MORNING READ

The leaked Republican “death list” of GOP House members likely to fail in re-election races shows that Republicans are bowing down to reality, according to blogging pundits. But the National Republican Congressional Committee’s (NRCC) decision to pull money from Rep. Michele Bachmann’s (Minn.) race angers conservative activists. And even though the latest interview featuring Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) has yet to air, it’s already providing fodder for liberal bloggers who see her as a drag on the GOP ticket.

According to the internal GOP tally of House races, Republicans expect a net loss of 34 House seats, which would be worse than most analysts’s predictions, reports Washington Whispers’ Paul Bedard. The NRCC’s decision to take away money pegged for the races of Bachmann, Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-Colo.) and Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.) is further evidence that Republicans are coming to grips with dire circumstances and are just trying to limit losses, writes The Fix’s Chris Cillizza.

Rep. Tom Cole (Okla.), the head of the NRCC, should be fired for deciding to ditch Bachmann’s winnable race after providing earlier support for Reps. Don Young (Alaska) and Rick Renzi (Arizona), both of whom face ethics questions, writes RedState’s Erick Erickson. Conservative activists should donate directly to Bachmann’s campaign, which has been hurt by Chris Matthews’s spin of her remarks about “anti-American” liberals, writes Townhall’s Amanda Carpenter.

NBC pundit Chuck Todd and news anchor Brian Williams implied that the yet-to-be aired interview with Palin and McCain didn’t go well and may contain more gaffes, notes MyDD’s Todd Beeton. Todd made it seem that the wheels are coming off the McCain campaign, as he noted that there was no chemistry between the ticket mates and even speculated that McCain may be blaming Palin for his poor position in the presidential race, writes TalkingPointsMemo’s Josh Marshall.

FROM THE BLOGS:
GOP ‘Death List’ Predicts Blowout – P. Bedard, Wash. Whispers
House Republicans Bow to Political Reality – Chris Cillizza, The Fix
NRCC Yanks Funding From Bachmann – Erick Erickson, RedState
Bachmann’s Fighting Alone Now – Amanda Carpenter, Townhall
GOP Pulls $ From Bachmann, Musgrave – J. Aravosis, AMERICAblog
Off The Rails – Josh Marshall, TalkingPointsMemo
Inauspicious Roll-Out of NBC Interview – Todd Beeton, MyDD
McCain and Palin: The Thrill is Gone – Jeralyn, TalkLeft

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Rivals Split on U.S. Power, But Defy Easy Labels – NY Times
Plans to Aid Borrowers Gain Steam – Wall Street Journal
McCain Tries to Push Past Palin Backlash – Washington Post
Jurors Can’t Reach Stevens Verdict on Day 1 – The Hill