Archive - December 20, 2007 - The Page by Mark Halperin

The Page

Politics up to the Minute

TANCREDO IS OUT -- ENDORSES ROMNEY

Colorado Rep. makes it official at press conference in Des Moines. "We've always known the odds were enormous...." Read letter sent to supporters here. On Romney: "He will secure our borders.... He'll require those who are presently here illegally to return home... He can go the distance." Listen to audio here. Permalink

DEMOCRATS WAR IN IOWA

Clinton taunts on foreign policy. Obama campaign taunts back. Plus: Obama sends missile at outside groups helping Clinton, Edwards. Permalink

A MAN AND HIS CHOICES

How Does Matt Drudge Decide What to Post? Drudge post forces McCain and his communications director to respond with broad denials -- and partial confirmation -- to item about attempt to squelch in-the-works NY Times story about ethics. Politico: McCain spoke with Times boss Keller about story. McCain's attorney, Washington superlawyer Bob Bennett: "What is being done to John McCain is an outrage." Preparing answers to written Times questions. HALPERIN'S TAKE: "During the electoral endgame, Drudge's vast influence becomes even greater." Permalink

Huckabee, Romney Keep Battling It Out

On CNN's "The Situation Room" Romney uses tough rhetoric to call him out on pardons. Watch clip above. Plus: Romney says in Iowa Huckabee would make “great vice president.” Also: All follows day-long fight between rivals on pardons, meth, other issues. Read full coverage here. Permalink

Thompson Unloads on Huckabee and Romney

On Arkansan: "I wonder if he really appreciates the nature of the world we live in." On Bay Stater: "We all have to be careful not to want it so badly that we let ourselves get carried away." Read full interview with National Journal's Douglass here. Permalink

AP Michican GOP Poll

Romney 21, Huckabee 19, Giuliani 12, McCain 10, Paul 4, Thompson 4. Error Margin: 4 points Permalink

Romney: "Saw" is a Figure of Speech

Says he didn't literally see his father march with Martin Luther King Jr. "I saw him in the sense of being aware of his participation." Earlier: Boston Phoenix finds no record that King, Romney marched together. Read the full campaign research/response. Permalink

New Fox National Poll

GOP: Giuliani 20, Huckabee 19, McCain 19, Romney 11, Thompson 10, Paul 3. Dems: Clinton 49, Obama 20, Edwards 10, Biden 3, Richardson 2. Read more here. Permalink

Obama Offers GOP Names for Cabinet

Cites Schwarzenegger, Hagel, Lugar at New Hampshire town hall when pressed by voter. Permalink

Huckabee Weighs in On Young Spears' Pregnancy

Says on the trail Thurs. she made the right decision, he won't condemn her. Plus: Says he'd be open to posting 10 Commandments in White House. Permalink

McCain Holiday Ad Recounts "Cross in the Sand" Experience

Ad airing in NH and SC tells of compassionate guard at Vietnamese POW camp. Click above to watch. Joins five other candidates airing holiday-themed spots. Read more. Permalink

Evening News Roundup

ABC: Show led with Giuliani illness, which Gibson called "something of a puzzle." Jake Tapper stressed lack of concrete information from campaign, said hospitalization evoked Tsongas's lymphoma and Bradley's irregular heartbeat. Gibson sat with Romney for "Who Is?" segment. Discussed father's strong influence. Said Mormonism was "an advantage" in youth, recalled leading protests against student activists at Stanford in the 60s. Read more here. CBS: Byron Pitts reported from outside Giuliani's MO hospital, noting illness and recent drop in polls, absence from campaign headlines. Said he plans to remain in New York area Friday. Campaign Notebook featured Huckabee's comments about Britney Spears' sister and 10 Commandments, Bush press conference. NBC: Kelly O'Donnell covered Giuliani's hospitalization, recalled that prostate cancer cost him 2000 run for U.S. Senate. Williams mentioned Tancredo's dropout, Lee Cowan reported on Obama's voting record in Illinois and U.S. Senate -- he's missed most votes of all candidates. Permalink

Three-Dimensional Chess, Part VI

Edwards campaign sees dirty trick: slams pro-Clinton group for using him in negative attack on Obama. Tar Heel quoted in AFSCME Iowa mailing targeting Obama on health care. Read Edwards statement here. AFSCME defends: "He's been out there saying this. It made perfect sense. . . ." Permalink

Giuliani Pollster: "Our Strategy Is Florida"

Campaign continues to "probe" New Hampshire, but candidate focusing his holiday time on Sunshine State. Plus: TIME's Michael Duffy digs into Giuliani's drop in the polls. Permalink

Bush Passes on Punditry Again (Mostly)

At press conference, declines to return fire on Huckabee's Foreign Affairs article. But responds to question about Clintons' "around-the-world" trip with father: "Well 41 didn't think it's necessary...sounds like it's going to be a one-man trip." Says of TIME choosing Vladimir Putin as Person of the Year: "I presume they put him on there because he is a consequential leader.... The fundamental question is, then, consequential to what end?" Permalink