Updated 2008 Rankings From Political Buzz - The Democrats

Here are latest Political Buzz rankings of the '08 Democratic contenders. The GOP will be up tomorrow.

Feel free to give us your opinion of the '08 race, as well as what you think of our rankings. Have your own list? You can give us that as well.

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Democrats:

Hillary Clinton - ­ ↑
By finally announcing her presidential intentions, Hillary is now able to get past that roadblock and fully prepare her campaign. H has no doubt been working behind the scenes to counter the rise of both Obama and Edwards. But now is when she must use her momentum to gently strike back at those two with the full force of her multi-million dollar war chest. Post-SOTU is a crucial time for Hillary, as the first debate draws ever closer and the Dem field will be completely set. Attacks on Obama and Edwards must come in February.

Barack Obama - ­ ↑
If Barack Obama were most candidates, he would be reeling from Hillary’s official entrance into the ‘08 Dem field. But, as we all know by now, Obama is not like most candidates. His wild popularity and constant buzz carries him through this temporary abandonment by the media and the general fanfare of Hillary’s announcement. Though he did make a blunder in delaying his announcement until earlier this month (with the official word not coming until 2/10) Obama can still make the best of it by getting an early jump on an anti-Hillary campaign and generally camping out in New Hampshire until the debates. Only a true bombshell will bring Obama down.

John Edwards - ↔
The buzz is gone. Edwards ‘08 loses steam even as his poll numbers stay strong. He’s almost assured of winning Iowa with his high numbers and is also respectable in the Granite State. But no one is talking about him. The two flashy Dems steal the spotlight with great sound bites, big announcements and lots of cash. But JRE is on the cusp of getting the unions; a big win. Can his populist image sustain the outright popularity of Hillary and Obama?

Tom Vilsack - ­ ↑
Like Edwards, assured of a great Iowa showing. That always counts for something. Beyond that, though, there’s no chance for a Vilsack upset. But he’s done his best to bang the anti-surge drum and to spread his folksy charm around. Always bound for a VP slot, he’s got the best chance of the also-rans. Wouldn’t a moderate white man from the Midwest look good traversing the country for Obama or Hillary? No doubt they think so.

Joe Biden - ↓
His showy Senate hearings on Iraq - his only chance to boost his presidential campaign - already have lost substance. Outside of the ambush of Condi Rice, they’re simply a cheap ad for Biden ‘08. Maybe he can turn them around. Numbers are low for this talkative Dem, with most still not knowing who he is (what?!). Will fight for a Veep slot along with Vilsack and Richardson.

Bill Richardson - ↔
Along with Hillary, the latest Dem to enter the race. His foreign policy cred alone is enough to warrant a strong look as VP. Combine that with his friendly image, great record as NM Gov. and his Latino background story and you have the perfect Veep. But a minority won’t work with Hillary or Obama, leaving Richardson hoping for an Edwards upset. What about his chance in the primaries? Never mind…

2008: New Dem '08 Poll has Hillary in Front

A new USA Today poll of Democratic presidential candidates has Hillary Clinton retaining her lead over the likes of Obama and Edwards.

Hillary Rodham Clinton
29%

Barack Obama
18%

John Edwards
13%


Yet another national poll with Hillary solidly in command. But the polls in Iowa and New Hampshire have H struggling to place even second. Does this mean that H will crumble once voters really think about her as president? Or maybe her huge deficit in always zany Iowa is a mere blip that will eventually be righted in the streets of Manchester. Cash is bound to start flowing from Hillary's coffers ASAP as she attempts to make that turnaround happen.

2008: Richardson's In

NM Gov. Bill Richardson joined the ever-burgeoning list of Dem candidates in 2008 yesterday as he announced his plans for a campaign. The official word will probably come tomorrow.

The foreign policy cred of Richardson is not far from impeccable (what other '08 contender from either party can claim that he personally negotiated to stop genocide in Africa? Golden!), and should make him an attractive wild card as Iraq and Mideast policy come into focus as major 2008 issues. But his name recognition remains low - despite his war-halting jaunts around the globe - and he's got nothing on domestic issues. His late entry into the race and the presence of the Dem's big three - Hillary, Obama and Edwards - makes BR's effort little more than a plea for a Veep slot with a star.

Hillary and Obama appear the best fit for "VP" Richardson. His easy going public persona will help to ground the Hillary campaign, while his foreign policy experience will strengthen Obama and his 2 years in the Senate.

2008: Obama - Fundraising Machine

Remember when members of the political punditry were ogling Barack Obama yet were concerned about his personal fundraising prowess in the face of the Hillary juggernaut? Well, just as the rest of the Obama '08 campaign is rolling along unimpeded, he is already raking in cash and stealing donors from under Hillary's nose. Close friends and past supports of HC are streaming to join Obama's campaign, bringing their bulging and always open checkbooks along for the ride.

Obama continues to shred Hillary's NY support base, and now will head out to Hollywood to scratch together some funds. That should be no problem, as pro-Obama Hollywood fundraisers are in the planning stages.

Powerhouse agent Ari Emanuel, whose client stable includes A-listers like Michael Douglas, Martin Scorsese, Larry David and Paris Hilton, is set to throw a sure-to-be-star-studded bash for Obama, D-Ill., next month.

A spokesman for the Endeavor agency head confirmed Emanuel "will be doing some sort of event (for Obama) in February."

DreamWorks SKG moguls Steven Spielberg and David Geffen, along with activist actors George Clooney and Barbra Streisand, each forked over $2,000 to Obama's 2004 Senate campaign, according to Newsmeat.com, a Web site that tracks celeb contributions.

As if stealing Hillary's friends in NY and LA weren't enough, Obama is also strong on the internet fundraising front, with a Dean-style support web site and PAC already formed. All is truly well in Obamaland.

2008: Edwards Update

John Edwards blew through PB country last night, stopping in Orlando for a fundraiser. Besides gobbling up some much needed campaign cash, JRE also continued his biting criticism of the Democratic party that he sees as lethargic "8-year-olds".

He was predictably unsatisfied with George W. Bush. But he also had some less-than-flattering things to say about his own party. Specifically, Edwards chastised Democratic leaders in Congress for their non-binding resolution opposing the troop build-up. If they are truly opposed to the build-up, Edwards said Democrats should put back their words with action by voting against funding measures. Because, if complaining is all the Democratic leaders want to do, Edwards asked: "Why don't we go stand in the corner and stomp our feet like an 8-year-old?"

While some--like Dick Morris--may see Edwards as the liberal downfall of the Dems and simply a more popular Dennis Kucinich, JRE is absolutely striking a chord with the Dems (that would be all of them) that are angry at the troop surge and equally angry with Hillary for sputtering a few minor catcalls at W over it.

Look for JRE's Saturday speech in Iowa to be an attempt to lock up that state for the January caucuses and legitimize his recent Dem bashing.

2008: New Iowa Poll!

The latest poll out of Iowa shows McCain continues to trail Rudy and Hillary still unable to sway Cornhuskers.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani leads the field of GOP presidential prospects in Iowa, followed closely by Arizona Sen. John McCain, according to the latest Iowa poll from Zogby International.Meanwhile, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards remains atop his party’s field in Iowa, with the next closest presidential hopeful 10 percentage points behind.

Edwards is no doubt the surprise out of Iowa, with Obama at 10 points back being the next Dem in line. Will his populist charm really win over Iowans come caucus time? Hillary's lethargic campaign must be worried about this early deficit. In the extended election season that is now the political reality, one year is not that long. To ignore Iowa like hubby Bill appears to be her strategy, but the scene in NH is no better. Besides, wasn't it supposed to be a Hillary landslide across the country?

As for McCain, he's still trailing in IA and looks like he won't stabilize in New Hampshire, with polls there showing his support base halved by Rudy and Mitt. Look for another last stand in Carolina to be JMac's final hope.

2008: Letter to Obama

Senator Obama,

You probably have never heard of Political Buzz, but as a member of the online punditocracy, I think it vital that you hear us out on this.

You have hinted that you are very close to a major decision on your presidential aspirations for 2008. You hinted this in November. You hinted this in December. And now have made your decision here in January. Good move. As an astute political observer you must now that timing is everything in the world of politics. Excellent opportunities must be jumped at and taken advantage of. After a bumbling start you appear to have come to realize that lesson and have acted upon it. Great!

But the real struggle is yet to come. It is made even more difficult by your pained decision to push off the announcement of your candidacy to the middle of this month; the month that Sen. Hillary Clinton is sure to make her first month as an official presidential candidate. That candidacy will no doubt overshadow your own (despite your blissful media image), wresting the spotlight from the major milestone that is the Obama '08 campaign. And, more importantly, wresting away the donations of the big Democratic pockets who would no doubt rather support a proven commodity like Sen. Clinton. The peak moment of Obamamania has passed, leading your recent announcement to become an anticlimactic event on the crowded stage that is the 2008 campaign.

But this can be overcome - and only through swift action. You must press Hillary's jugular immediately and lose your happy/pushover image. Yes, the public loves you as a cuddly teddy bear with a charming background story. But that won't beat Hillary. Keep your smiling visage in the public eye while at the same time you rapidly and silently trash Sen. Clinton as yesterday's news. Show that you have new ideas and a new vision of politics. Make nice with John Edwards in order to initiate a two-pronged assault on the Clinton campaign and to ensure the services of a popular Vice Presidential candidate. No doubt a golden strategy.

The bottom line,Senator Obama, is that action is needed. Get off the beach, put on a spiffy shirt and hit the trail with a vengeance. Remember your whirlwind tour before the midterms? Why not do it again?

This concludes our unsolicited - but oh, so important - advice for your newly launched 2008 campaign.

Sincerely,
Political Buzz

2008: Obama's In!

Barack Obama virtually launched his 2008 bid for president this morning by announcing that he will form a presidential exploratory committee and then make a final decision on Feb 10th.

As many of you know, over the last few months I have been thinking hard about my plans for 2008. Running for the presidency is a profound decision - a decision no one should make on the basis of media hype or personal ambition alone - and so before I committed myself and my family to this race, I wanted to be sure that this was right for us and, more importantly, right for the country.

I certainly didn't expect to find myself in this position a year ago. But as I've spoken to many of you in my travels across the states these past months; as I've read your emails and read your letters; I've been struck by how hungry we all are for a different kind of politics.
So I've spent some time thinking about how I could best advance the cause of change and progress that we so desperately need.

And that's why I wanted to tell you first that I'll be filing papers today to create a presidential exploratory committee. For the next several weeks, I am going to talk with people from around the country, listening and learning more about the challenges we face as a nation, the opportunities that lie before us, and the role that a presidential campaign might play in bringing our country together. And on February 10th, at the end of these decisions and in my home state of Illinois, I'll share my plans with my friends, neighbors and fellow Americans.


The official word came form his website. He posted a video on the site announcing his decision. There's also a text version.

2008: Romney Update

While Mitt continues to struggle with his ideological identity crisis, he has gained the backing of a Bush. No, not that Bush. But one of the Bush brothers appears to be funneling support to Mormon Romney in the '08 horse race. Key Jeb Bush operatives from FL are joining the early stages of the Romney '08 campaign in New Hampshire, and other FL politicians close to Jeb - former Lieut. Gov. Toni Jennings and Rep. Allen Bense - are also on the Mitt bandwagon. That's an impressive lineup of conservative Republican support in a key general state. No help in the primaries, however. Maybe Jeb himself will eventually lend a hand to gobble up nationwide GOP voters.

But that might not help too much as long as big questions remain over Romney's political turnaround. GOPers are still not comfortable with his many liberal leaning statements from past campaigns in the left wing bastion of Massachusetts. Reading the list of bills and various initiatives that he supported in Mass. looks like it could mean the end of the Romney campaign. But he's not going away. The Hotline even has Romney ranked 2nd (ahead of the faltering Rudy) in their latest 2008 rankings. It's no doubt because Mitt is the only '08 conservative candidate - fake or real - that conservatives will actually feel okay about supporting. But how long will it be before the constant viewing of Romney's pro-choice outburst in his 1994 debate with Ted Kennedy on YouTube gets to these desperate right wingers?

2008: Obama Set to Announce?

The Obama '08 campaign may finally be ready to launch sometime next week, with BO hinting at a decision and inside sources calling it a sure thing that BO's in for 2008.

The first indication appeared on the website Political Wire (great stuff), with Goddard divulging that an inside "tipster" give PW the info that Barack Obama will announce his 2008 campaign on the Oprah Winfrey show next Wednesday.

A tipster with knowledge of Sen. Barack Obama's (D-IL) presidential campaign planning hints that an official announcement may be made on the Chicago-based Oprah Winfrey Show this week.
The Oprah schedule for Wednesday, January 17 says to "check back later" for more details on the show. Since all shows are taped in advance, this suggests something is up.

And then on Face the Nation on CBS this morning, Obama hinted that he will decide whether to run "very soon", while refusing to give a timetable for an announcement.

"I will have something to say about that fairly soon," Obama told Bob Schieffer. "Obviously, there's been a lot of talk. It's something that I've been considering. I've said I've been considering it. And we'll be making an announcement fairly soon."

Very coy, though much more than the usual "I'm thinking about it". It all adds up...

Obama also had a mini face-off with John McCain on FTN, with JMac appearing right before BO came on. It was the perfect situation for them to show off their respective Iraq strategies. It was the usual stuff from these two, with McCain sticking hard to the surge plan and Obama slinging criticism at it without offering a real plan of his own. But it is increasingly hard to interpret JMac's love of the war/surge as anything more than naive stubbornness. Iraq will bring him down in the general if he doesn't change his strategy. And who better to derail the 'Straight Talk Express' than Obama?

2008: Will Hillary Make a Move on Iraq?

Speculation is swirling around the possibility of a major Hillary event to come after Pres. Bush's speech on his Iraq plan tonight. A tough and critical response to W's speech seems the perfect opportunity for Hillary to not only get back in the spotlight that she has vacated for Obama and Edwards to enjoy, but also to gain favor with the burgeoning number of Dems that are uncomfortable with H's pro-war leanings and who want out of Iraq right now.

Hillary's Iraq problem (great Newsday piece) will not go away until she confronts the issues and either takes a Lieberman stance or join Ted Kennedy in calling for cutting war funds. She's already in the precarious middle ground of moderation, which has no doubt hurt her campaign and delayed her inevitable '08 announcement.

Watch for a Hillary response on Iraq by early next week.

2008 Quick Hits

• A new batch of Republican presidential candidate favorability ratings shows that Rudy Giuliani still has the heats of the GOP faithful. The poll, conducted earlier this month, has Rudy getting the high marks over John McCain, with all other candidates having a clean slate in voters minds. Giuliani's favorability raring is at 41%, with JMac's at 39%. But those numbers may tumble for Rudy with his incredible playbook gaffe still settling in and his campaign stuck in neutral as Rudy continues to mull if he should even run at all. McCain could pounce.

• Although Hillary Clinton has stabilized in Iowa, she is increasingly facing pressure from all sides over her continued dawdling over her Iraq stance and a sharp push from John Edwards on issues near and dear to Hillary (poverty and health care). No campaign announcement has also doused some of her perpetual buzz. H and Co. does realize this, and is bound to right the ship ASAP. Look for tough talk from her during the much ballyhooed Senate investigations on Iraq. But Hillary will never pull an Edwards concerning her Iraq vote from '02. She is not going to make such a bold move to the left when her electability is still in question.

• Joe Biden's '08 campaign is simply a trail balloon - started to see if his Senate hearings on Iraq (starting tomorrow) will rev up Dems enough to propel him to a choice spot as the anti-Hillary or, failing that, the perfect Hillary running-mate. Biden's pulpit in the Senate will allow him let loose with plenty of air time for his Bush bashing and the launch of the Biden plan for the Iraq mess. Biden's not going anywhere, however. A loose cannon for a mouth (Indian-Americans-7/11 comment, anyone?) and a terribly late start will be his downfall. A Veep slot? Not likely.

2008: McCain Update

The formerly easy road to the GOP nomination n 2008 for John McCain continues to crumble before him. Although his main rival Giuliani was the one to have a major disaster befall his campaign this week (playbookgate), McCain still managed to get hammered by all sides of the political spectrum.

Everyone, it seems, is jabbing at John McCain these days _ from a Republican rival for the presidential nomination to several potential Democratic candidates."When you're the perceived front-runner, your head's above the political trench and everyone takes shots at you," said Chris Lehane, a Democratic strategist and presidential campaign veteran.McCain, considered by many to be the Republican to beat, has largely remained silent about the criticism, which is somewhat uncharacteristic for the outspoken Arizona senator. His presidential exploratory committee on Wednesday declined to comment on the spate of reproaches over his stands on gay marriage and the Iraq war.

And the main suspicion is beginning to fall on JMac's "gleeful" and crafty peeps in the Rudy notebook issue. Considering that McCain had lost the title of GOP frontrunner to Rudy about the time of the heist, it surely is plausible. Turning Rudy into the poor victim? No good...

It's hard to tell whether all of this flak headed toward McCain is a sign that he's still seen as the most formidable candidate in the GOP race or is simply being kicked while he's reeling. His campaign is apparently confused as to what JMac's ideological makeup should be for his presidential run, with his early signs of uber-pandering to the evangelical right now well back in the past and a new push with Ted Kennedy for a Senate immigration bill being viewed as "amnesty" by indignant anti-illegal conservatives.

And now his staunch stay-at-all-cost+more-troops doctrine for Iraq is unraveling. Despite a public strategy of standing by his continuing comments supporting an indefinite occupation of Iraq plus sending more troops there, some quotes from last year and from staffers are now haunting JMac.

In the February ‘07 issue of Vanity Fair, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) is quoted telling a group of conservatives last October that the Iraq war “ isn't going to be around in 2008".

According to Vanity Fair, an audience member told McCain, “The war’s the big issue. Some kind of disengagement — it’s going to have to happen. It’s a big issue for you…in 24 months.” McCain responded:

“I do believe this issue isn’t going to be around in 2008. I think it’s going to either tip into civil war … ” He breaks off, as if not wanting to rehearse the handful of other unattractive possibilities. “Listen,” he says, “I believe in prayer. I pray every night.” And that’s where he leaves his discussion of the war this morning: at the kneeling rail.

"Isn't going to be around"? He knows that he's beat on Iraq, and will obviously now play down all mentions as much as possible. But can he really believe that Iraq will be over by '08? That's pure desperation disguised as ignorance.

2008 Quick Hits

• Mitt Romney is the latest 2008 hopeful to officially (almost) join the race. Undeterred by electability questions concerning his Mormon faith, Mitt is about to set up an '08 "exploratory committee", like those for Rudy and McCain. This means that Mitt's in. - While the committee filing will be labeled "exploratory," it will declare Romney as an official presidential candidate and commit him to the same fundraising and reporting rules he will have to follow when, as is expected, he transitions to a formal presidential campaign committee.
  A formal announcement is expected sometime later this year, although Romney is planning a major fundraising event in Boston on Jan. 8 to propel his candidacy - Also, the word is that Mitt will base his primary campaign in Boston, which means that he will essentially abandon the McCain/Giuliani lovefest in Iowa to focus on the real New Hampshire conservatives to gain momentum. Smart choice. Incidentally, here's a recent interview Romney gave to the right-wing online hub Human Events.

• Good move by the Edwards campaign to have JRE label the plan for a troop "surge" in Iraq the "McCain doctrine" on the Sunday shows. After all, JMac is the main backer of that pollyannish bit of strategy, and it's never too early to prepare for a possible general showdown with the good AZ Senator. Plus, it gives Dems a catchy phrase and a chance to trash JMac. Edwards is still a step ahead of his competition.

• Speaking of McCain, he's seeking revenge in South Carolina, building up a strong campaign team there. No doubt he doesn't want to lose SC twice.

2008: Edwards is in

Democrat John Edwards has finally ended the non-suspense this morning and officially announced his candidacy for president in 2008. He also kept the location of the event in a Katrina-devastated NOLA neighborhood instead of at a "special town hall" in Des Moines tonight. That one's now just a kickoff party.

John Edwards, whose presidential campaign two years ago emphasized the growing divide between America's rich and poor, came to a hurricane-ravaged neighborhood of New Orleans to announce he is running again.
Edwards, 53, said he chose New Orleans as a backdrop to demonstrate that ``Americans can make a huge difference'' in helping those who need it most. Edwards stood in front of a home flooded in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina where repairs are just now nearing completion.
``New Orleans, in so many ways, shows the two Americas that I have talked about in the past,'' Edwards, a former Democratic senator from North Carolina, said. ``It also exemplifies something I've learned since the last election: It's great to see a problem and understand; it's more important to take action and do something about it.''

That's nice.

Edwards continued his quest for left-wing support with barbs aimed at the Iraq policy of Pres. Bush and some GOP candidates.

''It would be a huge mistake to put a surge of troops into Iraq,'' Edwards said on ABC's ''Good Morning America. ''It sends exactly the wrong signal. We can maximize our chances for success by making clear we are going to leave Iraq and not stay there forever.''

Those lefty blogs must be loving that. John Nichols at The Nation is already trumpeting Edwards as the candidate for progressives; even if JRE is not completely perfect for the left-wingers in in the Democratic party.

His announcement had no surprise factor due to his campaign spilling the beans on it yesterday sand JRE's obvious campaigning for several months. But the event was covered by every cable news outlet, giving the Edwards 'ob folks a shot of buzz and publicity to counter the public infatuation with both Hillary and Obama.

His One America Committee website has already changed over to johnedwards.com, and he's trying to go the Dean route with lots of blogs, user-generated video and live web chats to come - so they say. Speaking of live chats, the site will host a live session with Edwards himself at 12PM Eastern. He and his posse appear to have all campaign bases covered exceptionally well; from heartstring tugging and sappy announcement to the instant transformation of his OAC site from simple PAC to fully functioning campaign hub. Makes one wonder if Hillary and Obama are this far along when they announce. Edwards has officially jumped from Dem also-ran to top contender between his skyrocketing poll numbers and now this A+ announcement.

2008: “Shouldn’t you be the vice president first?”

A semi-fawning NYT article on the tribulations of Barack Obama and his impending presidential decision. The piece relates how BO's six-year-old once asked the question that's screaming inside the head of Hillary and Co.:

On a winter afternoon two years ago, Senator Barack Obama took his oath of office and strolled across the Capitol grounds hand-in-hand with his wife and two daughters. At the time, a question from his 6-year-old sounded precocious. Now, it seems prescient.

“Are you going to try to be president?” Malia Obama asked her father, giggling as a television camera captured the moment. “Shouldn’t you be the vice president first?”

Exactly...

The article tries to expand on the real issues that an Obama '08 campaign would face. Those include dealing with left-wing liberal upset with his sometimes moderate Senate votes and good relationship with Republicans, getting actual support - not lighthearted praise - from top Dem donors and pols, and, obviously, the issue of his experience. Or, more appropriately, his lack of it.

Is Obama actually ready for a run? Or is he to be mowed down by the vengeful Hillary?

2008: And So It Begins...

While Hawaii's favorite son is vacationing in the islands before he makes his momentous decision about '08, some Aloha Staters are giving him an awfully big hint at what he should do. A grassroots "Draft Obama" campaign in Hawaii is running a TV ad in Honolulu that they hope the Senator will see, thus deciding to launch a run.

"We're hoping that he sees the public groundswell and realizes that we've got his back, and if he jumps into this we're going to work as hard as we possibly can to make sure he's the next president," website founder Ben Stanfield said by telephone from his home in Rockville, Md.

The ad appears to be the same one that the draftobama.org folks ran in New Hampshire and D.C. last week.

2008: Edwards Update

Burgeoning Dem contender John Edwards has apparently changed his plans concerning his presidential campaign announcement next week. He has nixed the idea of an announcement from Katrina-ravaged New Orleans and has instead bowed to political reality and has scheduled a "special town hall" meeting in Des Moines for next Thursday. Anytime a political candidate includes "special" in the title of an event it means something big: Either they've lost an election or they're entering one.

He must have come to the rightful conclusion that poverty-fighting messages don't get votes. Pandering to Cornhusker's is what gets support in the correct places.

JRE probably also realized that the switch was a good decision when a new Dem Iowa poll came out showing that he was tied with Barack Obama for the Dem lead, with Hillary well back. H is even behind Vilsack.

When asked who they would vote for if the 2008 Democratic caucuses were held today, 22 percent of Democrats named John Edwards, the former South Carolina senator and 2004 vice presidential candidate. Sen. Barack Obama, of Illinois, also was named by 22 percent of Democrats.
Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack was at 12 percent and U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton was at 10 percent.

That's more good news for the "slick" Edwards. Rising poll numbers, the first major Dem to announce - in Iowa, no less - and voters that still think he's cute; life is good for the jolly Sen. Edwards.

2008: Obama - This Week!

Dem stud Barack Obama is set to announce his "plans" (meaning a run) for 2008 this week, as opposed to early next year, the original timetable, according to his sister in Hawaii.

Sen. Barack Obama will decide this week in Hawaii if he'll seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, his sister said Tuesday.
"He's going to make his decision here and announce it to us. Then he's probably going to officially announce his decision once he returns," Maya Soetoro told The Associated Press.

Obama, born and partially raised in Hawaii, is on vacation ( Or, according to Maya: "It's a much needed time for reflection." ) with his family there over the holiday, meaning that Obama's media announcement will still come close to 2007. No doubt he wants a quick jump on the post-Christmas news cycle, beating any announcements from Rudy, McCain or Hillary.

Here's another tidbit from that Chicago Tribune article previously cited in this post:

Another bit of Obama news is this. Gallup's pollsters are reporting today that nearly half of the public doesn't know who he is.
That's hard to believe given the saturation media coverage he's received. But that's what the Gallup survey indicates.

That must be a typo. How can half of Americans not have an inkling of who Barack Obama is? The name alone should make him stand out. Is this a possible problem yet to surface? Dunderhead W-esque voters that don't pay attention to any sort of media outlets on the planet?

At least Tom Daschle thinks Obama's hot.

2008 Quick Hits

• Hillary Clinton pulled a Kerry/Edwards move yesterday on "Today", saying that, concerning her Senate vote for the Iraq war - "Obviously, if we knew then what we know now, there wouldn't have been a vote," she said in her usual refrain before adding, "and I certainly wouldn't have voted that way". "However, the former first lady denies her vote was a mistake; in part to maintain her centrist image". - A poor imitation of Kerry's "voted for it before I voted against it" schtick. Excepy H is the other way around. She voted against the war before she voted for it. Is she really that desperate to please the anti-war left and moderate DLC types in the Democratic party? She must realize that, no matter what she attempts to do, she'll never be a Howard Deanesque figure to left-wingers.

• Rudy Giuliani, now officially the top GOP contender for 2008, launched his first campaign website yesterday. joinrudy2008.com is no more than Rudy propaganda (The site has pages with such titles as "The Crime Fighter". No mention of sleazy personal issues or gay marriage) with a credit card machine attached, but it's still put together much more professionally than John McCain's uber-tacky exploremccain.com site which is literally an online credit card machine. With the Join Rudy launch Giuliani is clearly organizing his campaign with an eye towards finality in preparation for his official '08 announcement.

• More '08 campaigning going on today in Iowa, with GOPer Mitt Romney attending several GOP events in the Cornhusker State. Mitt is no doubt enjoying the Rudy-bashing WaPo article from yesterday. With McCain disorganized and Rudy too "liberal", Romney is apparently WaPo's pick for the nomination. - Meanwhile, Dem contender Tom Vilsack gave a plush AFLAC duck to Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show". A must-read article...