How the Air Came Out of Clinton's Tires

Strategist Penn, oblivious campaign, haughty candidate get (anonymous) blame

(NEWSER) - The New Republic asked (anonymous) Hillary Clinton camp insiders why their candidate isn’t booking her ticket to Denver:

• “I just don't think she was hungry enough for it …It wasn't really until the 10-in-a-row loss that she started doing stuff like Saturday Night Live and Jon Stewart.”
• “Devastating vulnerabilities such as Obama's associations with Wright and Ayers were not unearthed by the campaign's vaunted research team in time.”

Limbaugh's 'Operation Chaos' may have had a tangible effect

(NEWSER) - Despite what has been hailed as a strong showing by Barack Obama in Indiana, his campaign claims he would’ve done better but for the sabotage of Rush Limbaugh, the Washington Post reports. Under his “Operation Chaos,” the conservative radio host urged Indiana Republicans to vote for Clinton in order to prolong the Dems' dogfight and "bloody up Obama politically." More»

Pandering populism didn't play—except with pundits, Klein admits

(NEWSER) - After a career of sober-minded policy politics, Hillary Clinton let loose her inner populist pol in Indiana and North Carolina, Joe Klein writes, and, like much of the media, he thought the showmanship-over-substance (along with Obama's pastor problem) might pull it out for her. But that "shameless populism" proved not to be a game-changer after all. She lost the contest—and the race, he concludes in a Time cover story anointing Obama as the nominee. More»

Limbaugh calls him 'weakest' of the Democrats

(NEWSER) - Now that Barack Obama has all but knocked out Hillary Clinton, Rush Limbaugh is calling off "Operation Chaos" and relishing the notion that Obama will be the nominee, CNN notes. Limbaugh has for months urged Republicans to vote for Clinton to prolong the race. Today, he urged superdelegates to publicly back Obama, calling him the "weakest" of the Democratic candidates. More»

Among his chores: broadening his base of voters

(NEWSER) - Deeming Hillary Clinton knocked out, John Judis takes a look at Barack Obama’s flaws in the New Republic and finds the Democrat with much to work on before Election Day:

• His base: Obama has become too dependent on young and black voters, after early success with white men.