MORNING READ

Republican fundraisers now hope that Hillary Clinton can energize their base by joining the Democratic ticket in November, proving that some feelings about the Clintons don’t ever change, bloggers write. John McCain is on a misguided quest to snatch the mantle of change away from Obama, according to liberal bloggers. Senate Democrats, however, aren’t getting anywhere by pushing a $6.7 trillion climate change bill and holding up judicial nominees, according to conservative bloggers.

The Hill reports Thursday that Republican bigwigs are rooting for Clinton to join Barack Obama as his running mate. That’s another reason for Obama not to pick Clinton, writes Hot Air’s Allahpundit, who adds that the GOP base should be energized already by the prospect of an Obama presidency. Republican loathing of Clinton is nothing new, but it contradicts the unqualified praise conservative pundits had given Clinton in recent weeks for challenging Obama, writes Josh Patashnik at The Plank.

McCain has said that he represents the right kind of change, but his response to Hurricane Katrina says otherwise, according to bloggers on the left. He voted against extending unemployment and Medicaid benefits for Katrina victims and, like President Bush, he didn’t understand the magnitude of the disaster as it was happening in 2005, charges Daily Kos’s smintheus. McCain has twice opposed the creation of a federal commission to investigate the Katrina response, notes TalkingPointsMemo’s David Kurtz, who also runs a photo of McCain with Bush celebrating the senator’s birthday on the same day the hurricane landed in Louisiana. More than four voters in 10 believe that McCain would continue Bush’s policies, notes Daily Kos’s DemFromCT, who looks at data from a new CBS poll that also shows McCain losing to Obama.

In the Senate, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) rightfully calls out the Democrats for going back on a deal to allow judicial nominees to go through the confirmation process, according to The Next Right’s Jon Henke, who sees an issue the GOP can use in this fall’s races. And Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) shows that he “gets it” by opposing a $6.7 trillion climate change bill that could lead to more taxes, writes RedState’s haystack.

FROM THE BLOGS:
GOP Praying For An Obama/Clinton Ticket? – Allahpundit, Hot Air
The More Things Change… – Josh Patashnik, The Plank
Caroline Kennedy On VP Search Team? – Lisa Schiffren, The Corner
McCain Makes A Grab For ‘Change’ Mantle – smintheus, Daily Kos
Katrina Revisited – David Kurtz, TalkingPointsMemo
Hamas ‘Un-Endorses’ Barack Obama – Jake Tapper, Political Punch
The Friends Of Barack Obama – Jon Henke, The Next Right
Obama & McCain Behind The Scenes – Josh Marshall, TPM
CBS Poll: Obama Beats McCain By Six – DemFromCT, Daily Kos
Sexism, Racism And Political Success – Isaac Chotiner, The Plank
Cornyn Against Climate Change Bill – haystack, RedState
A Senate Fight Over Judges – Jon Henke, The Next Right
Rep. Jefferson’s Sister In Trouble – Moe Lane, RedState

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Clinton Ready To End Bid And Endorse Obama – New York Times
McCain Proposes 10 Joint Forums – Washington Post
Clinton Unlikely As No. 2 – Wall Street Journal
GOP Roots For Clinton – The Hill