The Morning Read: Monday, July 28, 2008

Anthony Weiner used money from his Congressional campaign to buy Fernando Ferrer’s email list.

Bill Thompson has a bleak economic outlook for New York City.

Michael Bloomberg’s spokesman is denying a report that the mayor will set up a P.A.C. to donate to state legislative races this year.

Fred Dicker writes that New York Democrats who want to support Barack Obama don’t know where to turn.

John McCain's negative attacks on Obama's foreign policy skills are wearing thin on Republicans, reports the Washington Post.

Chuck Hagel, for one, wants something more positive from McCain.

Obama talks to the A.P. about being competitive in traditionally Republican states--Virginia, the Dakotas, and Georgia, to name a few.

The Daily News looks at Caroline Kennedy's role in the Obama campaign.

Jonathan Hicks looks at Mike McMahon’s primary race against Stephen Harrison in the Staten Island Congressional district, an open seat.

In Nassua, the Republicans have more money than Democrats.

The New York Post editorial board likes Bloomberg’s idea of collecting taxes on cigarettes sold at Indian reservations.

The New York Sun editorial board likes Chuck Schumer’s support for the Free Speech Protection Act of 2008.

Cindy McCain has an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal about her trip to Rwanda.

Seth Lipsky defends Charlie Rangel's real estate situation, and the fund-raising he did for a school named after him, writing, “[W]hat is the logic of faulting a public official for aiding a public institution in raising private capital? None of the liberal papers would object if the government used its taxing power to force people to pay.”

Jacob Gershman writes, “Mr. Paterson does not want to place his 2010 election bid at risk by pursuing serious policy change.”

Charles Gasparino doesn’t buy the ethics commission report that found Darren Dopp, in essence, acted independent of Eliot Spitzer, writing, “I've never seen a lone wolf or rogue agent in Spitzerland.”

Howard Kurtz complains about “obscure spokesmen and second-string assistants” getting the limelight on cable TV, and writes, “It is as though a parade of .250 hitters and backup quarterbacks were joining the likes of Tim McCarver or John Madden in the broadcast booth.”

The city is trying to create a lot of landmark districts before Bloomberg leaves office.

Liberian politics on Staten Island continue to be contentious.

Staten Islanders created a web site to recall the New Jersey mayor who insulted them.

And former Google engineers have started a rival search engine.