Friday's reads

'The Anti-Establishment Edwards' - Dan Balz - The Trail.

Edwards's speech was the latest in a series this year designed to lay claim to being the boldest Democrat in the presidential field. He was first out with a universal health care plan. He spent three days last week elevating the issue of poverty to the 2008 agenda. Today he returned to a theme that was central to his first campaign: turning two Americas into one.

'Video Postcript: Hillary Pats Obama On The Head, Says, "Yes, Dear"' - Greg Sargent - TPMCafe.

I'd only add that if we're going to evaluate said substance and conclude that Hillary does in some fashion represent Bush-Cheney lite, it deserves to be mentioned that at the debate Edwards agreed with Hillary here. I'm not at all saying that this necessarily exonerates Hillary -- indeed, she did subsequently go much further in her over-the-top description of Obama as "irresponsible" and "naive." I'm just saying that the fact that Edwards came down on Hillary's side deserves to be part of the discussion, if only because his view of the matter suggests that perhaps there isn't as much daylight between Hillary and Obama's positions as Camp Hillary -- and, now, Camp Obama -- want us to believe.

'Joe Trippi's Renaissance' - Marc Ambinder - The Atlantic Online.

This isn't Hagiography Friday. It's just a rare story of redemption in politics.