I'm Not Running for President, but ...  WATCHING the 2008 presidential campaign, you sometimes get the feeling that the candidates — smart, all of them — must know better.  They must know we can't fix our economy and create jobs by isolating America from global trade.

McCain's Canal Zone Birth Prompts Queries About Whether That Rules Him Out  —  WASHINGTON — The question has nagged at the parents of Americans born outside the continental United States for generations: Dare their children aspire to grow up and become president?

ROAD MAP  —  Hopefully, everyone can now see the McCain strategy for running against Barack Obama.  Yes, we have some general points on taxes, culture wars and McCain as war hero who can protect us in ways that flash-in-the-pan pretty boy Barack Obama can't.  —  But that's not the core.

Obama staffer gave warning of NAFTA rhetoric  —  Barack Obama has ratcheted up his attacks on NAFTA, but a senior member of his campaign team told a Canadian official not to take his criticisms seriously, CTV News has learned.  —  Both Obama and Hillary Clinton have been critical …

McCain and Obama Trade Jabs on Iraq  —  Senator John McCain opened a new line of attack against Senator Barack Obama on Wednesday, accusing him of being willing to surrender Iraq to Al Qaeda.  —  Mr. McCain, the likely Republican nominee for president, previewed a possible general election contest …

Air Force Blocks Access to Many Blogs  —  The Air Force is tightening restrictions on which blogs its troops can read, cutting off access to just about any independent site with the word “blog” in its web address.  It's the latest move in a larger struggle within the military over the value — and hazards — of the sites.

Christmas!:  Barack Obama Cuts A Campaign Ad... For John McCain  —  I thought this was going to be a negative ad against Barack Hussein Obama.  —  It is.  It's just that he made it himself.  —  Big props to the Real Revo for this ad.  I hate swiping vids usually (except from Hot Air …

NYT's Greenhouse Takes Buyout Offer  —  NEW YORK — Linda Greenhouse, who has covered the Supreme Court for The New York Times for 30 years, said Wednesday that she has accepted a buyout package from the newspaper.  —  Greenhouse joined the Times in 1968 and started covering the court in 1978 …

The Times Plagiarizes the Miami Herald  —  A PAGE ONE STORY LIFTS TWO LINES ABOUT AN ILLICIT DRUG.  —  The hell wrought on Argentina by the illicit drug “paco” has already become a journalistic staple.  The Christian Science Monitor visited the topic on April 5, 2006; the Miami Herald on Aug. 12 …

Obama Makes Gay Ad Buys in Ohio, Texas  —  The Obama campaign is lavishing some of its cash advantage on the LGBT community with targeted ad buys in Ohio and Texas leading up to the critical March 4 primaries in both states (Rhode Island and Vermont also vote that day).

Louisiana Governor Pierces Business as Usual  —  BATON ROUGE, La. — Downstairs, legislators gnashed their teeth, while upstairs at the Capitol here this week, the new governor claimed victory against the old customs down below.  —  Six weeks into the term of Gov. Bobby Jindal …

Barack Hussein Obama, Omar Bradley, Benjamin Franklin and other Semitically Named American Heroes  —  At Cincinnati, Bill Cunningham, according to the LAT, who “introduced presidential candidate John McCain at a rally here today accused Barack Obama of sympathizing with 'world leaders …

Mankiw's 10 principles of economics  —  Well, I thought it was worth passing on ....

Color Me Unimpressed  —  As many of you are aware the New York Philharmonic performed yesterday in Pyongyang, North Korea.  A beautifully written piece in the FT provides some fascinating detail to the event.  It sure seems like it was a nice moment - but as for breaking down barriers between countries …