Midday open thread

• Senator endorsements for Obama and Clinton. Obama got Dodd and Feingold. He wins. The fact that Clinton got Feinstein would alone mean she lost in my book.
• Seriously, this "story" about a radio talk show host saying mean things about Obama at a McCain political rally is idiotic. Who gives a shit? The bigger story is the moronic moderation at the Democratic debate last night. But of course, it's easier for the media to latch on to a C-list radio host than it is to turn the spotlight on itself.
• Another Republican sexual hypocrite. Seriously, these people try to impose their fucked-up morality on others because they project their own failings to the rest of us.
• Democrats in conservative districts, used to running far, far away from the Democrat at the top of the ticket, are actually looking forward to running with Obama.

  From upscale, Republican-leaning Northern suburbs to rural, culturally conservative Southern districts, Obama’s primary election performances are giving hope to Democratic pols that, for once, the party nominee might be an asset if Obama defeats Hillary Rodham Clinton in their nomination battle.

  The article notes that Democrats in GA-08, AL-02, VA-11, WI-08, CT-04, and all of the Illinois contested seats (and there will be at least three) will be aided by an Obama nomination. Anyone spending time in red districts will know this is true. While Clinton would not have been the disaster some predicted, Obama should actually have genuine coattails.

• TX-Sen: Rick Noriega announced today, in response to GOP demands that he release his military records to them, that he would instead release them to the entire public.

  Now it's time that Sen. Cornyn release his military records to the public as well.

  What's that? Cornyn has no military records because he's a chickenshit that would rather smear other veterans than actually serve his nation himself?

  Oh. Okay.

• Steve Gilliard was my best friend and ally online. And I miss him too.
• Bowers is relieved that Kucinich looks safe. I'm not. I'd love to see him booted for someone who actually was happy to represent the district without delusions of grandeur. But maybe Kucinich will have learned his lesson and be happy with his job.
• NBC's First Read:

  Watching local TV here in Ohio, it feels like Obama has a 4-to-1 advantage -- with SEIU, UFCW and Obama just blitzing the airwaves compared with Clinton. It's happening in all four states. In fact, per TV ad expert Evan Tracey, Obama has outspent Clinton $23 million to $14 million in the last 30 days. How is she expected to hold a big lead if she gets outspent this badly? The third party groups are like salt in the Clinton wound.

• House Republican leadership isn't happy with its caucus.

  House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) challenged Republicans on Tuesday to get off their “dead asses” and start raising money for the National Republican Congressional Committee [...]

  California Rep. Darrell Issa, who has been tapped as chairman of the annual fundraising dinner, set a goal of raising $7.5 million for the event. He even pledged some of his own campaign cash if members failed to clear a recent hurdle. But House Republicans are falling well short in that goal.

  According to numbers read during the Tuesday morning meeting, only 15 Republicans have met their pledged fundraising goal for the dinner. Among them are Texas Reps. Mike Conaway and Pete Sessions and South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson, a source familiar with the fundraising totals said. Another 42 have set a pledged target but failed to contribute the bulk of that money. And an astonishing 142 members — almost three-fourths of the Republicans in the House — have failed even to set a fundraising target.