After Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson announced his resignation this morning, bloggers eviscerated Jackson’s career: Daily Kos’ smintheus called Jackson a “crook,” while Wonkette said he “built a long a distinguished career on failure.”

Conflict in Iraq also got the attention of bloggers this afternoon. The American Prospect’s Ezra Klein said Moqtada al-Sadr has won the recent rounds of fighting against U.S. and Iraqi forces, and that al-Maliki is now “groveling” for a resolution. Amanda at Think Progress reported new attacks in the Green Zone, and The Atlantic’s Andrew Sullivan and Marc Ambinder discussed the significance of Iran’s role in brokering the ceasefire.

FROM THE BLOGS:
Hayden Dismisses Waterboarding - Satyam, Think Progress
McCain and the Bloggers - John, Power Line
Video: Chelsea Gets Lewinsky Question Again - Allahpundit, Hot Air
Gore’s Commitment Still to Environment - Ariel Alexovich, The Caucus
100 Years of Solitude? McCain and Iraq - Marc Ambinder, The Atlantic
Rasmussen Polls Show McCain Momentum - Adam C, RedState
Pat and Al…Together! - Matt Lewis, Townhall.com
Presidential Campaign Oil Wrestling - Texas Nate, MyDD
What Would They Say? - kos, Daily Kos
Obama Swamps Clinton on Pa. TV - Foon Rhee, Political Intelligence

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Truce Calms Iraq, Weakens Prime Minister - Robert H. Reid, AP
Bush on Rudd’s Iraq Plan - Phillip Coorey, The Sydney Morning Herald
Candidates Make Last-Minute Push for Funds - Sam Youngman, The Hill

 From The Hill's Mike Soraghan:

Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) is calling on President Bush to release oil from the strategic petroleum reserve in order to lower fuel prices.

“Right now — today — our nation is reeling from the impact of an energy crisis on a U.S. economy already in or on the verge of recession,” Abercrombie wrote in a letter to President Bush Monday.  “We are, quite clearly, in the midst of an energy emergency.”

Abercrombie said he was particulary alarmed that Honolulu-based Aloha Airlines halted passenger service Monday and laid off 1,900 employees. Abercrombie said that Aloha had been experiencing business difficulties, and a $71 million increase in the cost of jet fuel pushed them over the edge.

Both presidential and congressional campaigns are pushing for online donations today ahead of the midnight first-quarter fundraising deadline.

Barack Obama's campaign is offering a dinner with Obama for four lucky donors who contribute this quarter. Hillary Clinton sent out an e-mail urging supporters to give as few as $5 to help her reach a goal of $3 million for the final drive before the deadline.

Though Clinton has raised more than $2.5 million just from her latest online push, she's unlikely to raise more than Obama for the quarter. Obama in February and January had raised about $55 million , nearly $20 million more than Clinton had, according to campaign finance reports.

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Texas has finally officially called the results of its March 4 primary/caucus and Barack Obama stands on top of the delegate count 99-94.

Earlier in the day, the Obama campaign declared victory following a weekend-long state caucus convention. Conflicting news reports, however, left the final outcome unclear.

According to an AP tally, Barack Obama now leads Hillary Clinton 1,631 to 1,501 in total delegates.

Former New Hampshire congressional candidate Gary Dodds was sentenced to 20 days in jail Monday for faking his disappearance after a car crash two years ago. Dodds also had to pay the $20,500 to cover the money the state of New Hampshire spent looking for him.

While campaigning in April 2006, Dodds crashed his car and hid for 27 hours to draw attention to his campaign. Dodds spent at least part of the time inside soaking his feet in cold water to fake exposure.

During the trail, which concluded last month, prosecutors wanted to tell the jury that Dodds was with a woman with whom he was having an affair. The judge refused to allow any reference to the affair.

Following the fake disappearance, Dodds lost the primary to current Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D).

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) announced today that he will run for a fifth term. Lautenberg, 84, was joined by New Jersey Democratic Governor Jon Corzine and members of the state's congressional delegation at the announcement.

"Our nation faces serious challenges. New Jersey's working families are more worried about their future than ever before," Lautenberg said. "That's why we need to change course from the failed policies of the Bush Administration and that's why New Jersey needs a United States Senator who will fight every day for the change in direction that we need."

No candidate has stepped up to challenge Lautenberg in the primary.

Lautenberg's strongest Republican challenger Anne Estabrook quit the race earlier this month due to health concerns. At least three other Republicans have announce their intentions to run.

Lautenberg has $4.3 million in cash-on-hand according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

A local Sacramento TV station caught this video of former President Bill Clinton telling the California Democratic Convention to "chill out."

"We're going to win this election if we just chill out and let everyone have their say," the former President said. The quote comes a minute into the video.

Condoleezza Rice as Republican vice presidential candidate? That's the question Beltway observers were buzzing about last week after she spoke at a semi-secret gathering of the Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) and talked about race in a Washington Times interview.

When The Hill asked ATR president Grover Norquist about Rice's chances, he did little to tamp them down. Rice would make a "great vice presidential candidate and a good president," said Norquist, a key player in President Bush's 2004 campaign. Norquist then ticked off a number of Rice's attributes that would appeal to conservatives: "serious, tempermentally level headed, understands free markets, likes guns… a foreign policy person, promoted free trade policies."

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UPDATED 2:20 PM:

Michigan Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak sent a letter to DNC Chairman Howard Dean and the Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton campaigns today proposing a plan to seat Michigan's delegates at the Democratic convention.

"The 2008 election gives us, as Democrats, a unique opportunity to make history and change the direction of our country," Stupak writes. "The last thing we want to do as Democrats is to disenfranchise voters."

The plan would split the state's 156 delegates into two groups.

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Barack Obama leads Hillary Clinton 51% to 43% nationally among Democrats according to Gallup's latest tracking poll, ahead by two fewer points than Gallup reported yesterday.

Yesterday Gallup reported Obama leading Clinton by ten points, 52% to 42%. Today Obama's lead had shrunk to eight.

Gallup's tracking poll differs from Rasmussen's: that agency reported Obama leading Clinton 46% to 43% today. Other major polls, which have not been updated since last week, are split on who leads among Democrats. NBC/Wall Street Journal reports Obama and Clinton tied at 45%; Fox News, Clinton up 40% to 38%; Pew Research, Obama up 49% to 39%.