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New Clinton campaign out to show her likability — New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, trying to warm up an image some voters perceive as cold, starts a drive Monday to showcase her personal side with testimonials from friends, associates and constituents she has helped.
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Big Table Fantasies — Broadly speaking, the serious contenders for the Democratic nomination are offering similar policy proposals — the dispute over health care mandates notwithstanding. But there are large differences among the candidates in their beliefs about what it will take to turn a progressive agenda into reality.


KERREY'S PRAISE OF BARACK A BIG O-BOMBO — NEW SCHOOL President and former US Sen. Bob Kerrey just couldn't help himself from applauding Barack Obama after endorsing Hillary Rodham Clinton in Iowa yesterday - until he gave a left-handed compliment that almost sounded like it was cooked up in Clinton's headquarters.


In '08 Race, the Other Clinton Steps Up Publicly
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CNN Political Ticker, The Politico, TownHall Blog, MSNBC, The Stump, Washington Times, TIME, No More Mister Nice Blog and Shakespeare's Sister

Iowa's first lady to back Edwards for president
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Associated Press

REP. KING ENDORSES ROMNEY, ER FRED — From NBC/NJ's Carrie Dann — And the endorsements keep coming... Congressman Steve King (R), one of Iowa's most strident critics of illegal immigration and a champion of the state's rural conservatives, has endorsed Romney.
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Congressman King endorses....Fred Thompson — ...apparently Mitt Romney since all the Romney staff just arrived in the room where the announcement is to be made. King is now in the house, at 9:06 a.m. There are Thompson people here now, too. — King suggested it would have been a bit cowardly …

Paul's one-day haul a record — Rep. Ron Paul of Texas yesterday broke the single-day Republican presidential-campaign fundraising record he set last month, raising about $6 million and giving him almost $18 million for the fourth quarter. — His new record came on a day in which former Massachusetts …

Newsflash: Iowa GOP Rep. Steve King endorses Thompson — Scroll down for updates... Iowa GOP Rep. Steve King announced his endorsement for president this morning. He's going with Fred Thompson. — As I mentioned, Rep. King has been one of the strongest proponents of strict immigration enforcement.

Anti-Intellectualism, the Right, and Rudy — David Frum, on populism and anti-intellectualism: … Fair points all: Huckabee's Fair Tax zeal and Paul's anti-Fed enthusiasm are genuinely foolish; there is a touch of Miers-ish identity politics in the evangelical community's Huckaphilia …
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Who Will Stand with Chris Dodd for the Constitution? — Sometime today, Chris Dodd will take the floor in the US Senate and begin talking — a filibuster — and what he has to say touches on the most important issues facing this country. The immediate topic will be a bill to provide retroactive immunity …
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Harry Reid — compare and contrast — (updated below - Update II) — Russ Feingold, today, on the effects of Harry Reid's pro-administration dirty work: … All of this stems from Reid's refusal to honor the "hold" placed on that bill by Chris Dodd, who has been in the Senate for 24 years.

Clinton chases after Obama with gender card — This week has finally put an end to all of that silly talk over the last 10 months from media pundits and political observers alike that Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., was going to win the New Hampshire primary in a walk.
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Rudy pulls back in NH, eyes Florida
Discussion:
TPM Election Central


Lieberman to back McCain for president — WASHINGTON (CNN) — Sen. Joe Lieberman is crossing party lines and endorsing Republican Sen. John McCain for president. — "Being a Republican is important. Being a Democrat is important. But you know what's more important than that?
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Shorter Candidates — Obama: The system sucks, but I'm so awesome that it'll melt away before me. — Edwards: The system sucks, and we're gonna have to fight like hell to destroy it. — Clinton: The system sucks, and I know how to work within it more than anyone.
Discussion:
The Newshoggers

Yet another jerk of the year nominee — Honestly, I thought Bobby "Big Man in the Green Zone" Calvan had the Jerk of the Year award all wrapped up. But there's a late entry in the contest. She's a Philadelphia anchorwoman charged with punching a NYC cop over the weekend. Via Philly Gossip:


Bush Faces Pressure to Shift War Priorities — As Iraq Calms, Focus Turns to Afghanistan — With violence on the decline in Iraq but on the upswing in Afghanistan, President Bush is facing new pressure from the U.S. military to accelerate a troop drawdown in Iraq and bulk up force levels in Afghanistan …


Sarkozy linked with model-turned-singer — PARIS - French President Nicolas Sarkozy's new love interest is supermodel-turned-singer Carla Bruni, reports said Monday after the two were photographed together at Disneyland Paris. — The respected news weekly L'Express posted a photo of the duo …
Discussion:
Blue Crab Boulevard