News Roundup, 4/8/08: Vote For Railroad Commissioner

Today is the day of the primary election runoff for the Democratic nomination to the railroad commissioner's race. Make sure to get out there and vote!

Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean has been pretty vocal lately about wanting to get both the Florida and Michigan delegations seated at the national convention. But for those of you hoping that the primary would be decided a bit sooner when that fuzzy part of the electoral math comes into focus, don't hold your breath: he doesn't expect a solution to the problem before June.

While the two presidential candidates continue their primary struggle, John McCain is floundering in his fundraising efforts. He brought in $15 million in March, which is more than he's ever raised and still lower than how much both Obama and Clinton raised during the same period. McCain has already stated he'll accept public financing in the general election, meaning he doesn't feel like he can raise more than the $84 million that would get him — a problem the Democrats aren't likely to share.

The head-scratcher in primary news yesterday was the Vote Both site, which was created by ex-HillPAC staffer Adam Parkhomenko as a petition asking Democrats to support a united Clinton/Obama ticket. As Patrick notes, the order there is the important part. The creator states that this is a preliminary site (it is pretty bare-bones), and when a more complete version launches, it will have the option to sign up for the Obama/Clinton version as well.

Apparently Limbaugh has some issues with his popularity these days: his ratings are higher when he's being negative, of course, but his ratings are highest of all when he's saying nothing at all. I've heard of watching the Super Bowl for the commercials, but Limbaugh? I can't imagine his commercials are that good.

For the wrap-up of other talk shows around the nation last weekend, Hotline's got you covered.

President Bush decided yesterday to ignore his earlier agreement with Congress — as well as good foreign policy — in fast-tracking a free trade agreement with Colombia which Congress would have to consider within the next 90 days. The pact leaves out the assurances in environmental and workers' rights that were agreed to a year ago by both Congress and the White House.

And finally yesterday, some kudos to the Washington Post: the publication that named us as one of the best Texas political blogs (yes, that's a shameless plug) have themselves gotten recognition by way of six Pulitzer prizes, the most ever for the Post and second most by one organization in the history of the prize.