The New York Times reports on Reverand Jeremiah Wright's monomania.

Now it turns out that Mr. Wright doesn’t hate America, he loves the sound of his own voice. He is not out of touch with the American culture, he is the avatar of the American celebrity principle: he grabbed his 30-second spots of infamy and turned them into 15 minutes of fame.

.... Chuck Todd, the NBC political director... summed up Mr. Wright’s apologia by paraphrasing a Carly Simon song: “You’re so vain, I bet you think this campaign is about you.”

David Axelrod: "“He is doing his own thing,” Mr. Axelrod said wearily by telephone. “There’s not a thing we can do about it.”

Another blast from the past: This February, 2007 Rolling Stone article about Obama and Rev. Wright.

This is an open thread.

Barack Obama is not just lagging among blue collar voters, he's got a big age problem to overcome and his popularity with younger voters isn't enough compensation:

In the Pennsylvania and Ohio primaries, Obama lost older whites by 30 percentage points, while Clinton split white voters under age 30 in both critical contests. Obama’s senior problem is even greater among Hispanics. The Illinois senator lost older Latinos by 40 to 60 percentage points in Texas, New Mexico and California.

....Older, college-educated voters consistently favor Clinton, though by small margins. Obama’s weakness is largely among seniors without college degrees, whom Clinton wins 3-to-1.

More...

Karl Rove, writing in Newsweek, says Obama needs to recover from his recent fumbles. He offers six tips:

• Get a new stump speech, the message in his current one has become old and tired.
• When you're on the defense, as with Rev. Wright, choose one explanation and stick to it.
• Get back to the Senate and do some work there. His legislative record is thin and needs bolstering. He says, pick an issue and own it.
• Get back to the Senate, part II: Also, he hasn't shown he has the unifying ability he claims in his red states, blue states unity pitch. He should introduce bipartisan bills that Republicans can get behind. Also, name some specific Republicans he'd put in his Administration.

[More...]

Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have responded to today's Supreme Court ruling in Crawford v. Marion County Election Bd., upholding the Indiana voter id law:

Obama:

"I disagree with the decision, but we're going to do everything we can in our campaign — I trust that not only the Democratic party but fair-minded Republicans are going to do whatever they can — so that people at the state level can exercise the franchise."

Hillary:

"I have questions about it. Now obviously the law's the law, and has to be followed, but I hope it doesn't in any way suppress or deter voter turnout."

The Brennan Center, which coordinated the amicus briefs, calls the case the most important voting case since Bush v. Gore.

[More...]

The Supreme Court today granted cert in a 10th Circuit sentencing guideline case. (Order here, pdf). The case is U.S. v. Garcia-Lara, 499 F.3d 1133 (10th Cir. 2007). It was a terrible decision that held district courts have to find something unusual about the defendant or his case in order to vary from the Guidelines. It's a meth case where the trial court departed below the guidelines to impose 140 months and the 10th Circuit reversed. (See below the fold for facts.)

Not only did the Supreme Court today accept cert on the case, it vacated the opinion and remanded the case for further proceedings in light of Gall v. U.S. The Supreme Court case number is 07-9799.

[Hat tip to the Colorado Federal Defender's office for the information.]

Barack Obama, who has not been known for accessibility to the press the last few weeks (see the waffle story) called a "hastily arranged press conference" today to again disassociate himself from Rev. Wright, including his most recent remarks. The press conference lasted six minutes on the airport tarmac and he took three questions.

"Some of the comments that Rev. Wright has made offend me, and I understand why they offend the American people. He does not speak for me. He does not speak for the campaign," Obama said.

"Many of the statements that he's made, both that triggered this initial controversy and that he's made over the last several days, are not statements that I have heard him make previously. They don't represent my views," the senator added.

He asked that he be judged by his "20 years of service" and the values he's espoused more than by his past associations. More...

As Big Tent Democrat wrote earlier, the Governor of North Carolina has endorsed Hillary Clinton. What about the Edwards?

It's clear Elizabeth Edwards favors Hillary's health care plan. The New York Times examines the possibilities today. I think the fair conclusion from this statement is there will be no endorsement before May 6.

This week, the family planned to decamp for Disney World, away from the campaign events grabbing headlines throughout the state.

[The song is Dizz Knee Land by Dada]

I just flipped off President George
I'm going to Dizz Knee Land

A former associate of Tony Rezko's testified at his trial today that Rezko told him U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald would be replaced and the investigation into his conduct would end.

Elie Maloof just testified that when he received a grand jury subpoena, Rezko told him not to talk to the feds. Why? "The federal prosecutor will no longer be the same federal prosecutor," Maloof just testified that Rezko told him. What did Rezko mean prosecutor Chris Niewoehner asked? "That Patrick Fitzgerald would be terminated and Dennis Hastert will name his replacement. The investigation will be over."

Maloof, who once helped run some of Rezko's fast-food businesses, said Rezko told him of Fitzgerald's replacement: "That they will order the prosecutor to stop the investigation."
It is the first time jurors heard an accusation that Rezko worked behind the scenes to oust Fitzgerald.

The Sun Times also reports that the Judge and lawyers have been working hard to keep Barack Obama's name from surfacing in the trial.

Maloof left the stand without ever invoking Barack Obama's name, despite previous allegations by prosecutors that he made a straw donation for Rezko to Obama's Senatorial campaign fund. It is clear that lawyers -- and the judge -- have been careful not to bring Obama's name into case, even outside the presence of the jury.

Maloof is testifying under a grant of immunity. More on that here.

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama disagree about how to help consumers with the rising cost of gas.

I'm paying attention to this because I was not happy when I filled up my tank Saturday and it came to $65.00. I also realize that the increased cost of gas is going to mean higher prices on everything since at some point, all goods have to be shipped from point A to point B, and whether it's by truck or plane, gas is involved.

Hillary supports a temporary reprieve for consumers on the gas tax. John McCain first proposed it. Obama criticized the plan.

Hillary Rodham Clinton criticized Barack Obama on Monday for opposing proposals to suspend federal gas taxes this summer, a plan she and Republican John McCain have endorsed. .... "My opponent, Senator Obama, opposes giving consumers a break," Clinton said at a firehouse. "I understand the American people need some relief," she added, implying that Obama doesn't get it.

Obama's comments:[More...]

This seems significant:

A person close to North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley tells The Associated Press he will endorse Hillary Rodham Clinton for president. Easley is a Democratic superdelegate who has served as the state's governor for two terms. His decision comes despite several recent polls showing Clinton trailing rival Barack Obama ahead of the state's May 6 primary.

I know nothing about NC politics and do not know if Easley has a lot of juice. But this seems like an important endorsement.

(By Big Tent Democrat)

I like this Bowers proposal:

I would seat Florida's pledged delegates as is, and seat the pledged delegates from Michigan Clinton 73-55 Obama. From that point, I would strip both states of their superdelegates. This way, the voters of the two states are not punished, but the superdelegates who are responsible putting both states in this mess are. I actually think that this should become the standard punishment for states that flout the primary calendar: keep the pledged delegates, but strip the superdelegates with no possibility of reinstatement. I also really like the idea of superdelegates whining that they should be seated at the convention. That would be an hilarious press conference.

Indeed. No more superdelegates should be a standard now.

(By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only)

It is too early to look too closely at GE head to heads but I must admit that recent events are making my Obama electability argument, particularly the Media darling Teflon argument, look weaker. The latest bit of evidence is the AP-Ipsos poll:

Hillary Rodham Clinton has a better chance than Barack Obama of beating Republican John McCain, according to a new Associated Press-Ipsos poll that bolsters her argument that she is more electable in the fall than her rival for the Democratic nomination. . . . Clinton . . . has gained ground this month in a hypothetical head-to-head match up with the GOP nominee-in-waiting; she now leads McCain, 50 percent to 41 percent, while Obama remains virtually tied with McCain, 46 percent to 44 percent.

These results put Obama and Clinton within the MOE versus McCain. But Obama needs to change the narrative. Racial politics from the likes of Clyburn and Wright is NOT the answer.

By Big Tent Democrat