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- I think Ted Kennedy is pretty cool, but I have to say I'm pretty surprised by how much play his endorsement of Obama is getting. I mean, what was the last endorsement reporters brought their children to? How important it will turn out to be remains to be seen, but it's interesting how his support is being interpreted in the larger narrative of the Obama campaign. Jonathan Cohn explains over at the Plank. Also see Ezra on the generational meaning of the endorsement, Chris Cillizza on the symbolism, Marc Ambinder on the politics, and Brian Beutler on what it says about Clinton's much-vaunted legislative chops (also see this longer article Noam Scheiber on the same topic).
- The Clinton campaign has largely responded stoically to the endorsement. At least one group of supporters is completely flipping out though.
- Also I hear there was a primary on Saturday (see Joe Klein's excellent take). Hard to believe that was two days ago. This hasn't been a good couple of days for Clinton. First her aggressive strategy against Obama blew up in her face, undermining one half of the argument for her candidacy (her political savvy) and then the most important and experienced liberal lion of the Senate came out in favor of her opponent undermining the other half of her argument (her legislative savvy). Of course it remains to be seen what the actual, y'know, voters think.
- Meanwhile, the attempt by some Clinton supporters (not the campaign) to pretend as if Bill Clinton wasn't saying Obama only won South Carolina because he's black has the slight problem of being completely bogus.
- Meanwhile supporters of John Edwards (remember him, national media?) are floating the idea of him as attorney general. But what went wrong exactly with his campaign? I like this take. And where will the Edwards supporters go as his campaign starts to loose steam? Dana rounds up the evidence in a new piece on the main site.
- It's not all roses for Obama though as Howard Kurtz (not an entirely unbiased source I realize) suggests trouble among the Obama traveling press.
- John McCain, meanwhile, is taking heat from conservatives for suggesting he'd appoint judges like John Roberts but not Samuel Alito. Yes, really.
- Shorter Rudy: "See, those liberal silly-heads don't like me so you should!" For more Rudy-freude and a deeper analysis of his campaign's collapse see Kate's new dispatch from the field on the main site.
- We really need to resist the idea that Mitt Romney is just some awkward but basically likable geek. I mean, he's my man Mitt and I want him to win the primary because I think he'd be the least bad president and also the worst candidate, but he's also, as Barney Frank says, the most intellectually dishonest person in the history of American politics. Arguing for doubling the size of Guantanamo isn't some cute bit of awkward misstatement.
- Finally, the biggest evidence of Obama's success I've seen yet: video of Obama's victory speech is more popular on YouTube than video of Britney Spears topless. Really. On the one hand, it's kinda sad that's surprising, on the other hand it's still awesome. Great catch by Ari Melber over at The Nation.
