On the "McCain's got a brand new bag" issue for Democrats

The venom comes from that first chill wind they've felt this weekend that they may, in fact, lose this one. Decisively.

I've just been talking with a DNC operative (note, DNC--not on Team Obama per se, but in constant contact and collaboration with them). Initial internal polling numbers post-Palin are scary. They are now writing off FL, VA, IA, and definitely MO. OH is probably out of reach, and MI, WI and even PA are now in serious play. There is no panic yet, but a realization that this thing is slipping away frm them, and that if they don't get the initiative back, and soon, this is going to be a Dewey/Trumanesque upset in the making.

Source.

[ed. note: A, Oh, way to go, Ohio...]

On the Sarah Palin Pregnancy smear

I think it is time for you to seriously look at the role that Andrew Sullivan played in this - which was major - and consider never linking to him again.

I think the Atlantic should be called to account and Sullivan should spend the rest of his writing career as a Kos diarist, the place where he fits the best.

Hear, hear. I made a similar point last night but less articulately, in a fit of rage over this ugly smear. Rod deleted it. Whatever.

But I do think Rod ought to step back and consider what Sully has become and where he is in the blogosphere ecology--a steroid-juiced creep simultaneously "married" and advertising for bareback gay sex, spewing bile about "Christianists", who, before he got the Atlantic (and before that Time) to cut him checks, was annually panhandling his readers to pay for his Provincetown vacations (ostensibly for his server space, which turned out to cost pennies for the dollars he was demanding as the 'cost' of his blog).

He's a vile toad. Don't link to him ever again, Rod. You cheapen yourself with every link or H/T to him.

Source.