The Democratic Party has a problem. Superdelegates are depriving voters of the influence they deserve by injecting themselves into the election so early.

I’ve just written this remembrance of Tom Lantos for TPMCafe. His shift on Israel-Palestine negotiations and American engagement with Iran and the Middle East writ large can’t be called a full-on conversion, but his shift in a progressive direction was significant and should be remembered.

Via John Aravosis, comedian Andy Cobb and friends go after John McCain in an Obama “Yes We Can” parody.

This afternoon, I am scheduled to speak to about 20 Lantos Humanity in Action Fellows about US foreign policy, the campaigns and blogging — and I’ve just learned the sad news that House Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Tom Lantos (D-CA) has just passed away today.

Last week, I participated in a televised show with New York public radio host and all round smart guy Brian Lehrer in a discussion about new media, blogs, Facebook, microjournalism and how it was changing the structural ecosystem of political organizing and participation.

Congressman Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) has been under attack by the right wing of his party lately and has had a tougher than normal primary race — which will take place tomorrow. Gilchrest was one of only two Republican congressman who voted in favor of a timeline for withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.

Both the Clinton and Obama camps expected Hillary Clinton to take Maine — but thus far with 44% of precincts in, Obama is leading by 15 points.

Hillary Clinton Campaign Director Patti Solis Doyle has stepped down. Maggie Williams will now take her place. Mark Penn stays where he is, for the time being. Big news.

(The Neocons: An Illustrated Progression; Graphic by Peter and Maria Hoey) In today’s Washington Post, neoconservative movement chronicler Jacob Heilbrunn outlines “5 Myths About Those Nefarious Neocons“.

Jim Lobe has a great profile piece on the movement of neoconservative sympathies in the Republican race and notes that a number of neocons and their chief pugnacious nationalist ally John Bolton have moved to support John McCain.