- Fri. Jul 4, 2008
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WHAT'S NEWS
•A new Diageo/Hotline poll of Dem LVs, taken 4/30-5/3, shows Barack Obama leading Hillary Clinton 48-37%. The previous poll, completed 3/31, showed Obama leading HRC 50-38%. In general election matchups, Obama leads John McCain 47-43% and HRC leads McCain 46-43% (release).
•After "mulling it over for quite a while," superdelegate/Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ) has switched his allegiance from HRC to Obama (Newark Star-Ledger).
•Obama also picked up superdelegate endorsements yesterday from Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) (Portland Oregonian) and Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA) (AP). Meanwhile, Obama "has finally caught" HRC in his number of cong. endorsements (The Hill).
•Superdelegate/Rep. Chris Carney (D-PA) endorsed HRC yesterday, saying he would "respect" the decision of his district, which went 70% for her (Scranton Times-Tribune).
•Obama, who plans to make an appearance in Maitland, FL, on 5/21, "promised a group of uncommitted superdelegates" yesterday that FL's delegation will be counted at the convo (Orlando Sentinel).
•In Central Point, OR, yesterday, HRC renewed her call for Obama to participate in a debate before the 5/20 primary (AP).
•HRC's nat'l finance chair, Hassan Nemazee, said she collected only "$1 million-plus" online in the 24 hours after the IN and NC primaries, "increasing the likelihood" that she will lend her camp more of her own money (New York Times).
•HRC supporter/Miramax co-founder Harvey Weinstein recently "threatened to cut off contributions" to cong. Dems unless Speaker Nancy Pelosi "embraced his plan to finance revotes" in FL and MI, sources said (CNN).
•After Obama said yesterday that McCain was "losing his bearings," McCain adviser Mark Salter released a scathing memo accusing him of "intentionally" raising the age issue (NBC/National Journal) -- a memo the Obama camp called a "bizarre rant" (release).
•"With vastly more money," Obama is "likely to unleash attack ads aimed at defining" McCain "soon" (Wall Street Journal).
•McCain will air a new TV ad -- featuring him and his mother "discussing his childhood" -- on Mother's Day on select DirecTV channels, including ABC Family, A&E, Hallmark Channel, Lifetime, Oxygen, and TLC (release).
•McCain championed legislation that will let an AZ rancher "trade remote grassland and ponderosa pine forest" for "acres of valuable federally owned property" -- a "land swap that now stands to directly benefit" one of McCain's top WH fundraisers (Washington Post).
•Al Gore said yesterday that he "won't accept a cabinet post regardless of which of the three candidates wins the presidency" (Bloomberg).
•For more headlines, see today's Earlybird: Top News; Campaigns; Pundits & Editorials; Network News; TV Guests; Today In Washington.
PLAY OF THE DAY
HRC just won't give up the fight for the WH on Play of the Day!
HAIR OF THE DOG
The McCains' 6,500-square-foot, glass-walled condo "with three terraces" is in a development that "has a rooftop pool," and a concierge who offers "pet services," makes travel arrangements, and "books spa treatments" (Wall Street Journal).
GOSSIP BUFFET
•Playing two rounds of Taboo with the traveling press corps yesterday, Obama "managed to get his team to guess 'Cockatoo' by talking about an animal that flies, can mimic human words and has fancy plummage" (NBC/National Journal).
•Pizza Hut spokesperson Chris Fuller confirmed yesterday that the company's "offer to help cater" Jenna Bush's wedding "is sincere," but "has not yet been accepted" ("The Swamp").
•In order to "avoid turning political debates into marital argument, licensed professional counselor Mark Schorr advises couples to respect each other's differences and practice good listening skills" (Portland Oregonian).
•Alec Baldwin "hasn't given up his dream of running for elected office" (New York Post).
•After his spokesperson allegedly "threatened to sue" the paper that reported the story, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (D) has finally admitted that he dressed up as a girl in Dwight Rich Middle School's '84 performance of "Little Annie" (Detroit News).
•Ex-"West Wing" actors Bradley Whitford and Richard Schiff said that at an '00 dinner party, they "heard much the same thing" as Arianna Huffington -- that McCain didn't vote for Bush in '00 (New York Times). So it must be true.
•In honor of Lance Armstrong's visit yesterday, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) "sported a yellow tie" and a "yellow gold" bracelet, because he thinks Armstrong is "a cool dude" ("Yeas & Nays").
•After admitting yesterday to fathering a love child, Rep. Vito Fossella (R-NY) was spotted "huddling with the House chaplain in the back of the chamber during floor debate" ("The Sleuth").
•Although there have been "rumors of Chris Matthews coloring his hair" for "years," there now appears to be proof ("Shenanigans").
•In honor of his "ferry ride down the East River" today, the DNC has created a tourist map for McCain so he can see the "series of landmarks he opposed funding for or even voted voted against" (Wake-Up Call! sources).
•HRC fans can now buy the house "a few doors away" from hers in Chappaqua -- if they're willing to pay $1.39M for a four-bedroom colonial that belonged to disbarred atty/accused wife-murderer Carlos Perez (New York Post).
•After reaching "an amicable settlement" with his wife yesterday on custody of their six-year-old daughter, ex-NJ Gov. Jim McGreevey (D) said Jacqueline "will be provided substantial time with both of her parents who love her" (Newark Star-Ledger).
ROOSTER'S CROW
•"Stuff Hill People Like" will soon be making a comeback (FamousDC).
•Nat'l Zoo's Guppy Gala (6-8:30 pm).
•Marlins vs. Nationals (Nationals Park, 7:35 pm).
•St. Petersburg Quartet performs Mendelssohn and more (Library of Congress, 8 pm).
•Barbara Walters on "The Late Show with David Letterman" (CBS, 11:30 pm).
•Alex Trebek on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (ABC, 12:05 am).
BREAKFAST FLAKE
"Wow, you -- this -- you look healthy. You've been working out? It looks like you lost some weight, you look tanned, rested" -- FNC's Sean Hannity, reuniting with ex-Speaker Dennis Hastert for his first interview since leaving office ("Hannity & Colmes").
Nora McAlvanah, Editor
Maura O'Brien, Associate Editor
About Wake-Up Call
- A morning news briefing on politicians and the press.