Here’s an interesting tidbit: continuing in the grand tradition of Spartacus, we now have a group of Obama supporters who are fighting back against the Muslim smear by taking his middle name as their own.

Is back, but Obama seems uninterested. Skip ahead to 9:15.

The Times has this piece this morning on Libertarian Presidential candidate Bob Barr. Yes, the same Bob Barr who voted for the Iraq war. Libertarian? Hmmm. Well, if Joe Lieberman can endorse and campaign for Johnny Mac, anything is possible.

Somehow after the death of Russert, the wind went out of our sails a bit . . . but now ynL is back, with more gems from the politosphere and more mockery for the pundits than ever before!

Is he going to stop the floods? No. Is he going to break a sweat? Maybe. Does it send a message that Washington cares? Yes.

He inherited a grand tradition with Meet the Press. He made much with it. I’ve certainly had my objections over the years to his style, and even to his substance at times.

But, there’s no way around the fact that in Bill O’ Reilly’s America, Tim Russert was a journalistic hero. In fact, that’s not really fair, because in Bill O’ Reilly’s America, the four year old next door is a journalistic hero. So let me say it differently.

Tim Russert had integrity, class . . . and most of all, he had the method. He REALLY liked to ask QUESTIONS! I know, it’s shocking. We’ve forgotten about questions in the past few years. He taught us again. He kept the faith. I cried over that today.

My favorite interview. Comment with your own.

The first time I saw Tim Russert was in the Howard Dean Headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa in January of 2003. He sauntered in, and while I was doing a series of double takes, he began speaking with other volunteers very casually. He rummaged around like a big grizzly bear, pawing at campaign literature, making calculated, deliberate observations. After grabbing a cup of coffee he moved on to the next candidates’ offices. It was not an earth shattering interaction, but it remained a way for me to connect the man on screen to the process of political journalism. While I often disagreed with his interview tactics (king of the “gotcha” interrogation technique) I knew his underlying mission was to reveal politicians as human beings and elevate the dialogue in the main stream media. There are very few pundits worthy of respect, but Tim Russert was one of them. His calm, friendly, almost reassuring manner will be sorely missed in a world of lazy, tabloid journalism. Full Story

Here’s a good idea from the Obama campaign, and none too soon.

One of the many things I love about Frank Rich’s columns is his eye for that one detail that skewers political and punditry blowhards.

Yesterday’s column was no different, as he directs our attention to John McCain’s website. Among the key links on the front page . . . “Strategy,” “General Election,” and . . . wait for it . . . “Golf Gear.” You don’t want to miss the link, especially the comments section.

This points to two things that should trouble McCain partisans.

First, golf gear? Not care packages for soldiers. Not McCain’s books. Golf gear. He had better get serious about defining himself, now. Is he the good, old-fashioned Country Club Republican of yore? If so, then fine, golf gear on the homepage is good. But, if he’s running as an American war hero, or a champion of common sense, or the Maverick, then he’d better get it straight, and get the entire operation streamlined to reflect the identity, 24/7.

Second, tubes. One thing about the internets, is that it is a fascinating place, a powerful forum, and a dangerous battleground for people who don’t know what they are doing. Right now it looks like Ted Stevens is running McCain’s web campaign. Tubes! That way lies madness, and that’s the way Johnny Mac is going. Aren’t there any young Republican computer geeks left over from the Bush ‘04 campaign who can sort this out?

Tubes!

Or this wouldn’t have been leaked.