In surprise move, Indiana Congressman Hill endorses Obama

Senator Obama is doing quite well today with endorsements from members of congress. Indiana Congressman Baron Hill, who was not expected to endorse Obama or Clinton due to his tough reelection bid, endorsed Senator Obama earlier today.

Congresswoman Capps endorses Obama

After getting Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley’s endorsement earlier today, Barack Obama has received the endorsement of California Congresswoman Lois Capps. Capps has long been know to be an ally of Hillary Clinton.

GOP ignoring Clinton; assume Obama is Dem. nominee

Republicans are no longer attacking, or really speaking about Senator Clinton because they believe that Senator Obama will be the Democratic nominee for president.

Senator: majority of uncommitted Reps. and Sens. privately back Obama

Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) says that the majority of the uncommitted Democratic members of the House and Senate privately back Senator Obama.

Another day, another superdelegate; Obama adds Rep. Braley to list of supporters

Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley, a superdelegate, will endorse Barack Obama in a conference call this afternoon.

Obama’s press conference on Jeremiah Wright

Transcript: Obama’s remarks on Wright

SENATOR BARACK OBAMA: Before I start taking questions I want to open it up with a couple of comments about what we saw and heard yesterday. I have spent my entire adult life trying to bridge the gap between different kinds of people. That’s in my DNA, trying to promote mutual understanding to insist that we all share common hopes and common dreams as Americans and as human beings. That’s who I am. That’s what I believe. That’s what this campaign has been about.

Yesterday, we saw a very different vision of America. I am outraged by the comments that were made and saddened over the spectacle that we saw yesterday.

Obama outraged at Wright’s recent actions

Senator Obama plans a “major press conference” to address his former pastor Jeremiah Wright’s recent comments and speech to the National Press Club. Said Obama:

I am outraged by the comments that were made and saddened by the spectacle that we saw yesterday… I gave him the benefit of the doubt in my speech in Philadelphia explaining that he’s done enormous good. … But when he states and then amplifies such ridiculous propositions as the U.S. government somehow being involved in AIDS. … There are no excuses. They offended me. They rightly offend all Americans and they should be denounced.

Tucker Carlson attacks Obama & Clinton

At a Senate Press Secretaries Association event Tucker Carlson, of the now canceled MSNBC show “Tucker” let loose on Senators Obama and Clinton. Tucker said of Obama:

Obama’s the kind of guy you sit with on a flight from Dulles to LAX and you have a few glasses of red wine. You have a great semi-drunk five hours across the country. But you don’t know anything about the guy. He could be the escaped state mental patient.

On Hillary Clinton:

You are a drunk, boorish house guest. Get the hell out of here.

Had Carlson talked on his show like he did about Senator Clinton, he probably would not have been canceled.

Drudge: Hillary to be guest on The O’Reilly Factor

According to The Drudge Report, Senator Clinton will be a guest on Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor tomorrow night. It is part of an effort to reach out to moderate Democrats that Obama has been courting as of late. It will be interesting to see if Bill O’Reilly puts Senator Clinton on the hot seat. Will update as soon as there is a confirmation from a source other than The Drudge Report.

Update: The Hill has confirmed Senator Clinton’s appearance, which will be her first.

How education shapes the Democratic race

Obama discusses attacks on him

McCain ad “Health Care Action”

Wright’s speech organized by Clinton backer

The NY Daily News has the scoop that Barbara Reynolds, a former editorial board member of USA Today who has written numerous posts that seek to undercut Senator Obama, organized the event where Jeremiah Wright addressed the National Press Club. Read more about it here.

Clinton gets $2.3 billion in earmarks… for 2009

Senator Hillary Clinton has secured nearly $2.3 billion in earmarks for 2009, which is nearly three times the amount requested by any other senator. The money will primarily go to projects in New York State.

John McCain, who is a fierce opponent of earmarks, will undoubtedly use this to attack Senator Clinton.

Craig Ferguson at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner

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DNC web ad “McCain vs. McCain”

NC Governor backs Clinton

North Carolina Governor Mike Easley will endorse Hillary Clinton tomorrow.

Obama gets backing of two senators (one officially)

Senator Barack Obama has received the official endorsement of New Mexico Senator Jeff Bingaman and the pledge from Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold to vote for Obama as a superdelegate (just short of an official endorsement). With the backing of Bingaman and Feingold, Obama now leads Hillary Clinton 14-13 among sitting senators.

Additionally, Senator Obama leads Senator Clinton in the endorsements of Senate committee chairs by a count of 7-2. The chairs of the Senate Banking Housing & Urban Affairs Committee, Senate Budget Committee, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senate Health Education Labor & Pensions Committee, Senate Indian Affairs Committee, Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. While Senator Clinton has the support of the chairs of the Senate Commerce Science & Technology Committee and the Senate Rules & Administration Committee.

Transcript: Jeremiah Wright’s speech to the National Press Club

REVEREND WRIGHT: Over the next few days, prominent scholars of the African-American religious tradition from several different disciplines — theologians, church historians, ethicists, professors of the Hebrew bible, homiletics, hermeneutics, and historians of religions — those scholars will join in with sociologists, political analysts, local church pastors, and denominational officials to examine the African-American religious experience and its historical, theological and political context.

The workshops, the panel discussions, and the symposium will go into much more intricate detail about this unknown phenomenon of the black church…