburn writes on RedState that Reid's $10 million spending bill made up of 35 measures Coburn has blocked merely encourages a less transparent lawmaking process and is distracting the Senate from debating a comprehensive energy plan. But while Coburn may be acting on his fiscal principles, he is the one who has brought the Senate to a screeching halt, writes The New Argument's Joshua Gottesman.

FROM THE BLOGS:
Obama-McCain: Blowout or Trench Warfare? - T. Edsall, HuffPo
But He Should Be Up By 20! - Atrios, Eschaton
Media Narrative: Dead Heat, Damn the Facts - DemFromCT, DKos
Hug For Obama, Handshake for McCain - J. Harwood, The Caucus
Did McCain Hedge Bets on Surge? - Josh Marshall, TPM
Obama Shouldn't Use Surge for Advantage - Yousefzadeh, RedState
Obama: Just a Bit Patronizing? - Carol Platt Liebau, Townhall.com
Welcome News from VP Search? - desmoinesdem, MyDD
Sen. Reid Offers Excuses Not Solutions - Sen. Tom Coburn, RedState
Harry Reid's Dr. No - Joshua Gottesman, The New Argument
GOP To Make Oil, Energy Central Message - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Democrats Try To Break Grip of Senate's Dr. No - New York Times
Record Deficit Expected in 2009 - USA Today
Iraq Clings to Rickety Calm Between War and Peace - L.A. Times
For Obama, Hurdles in Expanding Black Vote - Washington Post

Barack Obama's speech in Berlin gets love from liberal bloggers, while conservatives see it as more evidence of his arrogance. In Congressional races, both parties have candidates competing in tough races who could serve as prototypes for others, according to a conservative and a liberal blogger.

Obama seemed presidential during his speech while John McCain looked petulant for knocking Obama's overseas trip after having traveled abroad as a candidate himself, writes Daily Kos's DemFromCT. What Rush Limbaugh, who attacked the speech for failing to convey "American exceptionalism," doesn't understand is that Obama and his supporters' disappointment over the past eight years stems from the belief that the United States is exceptional and should be doing better, writes Todd Beeton at MyDD. Democrats shouldn't be concerned by the lack of a bounce in Obama's poll numbers; the political point of the trip was to have Obama audition for the part of president - a point he could refer to in the election's final weeks, according to TalkingPointsMemo's Josh Marshall.

But many Americans, especially key Midwestern voters, could find the speech lacking in American pride and bordering on arrogance, Hugh Hewitt writes at Townhall.com. Obama's decision to cancel a visit with U.S. troops after his speaking to thousands of Germans reflects his misplaced priorities, according to Hot Air's Ed Morrissey. And though Obama has put much stock in his message of change, voters see him as risky and could be poised to vote for the safer choice, McCain, during these times of uncertainty, suggests Townhall's Carol Platt Liebau.

Democrat Ronnie Musgrove, who is virtually tied with Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) in their Senate race, may not become the most reliable Democratic vote, but his victory would show Republicans that they no longer have a lock on seats anywhere, writes MyDD's Jonathan Singer. Republican Lou Barletta, who is running against Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.), could prove to his party that a charismatic candidate with a fiscally conservative, anti-illegal immigration message can win in a blue collar, Democratic-leaning district, writes RedState's Soren Dayton.

FROM THE BLOGS:
Obama Not Arrogant or Presumptuous - DemFromCT, Daily Kos
Barack, Rush and I - Todd Beeton, MyDD
Long-Term Benefit of Trip Abroad - Josh Marshall, TPM
The BBQ Media Wants Obama to Win? - Bob Cesca, Huffington Post
Obama's Pride in Berlin - Hugh Hewitt, Townhall.com
Why Obama Snubbed the Troops - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
Polls and Irrational Exuberance - Peter Kirsanow, The Corner
Obama: The 'Riskier' Choice - Carol Platt Liebau, Townhall.com
Bush Also Addresses U.S. Role in World - S.L. Myers, The Caucus
Miss. Sen. Well Within Range for Dems - Jonathan Singer, MyDD
Seeing the Future in Lou Barletta - Soren Dayton, RedState

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Obama's Path to Presidency Far From Clear - L.A. Times
McCain May Act Soon on VP Pick - Washington Post
Obama, in Berlin, Calls for Renewal of Ties w/ Allies - NYT
Obama, Vague on Issues, Pleases Crowd in Europe - NYT

The John McCain campaign attack at the media for going too soft on Barack Obama has unleashed the Republican's blogging backers, who take up the fight. Obama's online supporters focus on the Democrat's trip abroad and what it could mean for the United States' standing in the world. Meanwhile, as Congressional Democrats move along their housing bill, conservative bloggers wonder why Republicans haven't been able to succeed with domestic oil drilling.

Time magazine's Joe Klein is wrong to slam McCain's remark that Obama would lose the Iraq war to win an election since the Democrat has been talking about a withdrawal without victory for several years, writes RedState's Dan McLaughlin. Obama didn't make much sense when he said he would oppose the surge today even knowing what he knows now, yet the "compliant press" has failed to follow up on his comment with targeted questions, according to The Corner's Peter Kirsanow. McCain, however, has long benefited from the press, so it's "about time" that pundits turn on him, notes MyDD's Todd Beeton.

Though Obama is receiving rave reviews for his trip abroad, he and McCain have a chance to improve attitudes toward the United States and the country's national security merely by not being George W. Bush, writes The Huffington Post's Marty Kaplan. But that doesn't mean there won't be speed bumps; Obama received both cheers from the crowd and jeers from a heckler during his trip to the Western Wall in Jerusalem, reports ABC's Jake Tapper on Political Punch.

Republicans in Congress should have forced Democrats to put domestic offshore oil drilling on the table during the housing bill debate, which Democrats won without giving up much in return, writes The Corner's Andy McCarthy. Drilling is getting much support from T. Boone Pickens, the Republican donor whom the liberal The New York Times editorial board may have mistaken for an ally in the fight for renewable energy sources, Power Line's John Hinderaker writes.

FROM THE BLOGS:
Obama's Losing Bet on Defeat in Iraq - D. McLaughlin, RedState
Bizarro World of Obama and Surge - P. Kirsanow, The Corner
Much Iraq Support for Obama's Plan? - P. Yousefzadeh, RedState
McCain's Losing His 'Base' - Todd Beeton, MyDD
McCain, Timelines, Freedom for Iraq - mcjoan, Daily Kos
'Ich Bin Ein Amerikaner' - Marty Kaplan, Huffington Post
Obama Visits Wall, Hears Psalm, Heckling - J. Tapper, Political Punch
Puzzling Republicans on Housing Bill - A. McCarthy, The Corner
T. Boone For Drilling, Not for NYT - John Hinderaker, Power Line
Rep. Kirk's Campaign Stupid or Despicable? - brownsox, Daily Kos
For Better or Worse, Florida's Back - Nate Silver, The Plank
Poll & VP - Jerome Armstrong, MyDD
Novak: Speed Demon - Josh Marshall, TalkingPointsMemo

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Huge Housing Bill Set to Become Law - Washington Post
Voter Unease About Obama Lingers Despite Lead - Wall Street Journal
Obama Working to Ensure Jewish Vote - Washington Post
Dems Rack Up Wins - The Hill

John McCain's new tactic of attacking the press for its so-called positive coverage of Barack Obama failed once before, when Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) tried it, bloggers write. McCain is also getting hammered by liberal bloggers for his latest statement about the surge, while Obama is reminded by a conservative that the surge debate isn't settled. And in congressional elections, the Democrats continue their strong fundraising and now have another reason to think that they can win a House seat in Alaska, their supporters online write.

McCain is emulating Clinton with a new video painting the press as being in the tank for Obama, even though Clinton's attacks fell flat, writes MyDD's Todd Beeton. Instead of getting angry at Obama and the press, McCain should stick to his domestic themes and be confident in the knowledge that he knows the military better than Obama, writes The Corner's Victor Davis Hanson. But The Next Right's Patrick Ruffini writes that McCain will benefit from taking on the media, which he courted in the past but has yet to help him during the campaign.

McCain was wrong when he said on CBS that the surge caused Sunnis in Anbar to turn against al Qaeda, writes the Huffington Post's Seth Colter Walls, who notes that the "Anbar Awakening" preceded the U.S. troop increase. The larger point of McCain's mistake is that it shows the Republican's lack of understanding of the surge, which increased the U.S. troop presence in Baghdad, not Anbar, writes Matthew Yglesias. But even though Obama may be benefiting politically from Iraqi support for a withdrawal timetable, the Democrat still gets the surge wrong by continuing to oppose it, writes The Corner's Peter Wehner.

The Democratic campaign committees for the House and Senate now have a combined $100 million in cash on hand, which is triple the amount that their Republican counterparts have, writes MyDD's Jonathan Singer. And in Alaska's lone House race, Democrats may get to face their preferred candidate, Rep. Don Young (R), instead of Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell (R), who could be hurt by Gov. Sarah Palin's (R) decision to fire a former brother-in-law, writes kos.

FROM THE BLOGS:
Should Tell McCain that Hillary Lost - T. Beeton, MyDD
Hillaryitis - Victor Davis Hanson, The Corner
Finally Taking on The Media - P. Ruffini, The Next Right
McCain Gets Surge History Wrong - S.C. Walls, HuffPo
McCain's Surge of Time Travel - Matthew Yglesias
McCain Can't Decide if We're Winning - T. Beeton, MyDD
Obama and the Surge - Peter Wehner, The Corner
Maliki's Endorsement Not Lost in Trans. - Z. Krieger, The Plank
Palin Scandal Shakes Up House Race - kos, Daily Kos
Dem Campaign Cmtes. Hit $100M - J. Singer, MyDD
Obama Prints German-Language Flyers - P. Ruffini, Next Right
Edwards, Busted - Mickey Kaus, kausfiles
DNC's Denver Gas Tax Holiday - A. Carpenter, Townhall
Trouble on the Home Front - Nate Silver, The Plank
Paul Casts a Larger Shadow (Convention) - S. Wheaton, The Caucus

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Health Plan From Obama Spurs Debate - New York Times
Obama Shifts the Foreign Policy Debate - Washington Post
After Visit, Obama Defends Iraq Plan - Washington Post
Dems Pressured on Guns - The Hill

With Robert Novak reporting that John McCain is on the verge of picking his running mate, conservative bloggers try to give the Republican some last-minute advice. Barack Obama's trip abroad is going swimmingly well, according to his blogging backers, but his critics are pouncing on his refusal to back the U.S. military surge in Iraq. And while Democrats in Congress take heat from the online right for a recent Medicare vote, McCain hears it from the left for a remark about Social Security.

When McCain announces his pick, he should stress the running mate's experience and how the Republican ticket will be better prepared than the Obama ticket for today's dangers, writes Townhall's Hugh Hewitt. If McCain wants to generate excitement and upstage Obama, he could pick an independent, a minority or former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R), suggests Mark Klimer at RedState. But McCain should wait until the convention to make his pick known, since any bounce he would receive in July would dissipate quickly, writes Patrick Ruffini at The Next Right.

Following Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki statement of support for Obama's U.S. troop withdrawal plan, an Iraqi government spokesman is now proposing a timeline that neatly meshes with Obama's, notes Josh Marshall at TalkingPointsMemo. The traditional media is finally calling it like it is by noting how smooth Obama's trip has gone and how much of a long shot McCain is, writes Daily Kos's DemFromCT. But Obama sounded like he would rather lose the war and win an election when he said in a television interview that he wouldn't back the U.S. military surge even if he knew about its effectiveness, writes Power Line's John Hinderaker.

This election year, Congressional Republicans could win points with ads highlighting Democrats' support for a bill that cut seniors' Medicare benefits, writes Pejman Yousefzadeh. But a group critical of McCain, the Alliance for Retired Americans, is running effective ads in swing districts that feature local seniors appalled by McCain's remark that Social Security is a "disgrace," according to MyDD's Jonathan Singer.

FROM THE BLOGS:
When McCain Announces Veep - Hugh Hewitt, Townhall.com
Novak Reports McCain Will Tab Veep Soon - M. Klimer, RedState
McCain to Announce Pick This Week? - P. Ruffini, The Next Right
The Veep-Now Speculation - Kathryn Jean Lopez, The Corner
Iraqi Spokesman on Timetable - Josh Marshall, TPM
Why Is Obama's Popularity w/ Allies Bad? - A. Huffington, HuffPo
Cracks in The Media Narrative - DemFromCT, Daily Kos
Obama Concedes Surge Didn't Go as Expected - Marc Ambinder
Obama Would Rather Lose a War - John Hinderaker, Power Line
Dem Congress Cut Medicare Benefits - P. Yousefzadeh, RedState
ARA Hits McCain on Soc. Sec. - Jonathan Singer, MyDD
Blackwater Getting Out of Security - Josh Marshall, TPM
McCain Straight Talk at a Town Hall - BarbinMD, Daily Kos
The MSM? It's Now 'Traditional' - Kit Seelye, The Caucus

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
McCain Veep Pick to Come This Week - Robert Novak
Obama Makes War Gains - Washington Post
For Obama, First Step is Not a Misstep - New York Times
Bumps Up and Down K Street - The Hill

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has endorsed Barack Obama's plan and has thus changed the way people will see the Iraq war, according to liberal bloggers. But those bloggers simply get it wrong, according to conservatives. Obama has given his online critics more fodder to attack his ego. And as Congress gets ready to approve a housing bill, bloggers on both sides blame the lawmakers for past actions that led to this point.

Even the White House's explanation for Maliki's remark -- that he was bowing to Iraqi public opinion -- shows that the days of the U.S. military presence are numbered, writes Josh Marshall at TalkingPointsMemo. McCain won't be able to paint Obama's plan as irresponsible or naive if the Iraqis themselves support it, writes The Plank's Jonathan Chait. But liberal pundits are ignoring the fact that Maliki's spokesman has tied a troop withdrawal to security on the ground, a position that puts Maliki closer to President Bush than to Obama, according to RedState's Pejman Yousefzadeh.

Obama should worry about "Obamania" developing into a concept that showcases his arrogance, writes Carol Platt Liebau at Townhall.com. Obama, who said during his trip abroad that he'd be dealing with foreign leaders for the next "eight to 10 years," doesn't help himself when he talks extemporaneously, writes The Corner's Victor Davis Hanson.

Congress this week appears set to approve a housing bill that will give relief to distressed homeowners and embattled mortgage companies Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, reports The Caucus's Carl Hulse. But it was lawmakers' decision to deregulate the housing market that caused the bubble and the current danger to the economy, writes The Huffington Post's Jared Bernstein. The Republican-led Congress of the early 2000s deserves blame for excessive domestic spending and size of the federal deficit, which is now putting pressure on lawmakers to allow the expiration of Bush tax cuts, writes The Corner's Peter Robinson.

FROM THE BLOGS:
New Details of Maliki Remark - J. Marshall, TPM
Maliki's Endorsement - Jonathan Chait, The Plank
Don't Know Much About Arabic - P. Yousefzadeh, RedState
Iraq, Looking Back, And Forward - mcjoan, Daily Kos
The Iranians Aren't Interested in Talks - H. Hewitt, Townhall
EgObamaniacal - Carol Platt Liebau, Townhall.com
Another 58 States Thing: Decade Presidents - V.D. Hanson, Corner
Enthusiasm Over Electability - Patrick Ruffini, The Next Right
Obama Stronger Among White Voters than Kerry - J. Singer, MyDD
Congress Moving To Approve Housing Bill - C. Hulse, Caucus
$125 Billion Binge - Peter Robinson, The Corner
The Shampoo Economy - Jared Bernstein, Huffington Post
First Joint Appearance: Warren to Moderate 'Non-Debate' - Ambinder
Netroots Nation Musings - DemFromCT, Daily Kos
Conservatives Aren't Behind? Yeah, Right - A. Marks, Next Right
America's Gone 'Dark Knight' Mad - I. Chotiner, The Plank

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Comment Stings Iraqi Leader on Eve of Obama Visit - NYT
Study: Poor Ballot Designs Still Affect Elections - USA Today
Obama Sticks to His Goal of Swift Iraq Withdrawal - LAT
After 2000, McCain Learned to Work Levers of Power - NYT

Barack Obama's latest national security proposal reflects his inexperience, according to his conservative critics online. Obama, however, is making inroads among evangelicals who had been Republicans, a liberal blogger notes. And Netroots Nation, the liberal blogger conference, has begun with hearty ovations for two of the movement's champions, according to a convention liveblog.

Obama's call for a 'civilian national security force' has Townhall's Carol Platt Liebau envisioning a group of Peace Corps types armed with brooms and shovels. Obama, who called for the force to be "just as strong, just as well-funded" as the military, regularly makes "off-the-cuff" remarks that show his lack of experience, writes Townhall's Hugh Hewitt. Obama's campaign is being a bit "over the top" with its push back against a Washington State Republican Party video of proud Americans who disagree with Michelle Obama's "for the first time" remark, according to The Corner's Byron York, who finds the video positive.

But Republicans may need to worry about votes of evangelicals, who aren't enthralled with John McCain and have noted that Obama is campaigning in evangelical centers, including Zanesville, Ohio, writes The Plank's Christopher Orr. An evangelical reader e-mails The Corner's Kathryn Jean Lopez to say that his voting demographic is changing and wouldn't necessarily support former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) if McCain put him on the Republican ticket.

Netroots Nation kicked off in Austin, Texas on Thursday with a speech by retired Gen. Wesley Clark, who was cheered by the audience for questioning the relevance of McCain's military record to the White House race, notes Todd Beeton at MyDD. Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean thanked the crowd for fueling his 2004 presidential campaign and saying that the torch had been passed to the online activists, Beeton writes. But the narrative of the convention, in its third year, is one of impatience and even a "hint of desperation," as the Bush administration has continued to abuse power and Democrats have failed to achieve their goals in Congress, writes Daily Kos's Hunter.

FROM OTHER BLOGS:
A 'Civilian National Security Force'? - Carol Platt Liebau, Townhall
Cost and Future Scarcity of Electricity - Hugh Hewitt, Townhall
Ugly, Vicious Proud-of-My-Country Attacks - Byron York, The Corner
A Tale of Two Campaigns - Christopher Orr, The Plank
McCain-Huckabee '08 - Kathryn Jean Lopez, The Corner
McCain Isn't Funny, Stop Encouraging Him - B. Cesca, HuffPo
Welcome to Netroots Nation - Hunter, Daily Kos
Netroots Nation Liveblog - Todd Beeton, MyDD
Three Innovative GOP Congress Candidates - P. Ruffini, Next Right
Woman W/ 14% Approval: Bush is Total Failure - Allahpundit, Hot Air
McCain: Obama Extremist and Possibly a Socialist - J. Marshall, TPM
McCain Presents: 'Obama Iraq Documentary' - Allahpundit, Hot Air
For Obama, Who's Being Vetted? - Marc Ambinder

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Obama's Fundraising Roars to Life - Los Angeles Times
Talks Signal Mideast Shift - New York Times
Democrats and GOP Battle Over Oil Exploration - Wall Street Journal
Mortgage Giant Freddie Mac Considers Major Stock Sale - WSJ

With both Barack Obama and John McCain's campaigns complaining about the media, bloggers suggest that they get over it. The controversy over The New Yorker's Obama cover bared double standards and a new difficulty for political cartoonists, according to a discussion on The Plank. Bloggers on both sides also jump up on the latest statements by two surrogates, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) and Obama backer Roland Martin, hoping to turn them into advantages for their candidates.

Though McCain's team is complaining about the extensive network news coverage for Obama's trip abroad, the greater amount of coverage of the Democrat is a function mainly of excitement around his candidacy and not just because of support in the media, writes TalkingPointsMemo's Josh Marshall. But while Obama criticized the right-wing media for driving down his wife's approval rating, Obama should instead consider the statement she has made about not being proud about her country, according to Townhall's Amanda Carpenter.

The dust-up over The New Yorker's cartoon, which depicted Obama in Muslim garb, reveals political cartoonists' inexperience in drawing a black candidate, writes Dayo Olopade at The Plank. A cartoon in Rolling Stone depicting McCain in a cage and surrounded by zealous Viet Cong members is more offensive than the Obama cartoon, since it lampoons the candidate and his wartime service, writes The Plank's James Kirchick, who hasn't heard much outrage over the McCain drawing.

Romney (R) suggested that McCain "authored" the "philosophy" of the U.S. troop surge, notes Marshall. But it was really Fred Kagan and other neo-conservatives who came up with the strategy, according to The Huffington Post's Jason Linkins. Conservatives should take a suggestion by Martin that McCain is right when it comes to supporting vouchers and use it to revive an urban agenda that Republicans have ignored, suggests The Next Right's Patrick Ruffini.

FROM THE BLOGS:
McCain's Aggressive Whining About Coverage - J. Marshall, TPM
Obama Trashes Right for Attacking Michelle - A. Carpenter, Townhall
It's The Chin, Stupid - Dayo Olopade, The Plank
Drawings and Double Standards - James Kirchick, The Plank
McCain Redraws EU Borders - Plutonium Page, Daily Kos
Mitt: McCain Invented Counterinsurg. Doctrine - J. Marshall, TPM
Key Obama Flack: McCain Right on Vouchers - P. Ruffini, Next Right
Pie in the Sky - Pejman Yousefzadeh, RedState
$5,000 Golf Gets President's OK - Meteor Blades, Daily Kos
McCain Adopts Afghan Policy, No One Notices - T. Beeton, MyDD
Are Jews Really Down on Obama? - Jonathan Singer, MyDD
Re: McCain's Trigger Finger - Mark Krikorian, The Corner
McCain's Trigger Finger - Ramesh Ponnuru, The Corner
Congratulations RedState - Donald H. Rumsfeld, RedState

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Fed's Crisis Role Spurs Questions of Overreach - Wash. Post
Admin. Wanted Loyalist as Justice Dept. Legal Adviser - Wash. Post
In Iraq, Mixed Feelings About Obama and Troop Proposal - NYT
Federal Deficit Soars - The Hill

While new polls show Barack Obama leading nationally and doing well in red states, he may have to worry about his fundraising and his online support, according to bloggers Wednesday. Obama and John McCain jousted Tuesday over who had the best plan to quell violence in Afghanistan, but liberal bloggers point out that McCain is merely parroting the Democrat on the issue. And though a southern congressman won a primary fight by sticking to his conservative values, a GOP senator from the South is taking heat for using a photo of a French jet in a television spot, the bloggers write.

Obama leads McCain 50 percent to 42 percent among all registered voters in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, notes Daily Kos's DemFromCT. The Democrat barely trails McCain in a Public Policy Polling survey of South Carolina, which has the Republican leading 45 percent to 39 percent, writes MyDD's Jonathan Singer. But Obama may have damaged his brand by shifting his position on Iraq and telecom immunity, according to a Democratic source who voices concern to The Corner's Byron York about donors' dampened enthusiasm. Obama could help his cause online by being happy about getting bloggers' votes, writes MyDD's Jerome Armstrong, who noted that Obama singled out the blogosphere for having "raised hackles" over his rejection of public campaign funds.

While McCain is following Obama's lead by proposing that U.S. troops be moved to Afghanistan, the Republican is poised to get much of the credit because he's calling his plan a "surge," just like the one he championed in Iraq, writes The Plank's Dayo Olopade. McCain, however, offered multiple positions on his Afghan "surge" Tuesday, first calling for an increase in American troops, then an increase in NATO troops, and finally a deployment that involved a combination of the two, writes Josh Marshall at TalkingPointsMemo.

Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) won his primary 71 percent to 29 percent, crushing a candidate who ran to his left and thereby showing Republicans that they can win by being a champion of limited government and greater freedom, according to RedState's Jeff Emanuel. But Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole (N.C.) showed she's out of touch by trying to take credit for saving her state's military bases with an ad that uses images of a French fighter jet, writes MyDD's Todd Beeton, who links to The Hill's story about the Dole's television spot.

FROM THE BLOGS:
ABC/WaPo: Obama By 8 With RVs - DemFromCT, Daily Kos
Obama Within Striking Distance in S.C. - J. Singer, MyDD
Obama and Damage to the Brand - Byron York, The Corner
BlogOsphere - Jerome Armstrong, MyDD
Obama Website Purging: Deja Vu - C.P. Liebau, Townhall
Obama Writes He Attended 'Muslim School' - M. Lewis, Townhall
McCain's Afg. Position in Progress - J. Marshall, TPM
Iraq: Whose Line Is It Anyway? - D. Olopade, The Plank
Congrats, Rep. Paul Broun - Jeff Emanuel, RedState
Why Does Sen. Dole Hate America? - Todd Beeton, MyDD
Fed to Bar Sketchy Lending Practices - MissLaura, Daily Kos
GOP, Online Politics and Regulation - M. Turk, Next Right

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Fed Chief Bleak on Economic Outlook - New York Times
Obama Leads By 8 Points in Poll - Washington Post
Poll Finds Obama's Run Isn't Closing Divide on Race - NYT
Housing Splits GOP and Bush - The Hill