Granite Slate

Third Wheel Plays Super Spoiler

   That national primary John McCain is so optimistic about? It's 21 states, from Alaska to West Virginia, going to the polls Tuesday. The states with the most delegates at stake are: California (173), New York (101), Georgia (72), and Illinois (70). You'd think McCain and Mitt Romney would have their advantages. McCain's home state of Arizona awards 53 delegates. Romney's Bay State has 43 delegates up for grabs, not to mention Utah's 36 delegates. But the big third wheel here is former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. His home state awards 34 delegates. Other southern states include Alabama (48), Missouri (58), Oklahoma (41) and Tennessee (55). Huckabee has played nice with McCain for weeks. Now he's about to give his old friend a super boost ... and possibly a lock on their party's nomination.

Failure to Launch

   Geronimo! It's become a day of drop-outs. John Edwards is dropping out of the Democratic presidential field, his campaign failing to catch any fire. Rudy Giuliani is scheduled to do the same today, throwing his support behind John McCain. This is making the Democrats' race a battle of two. The same could be said for the GOP, though former Southern Baptist minister Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul continue to say they will stick it out. Edwards and Giuliani collected 48,818 and 20,439 votes, respectively, in the New Hampshire Primary on Jan. 8. That was three weeks ago. Feels like ages ago.

Rubens switches to McCain

   Taking a cue from Rudy Giuliani, NH GOP mover and shaker Jim Rubens is switching allegiance and supporting John McCain. He encourages others to do the same, including financial contributions to help McCain fend off Mitt Romney and his largely self-funded campaign. "Even if you prefer a Democrat as president, give to McCain because he will elevate debate and hasten the day when Washington gets to work on America's toughest challenges," Rubens, a businessman, former senator and gubernatorial candidate, says in a letter and commentary. "If you are conservative, give to McCain to rescue conservatism from irrelevancy."

Mac is Back

   "Our victory may not have reached landslide proportions," John McCain says in his victory speech, "but it is sweet, none-the-less." McCain won all 57 GOP delegates, defeating Mitt Romney 36 percent to 31 percent. McCain is now thanking his rivals, including "my dear friend Rudy Giuliani," whom he called an inspiration and hero. Giuliani, it's now reported, will endorse McCain tomorrow in California.

Rudy for VP?

  As the negotiations ensue, in a virtual smoky back room, what are the chances of Giuliani endorsing McCain in exchange for running mate status or major cabinet post? Oh, the possibilities. Oh, the places Rudy will go. He just delivered a concession speech in which he called for a 50-state strategy for the GOP to capture the White House this year. He offered a positive outlook for his party, with or without him in the mix.

McCain wins Florida

   The phoenix is still soaring. John McCain has just won the Sunshine State, dealing Mitt Romney another blow, another silver medal. Rudy Giuliani is third. And reports from NBC and MSNBC indicate Giuliani may drop out in the next 24 or 48 hours and endorse McCain. They all hate Mitt for his holier than thou ways. Or so the storyline goes. McCain's victories in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida give the senator some serious pole position heading into Super Tuesday on Feb. 5.

A Lynch Hike?

   Adding value and some steam to the budget debate in Concord, the New Hampshire Union Leader today warns of higher taxes on Gov. John Lynch's watch Here it comes: Another Lynch Tax Hike. He says he's focused on cutting spending and the usual yada, yada. The governor delivered his State of the State last week. Now it's Open Season. And, boy, it's still another five months until Lynch et al have to file papers for 2008.

Bush's Silver Screen

  I confess: The sands of President Bush's State of the State address are slipping between these cold fingers. Truth of it is, I cannot get away from the similar themes in today's Hollywood films. The list of titles from the local cinema includes Atonement, I Am Legend, Mad Money, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Rambo, and No Country for Old Men. Just check out the synopsis of these:

• Cloverfield: "New York is under attack by a huge Godzilla-esque monster! Buildings are exploding, the Statue of Liberty is beheaded and the city's residents must survive."
• I Am Legend: "Robert Neville (Will Smith) is a brilliant scientist, but even he could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurable, and man-made. ... "
• No Country for Old Men: "The story begins when Llewelyn Moss (BROLIN) finds a pickup truck surrounded by a sentry of dead men. A load of heroin and two million dollars in ..."
• Mad Money: "Bridget Cardigan (Diane Keaton) is shocked to learn that she is on the verge of losing her home ..."

And let's not forget The Bucket List, in which two star actors play roles of two old men facing their death and consterned about the best way to live their final days. President Bush has but a year left in office. Democrats say "quack, quack," but Bush amazingly has not been their lame duck. Even as our art imitates our life.

Mothership, Flagship

   By the by, that U.S. flag as a backdrop behind President Bush tonight just doesn't look right. Old Glory is always all right, but at least get all the tri-color in the frame. Then, it's mission accomplished. It's Red, White and Blue ... Stars & Stripes Forever.

State of the Onion

   Why is it that Nancy Pelosi always looks like she's sucking on a gumdrop, her lips always shimmering and puckering, as President Bush speaks? So many questions, so little prime time. This State of the Union address and the customary hubbub ensuing is essentially a rerun, with some different nuance dedicated to mortgage troubles and the whatnot. Send in the clowns, not for President Bush, but for us all.

Sweet Caroline

   Caroline Kennedy says Barack Obama inspires her like she believes her dad did for so many others. Her commentary in the Times yesterday A President Like My Father gives Obama something of a one-two punch (Uncle Ted endorsed him today). Telling, though, are a few sentences she uses to indirectly attack Hillary and Bill Clinton. She wrote about achieving the "highest ethical standards" and a candidate running "a dignified and honest campaign." Democrats are still pooh-poohing Bill's sharp attacks. "And when it comes to judgment," Kennedy says, "Barack Obama made the right call on the most important issue of our time by opposing the war in Iraq from the beginning." Not all endorsements are created equally. And some pack punch from sheer good timing. For Obama, a week before Super Tuesday, good times never felt so good.

Hizzoner's Charm Falls Flat

   "We're going to win in Florida," Giuliani said, laughing Republicans fight for Florida. Yes, mayor, that is pretty funny. Rudy Giuliani's campaign in New Hampshire, despite all his time here, also bordered on being a laughingstock for its lack of traction. It was as if he and his campaign coordinators had never been to New Hampshire before, had never understood the retail politics of the state. Rudy didn't want to get too close to the electorate, for some reason. I was shocked, some six months ago, to watch him bum-rush himself off the stage at the Wentworth by the Sea without mingling with likely voters. Event after event in the early days, he seemed to ignore any interaction with the press. Question, mayor: Will you drop out after losing the Florida primary tomorrow? Crickets. So much for his national campaign strategy. So much for the coronation.

Obama makes it a race

   The Clinton campaign all but conceded South Carolina before the voting began yesterday. Their million-dollar internal polling knew the score, which was Barack Obama 55 percent to Hillary Clinton's 27 percent. Some guy named John Edwards took distant third in the state he was born. This contest boiled down to race just as New Hampshire was a matter of gender politics. But Obama makes this Democratic contest a real race. And he landed a high-profile endorsement, one that gives his campaign a storybook feel (though not fairy tale). Caroline Kennedy endorsed Obama, drawing parallels to her famous dad, President John F. Kennedy.

Obama Keeps The Faith

  Jesus, here we go again. Just as a certain millionaire Mormon from Massachusetts took to the George Bush Presidential Library last month to deliver his "Faith In America" address, the honey-speaking senator from Illinois should consider the same. Or something like it, for the Love of God. Democrat Barack Obama is running to be president. He would be the first black president. But his candidacy is becoming FOX News window-dressing to a slice of the electorate, as evidenced by reports this week from South Carolina, where  he has favorite-son status. Despite leading in polls in the run-up to today's Democratic primary there, the candidate is busy fighting a vicious email campaign to discredit him and cast him as a sleeper Islamic extremist. He is the son of a white woman from Kansas and a Muslim man from Kenya, but Obama has never practice the religion. He's a Christian. One of the false email attacks, as noted in today's Globe Obama fighting false email rumors, says, "The Muslims have said they plan on destroying the U.S. from the inside out - what a better way to start than at the highest level, with the president of the United States, one of their own!!!!" Another one erroneously states that Obama took the Senate oath of office by placing his hand on the Koran. In a perfect world, one would think Mitt Romney, the devout Mormon who fended off charges from evangelicals he belongs to a Cult, would privately give Obama some words of encouragement in the face of these scurrilous attacks. But no, this is presidential campaign politics. It's hard ball. And religion is too often the third rail. Just look at Romney's careful marketing. "Freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom," he said in his speech. "Freedom opens the windows of the soul so that man can discover his most profound beliefs and commune with God. Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone." Romney won some points, even as some advisers will attribute any loss to his "Faith In America." Still, he's no JFK. Barack Obama, on the other hand, has such tremendous oratory skill that he could pull off The Speech. The results of today's primary may go a long way to answering questions of his religion. If he wins his party's nomination, today's ideological scrimmage could offer a glimpse into what a general election fight might look like. The Globe's Lisa Wangsness interviews a couple people from South Carolina today who took the race bait - hook, line and sinker. Yet, she found at least one person, retired teacher Donna Caskey, who did research to debunk the bunk. As she said in the story, "We do have a lot of people in our state, bless their darling hearts, they're gullible."

   Yes. God bless 'em.

This is the fun part?

   Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor at the Globe, points out that Sen. John Kerry is the latest Democrat to take Bill Clinton to task for his attacks on Barack Obama Kerry accuses Clinton of abusing truth. Kerry had no kind words for the ex-prez in an interview with National Journal On Air. He said, "I think you had an abuse of the truth, is what happened," Kerry said. "I mean, being an ex-president does not give you license to abuse the truth, and I think that over the last days it's been over the top. Things have been said about Barack Obama's positions that are just plain untrue."

Get a job, sir

   Ah, ha. Here we have it from AP: The real reason Dennis Kucinich is rolling up his tattered presidential campaign is because he faces four challengers for his House seat Kucinich quits. What a lark. No more of this jetting around the country on the supporters' dime. No more ignoring his constituents. The poor, little guy has to go back to work. His revolution is over. Condolences. Is Ohio that bad? I mean, besides that goofy Drew Carey show. After all, his beloved cocoon, also known as the 10th District, is the capital of Polka, Bowling and Kielbasa. And the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is also on the shores of Lake Erie. But worry not. We must face it, we all shall see Dennis J. Kucinich again ... in 2012.

No-Limit Romney Is All In

   There are reports that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is going to spend $40 million of his own money to fund his presidential campaign Romney, McCain look to Florida. Sounds astronomical on so many levels. The Wall Street Journal first reported the cash king's vanity campaign. But consider this: as of a month ago, he had doled out $17 million of his own dough. What's another $20 million between friends?

Kucinich says his Peace

   The battle is finally over for the peace candidate. Congressman Dennis Kucinich is quitting his second bid for the White House. The polka-loving vegetarian and friend of labor built a small but loyal base of supporters. He's the Democrat version of the maverick, straight-talking John McCain, though in his own unique orbit. He spoke of a establishing a Department of Peace, but he was ready to maintain a strong defense. No, seriously. He spoke of some pretty basic ideals in a couple of far-reaching interviews I had with him. As a second-tier candidate, his accessibility was gold. On the campaign trail, he danced around the usual Democratic Party issues, adding his own spice to each. That, too, was lost in the media glare ... but not his wife's tongue stud. C'est la vie. Adios to a singular candidate. Peace out, Dennis Kucinich.

Kucinich runs out of money

   New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner reports the recount of the Democratic presidential primary ended yesterday because Dennis Kucinich ran out of money. Fund-less and fun-less, Kucinich's claims of ballot irregularities and miscounts never materialized. Some hand counts differed, of course, but nothing of the Kucinich grassy knoll variety. The state begins the Republican recount, requested by also-ran Albert Howard, today.

Capital (Murder) Budget

   Gov. John Lynch received a chorus of cheers yesterday in his State of the State address when he said there would be no new spending this year. The fiscal challenges include the mortgage crisis and a national economic downturn. But there are fiscal realities, too. One that comes to mind after this morning's headlines: Attorney General Kelly A. Ayotte's office is prosecuting two death penalty cases. Michael "Stix" Addison and John "Jay" Brooks are facing death sentences. New Hampshire has not executed anyone since 1939. These cases take time and cost money (NH a year ago increased Ayotte's budget by nearly a half a million dollars for the fight). You bet they will go to overtime, just as you can count on Team Ayotte stepping up to tackle other crimes over the year. In the Department of Justice, just as in Health and Human Services and other state agencies, there are services and there are essential services. Public safety is No. 1. Lynch pledges to block bills that require additional spending. But three important words prefaced his promise: "Barring an emergency."

Clinton the Un-president?

   The broad swipes Bill Clinton is taking on behalf of his spouse is earning him some critics in the Democratic Party. The Globe has an interesting story on it today Some think ex-president stooping, including comments from former Sen. Tom Daschle saying his old pal Bill's performance as attack dog is "not presidential." As Hillary Clinton gleefully said last month, "Now the fun part starts."

Buckey's "wheels of inevitability"

   Jay Buckey's email letter Monday was titled, "Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability." It was a shout out for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a call on the holiday to continue the fight for civil rights. But the subject line had double meaning. It raises the question: Does Jay Buckey see Jeanne Shaheen as "the wheels of inevitability" in their race for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate? As King also said about change, it "comes through continuous struggle." Could be his campaign slogan against the shiny, Democratic Party establishment candidate.

Bill Clinton "has a dream"

   That's the NY Post headline, anyway. But here's that video of the 42nd president falling asleep at one of Monday's many Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addresses. My Clinton-look-alike brother, too, is sleep deprived.

Barack ghettoized by Hill & Bill

Pat Buchanan lets it all hang out in a commentary for the New Hampshire Union Leader today The Clintons have ghettoized Barack. The Republican and 2006 victor of the New Hampshire Primary writes of how Hillary and Bill Clinton are taking Barack Obama down a peg or two, effectively if maliciously playing the gender and race cards. Guess Billy Shaheen "ghettoized" Obama, too, when he raised the candidate's use of drugs as a young person--use Obama wrote about in one of his earlier books. To "Go, Pat, Go," this is more Politics of the Hood.

Where's the beef?

  Hillary Clinton asked it before the first ballots were cast: "Where's the beef?" She summoned the spirit of Walter Mondale, in yet another way to try to distance herself from Barack Obama. This, despite the fact Clinton and Obama share many of the same positions. It is a race of nuance, not of substance. There's no beef, just plenty of beefing. On the topic of protein, the dumbest questions of the election season have been asked of the candidates by some of the smartest reporters. Like this infernal AP nugget: What food do you hate? The country's at war with terrorists around the world and there's class warfare waged on the home front. And the next president is asked about his or her snacks? Absurd. Hillary Rodham Clinton responded to that food question, "I like nearly everything. I don't like, you know, things that are still alive." Said John Edwards, "I can't stand mushrooms." Said Barack Obama, "Beets. And I always avoid eating them." Rudy Giuliani doesn't like liver. Mike Huckabee can't stand carrots. John McCain offered a Clinton response, "I eat almost everything." Mitt Romney avoids eggplant. Useful information if one of these candidates is coming to dinner. But it leaves us hungry for a second, third and fourth course.

Thompson quits race

  Fred Thompson just pulled the plug on his campaign, a bid younger than five months and somehow lacking in any seasoning. The former senator and Law & Order star announced his departure in Florida. This is no surprise; aides have speculated the exit would be made without a strong showing in South Carolina. Political observers have already surmised the end of Thompson would help former Southern Baptist minister Mike Huckabee with social conservatives in Florida, or John McCain. Thompson has yet to endorse anyone, but he was a high-profile supporter of McCain during the senator's 2000 run. Thompson stumped for McCain in New Hampshire, including a swing by The Balsams in Dixville Notch. Everybody gains a little with Thompson out.

Clinton-Obama Smoke Show

The leading Democrats are providing more smoke than substance. If this keeps up, Hillary Clinton's got to have the edge over Barack Obama given her defensive and offensive experience in gutter politics. Here's an excerpt from last night's CNN debate transcript:

• CLINTON: Barack...
• OBAMA: Wait. No. Hillary, you just spoke.
• CLINTON: I did not say anything about Ronald Reagan.
• OBAMA: You just spoke for two minutes.
• CLINTON: You said two things.
• OBAMA: You just...
• CLINTON: You talked about admiring Ronald Reagan and you talked about the ideas...
• OBAMA: Hillary, I'm sorry. You just...
• BLITZER: Senator...
• CLINTON: I didn't talk about Reagan.
• OBAMA: Hillary, we just had the tape. You just said that I complimented the Republican ideas. That is not true.

They don't need a moderator. They need a referee.

Last-Minute Clinton

   Does the campaign of Hillary Clinton have an issue with procrastination? Clinton's supporters waited until yesterday, on the cusp of the deadline, to file the appropriate paperwork to get the candidate on the ballot in Democratic heavy Vermont On Deadline, Clinton files for VT's presidential primary. Barack Obama's campaign filed the papers in Oct. 17. John Edwards and Dennis Kucinich are also on the ballot. Vermont's primary is March 4. Nothing like the last minute.

Our dated election coverage

   You'd think the unpredictability of this presidential race would lead to some very different reporting from the mainstream media. But in another sign of malaise -- for lack of a better word -- The New York Times this morning has posted virtually the same John Harwood column under different headlines and different dates. "The people paying closest attention to the 2008 presidential race have no idea what will happen next," Harwood writes in the piece dated Jan. 7 After New Hampshire, a Rapidly Changing Race "So far, the contest keeps defying precedents." The nearly identical piece dated Jan. 21 has the headline, With a Contest in Chaos, Predictions are Futile. The NYT probably just messed up with the date. After writing that last sentence, I notice NYT online took down the column dated Jan. 21 (but the links here still work). So, we've some rapidly changing coverage. And yet, we've some deja vu.

Oh, that Chuck Norris

   Chuck Norris is playing the age card, hoping to round-house kick Mike Huckabee past John McCain for the Republican nomination. Norris yesterday questioned if McCain is too old to handle the rigors of the presidency. McCain's 71. Huckabee's 52. Norris? He's 67. So much for the support of one's peers.

Florida Battleground Anew

   John McCain wins South Carolina but comes in third in Nevada behind ... Ron Paul? That's right. Paul spoke to Nevada's Libertarian-leaning GOP in the way no one else could. Now it's off to Florida, with McCain trying to disappoint Mitt Romney once more and hold off challenges from Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson Long Battle Still Ahead. What an unbelievable race. And the battle royale that is the Democratic nomination may have a longer road yet. Like McCain and Romney, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama split Nevada for delegates and the race could swing on South Carolina on Saturday. What do voters really want this year?

Just Super

   Today's twin bill isn't even over and the candidates are looking beyond Nevada and South Carolina, to Florida and the buffet of nominating contests on Feb. 5 Lower Profile, but more delegates. This year's Super Tuesday, for all its build-up, will be either a bust or a bail-out for a couple of these presidential hopefuls.

Love & War in Nevada

  Guy Louis Rocha pulled into Dennis Hof's World Famous Bunny Ranch and parked near the front door. He turned to me. "You want to go in?" Ah, no, I replied, thinking the clock on my investigative reporting had expired for the day. Rocha, Nevada State Archivist, graciously volunteered to show me around last February, from the silver-domed Statehouse to that famous, legal brothel on the outskirts of Carson City. In his passion for his state and his job, he's acted as a tour guide for scores of journalists since. With his earnest nature and wealth of knowledge, he reminded me instantly of New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner. I rolled into Carson City ahead of the media horde nearly a year ago, before Democrats held their first presidential forum with their new early caucus. I had Rocha to myself. We listened to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., whisper a mousy, provincial address to his state's Legislature. I threw numerous questions at him over dinner and during our drive to the brothel. Guy Louis Rocha might ring a bell for you, as he's been on all the networks this week in advance of tomorrow's caucus. His schedule is packed, but Rocha still took the time to answer some of my email questions yesterday. The GOP caucus has been a snoozer, except for the past 48 hours. He says the Democratic caucus is "an all-out war." As I'm in NH today, here's the exclusive Rocha Report from Nevada, in his own words:

   The Clinton supporters in Nevada are overwhelmingly led by the old Democratic guard, although the Culinary Local 226 endorsement of Obama has upset the applecart. The Obama supporters are principally the new guard, many younger folks but also older folks who dislike the state party machine and the Clinton legacy and tactics.

   On the second point, the NV Republican Caucus is not pivotal for the candidates.  However, Romney has a lot of big backers in Nevada, including former Printer of the US Bruce James who lives at Lake Tahoe. If Nevada is not a Romney win, it's a blow to the national campaign.  If McCain wins Nevada, he should have the momentum going into the South Carolina Primary. Giuliani has his supporters in Nevada and he needs a win badly.

   On the Democratic side, the caucus has taken on epic proportions. I wouldn't call it make or break for Clinton, Obama or Edwards, but with the split results for Obama and Clinton in Iowa and New Hampshire respectively, Nevada could mean a significant momentum swing for the winner. Edwards has decent support in Nevada, particularly among unions other than the Culinary and Teachers' unions, however, he will not win in Nevada. His fight, as I see it, is to have a strong showing in Nevada like he did in Iowa, to win the state he was born in, South Carolina, and get a victory under his belt.

   Looking back, perhaps Nevada will be a turning point--it is definitely more representative of the US demographic than Iowa or NH. Yet, it is still relatively early in caucus/primary season and anything could happen. Just the same, Nevada has an opportunity to establish trend lines leading up to Super Tuesday, Feb. 5.

Her Campaign is Hill-botic

   Hillary Clinton is opening up about her marital troubles with Bill Clinton, a move the high-octane punditry calls calculated and designed to leverage the Sisterhood. Since her eyes welled up in New Hampshire on Jan. 7 -- she did not cry -- the talking heads on TV are routinely describing the Democrat as a robot. She is Hill-botic. And the Hill-bot, as it were, is once again in the fight for her political life as Barack Obama is a few points ahead in Nevada. Campaigns are run like machines. And the candidates?

Shut up you Meathead

   Nixon shoulda burned the tapes became a do-anything-to-win catchphrase for me after I heard Archie Bunker utter such on All in the Family some three decades ago. Today we learn that the Bush White House has essentially done just that White House Says It Routinely Overwrote Email Tapes. The White House acknowledged in court it may have erased emails from 2001 to 2003. Erased or recycled, not "destroyed," it says. That some of these emails could shed light on who leaked a certain CIA officer's name? Coincidence. At least that's what Archie would have said.

Sign Bandit Denied

    The New Hampshire House of Representatives dealt a blow today to the Sign Bandit, aka John Decker of Stratham. By voice vote, the House killed his bill to make political and commercial advertising on public property subject to state litter laws. Sign Bandit's Web site here Rep. Charles F. Weed, for the majority of the Election Law committee, said it remains an enforcement issue. (Yes, he's the same guy who wants to legalize marijuana. Define irony.) But Rep. James Splaine, the Portsmouth Democrat who wrote the state law requiring the New Hampshire Primary to be a week ahead of a similar election, said police have more important enforcement issues. Splaine sponsored the bill for Decker. He plans to pursue a bill to target commercial ads. Meanwhile, seeing the Sign Bandit pictured here, anyone interested in a brand new hot tub?

Finally, a winner

   Mitt Romney won the Michigan GOP primary today, his first election victory since winning his term as governor of Massachusetts. AP has called the race; Romney landed 39 percent to John McCain's 30 percent and Mike Huckabee's 16 percent. On the less-newsworthy Democratic side, Hillary Clinton held off a strong surge from "uncommitted." John Edwards and Barack Obama were not on the ballot.

Et tu, Bruno?

     The presidential fields are still shaping up and out, but I keep coming back to the state political battles taking shape this November. I keep coming back to the one person pundits deem most vulnerable, in part because she's a freshman: Carol Shea-Porter. It may have something to do with the congresswoman's winter heating flier in my mail box yesterday, a snazzy piece of literature to constituents struggling to pay their fuel bill. Anyway, I guess it jogged my memory, and I recalled the last time I had seen Shea-Porter. It was after covering Bill Clinton speak to young Democrats last year at the Radisson. I wanted to ask her about Michigan moving up its primary. As I approached her she was making her way to the exit and former U.S. Ambassador George Bruno was talking to her. Closing in, I realized Bruno was giving her hell. Et tu, Bruno? Et tu? Bruno was politely but firmly chastising her and Democrats in Congress for not putting up a good enough fight on Capitol Hill. There's been much discussion to date about Republicans Jeb Bradley and John Stephen licking their chops to get at the Democratic incumbent in the 1st District. But in recalling her brief confrontation with Bruno, a long-time Clinton friend and a former NH Democratic Party chairman, it makes one wonder whether there will be a formidable challenger for the Democratic nomination this year.

Raucous Caucus: Nevada's High Stakes

    The proverbial red, white and blue bunting is wrapped around Nevada, welcoming Republicans and Democrats for its first early caucus on Saturday. It's hard to believe it's been less than a year since that state's Democratic Party held its first presidential forum, in little Carson City. I flew into Reno late at night and the drive to Carson City seemed to take a handful of minutes. These people don't know what's about to hit them, I told myself. And, to a degree, I was right. Townspeople were surprised at all the attention, including that of an industrious, young reporter from New Hampshire packing his Technica ski boots next to his laptop for a foray up to Kirkwood and Tahoe. But they were as welcoming, I'd say, as most Granite Staters in greeting presidential hopefuls and the media horde every four years (every year, really, in preparation for the primary every four years). And so we arrive at the final push. Land use and water issues, as well as nuclear waste at Yucca mountain, have really not been aired out as much as the DNC seemed to think they'd be. And the star-studded Hispanic candidate, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, has quit the race before he could make good on promises to excel in his neighboring state. Hey, he fared better than former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, who quit the race a week after that forum a February ago (I snapped his photo meeting a Nevada voter, at left). Vilsack ran out of money--and spirit. It unearths a fine point, though: Let us take nothing for granted in this nominating contest. It's their first early caucus, but Saturday won't be Nevada's last.

The New Hampshire Bounce

   Sen. John McCain has captured the lead in national polls, a remarkable turnaround for a guy given up for dead six months ago. He's in a statistical tie with Mitt Romney in tomorrow's Michigan GOP primary, according to the Globe McCain narrowly leads in Michigan. He's also playing well against Rudy Giuliani in Florida, what could upset the former mayor's strategy of appealing to New Yorkers who have retired to the Sunshine State.

Primary Protectionism

   As the political hangover lifts -- no more robo-calls, opinion polls, fliers or overachieving 20-year-olds knocking on your door -- people feel good about New Hampshire's role as host to the first-in-the-nation primary Guarded optimism on primary. Several story lines danced around 2008 being the Last Hurrah, but primary stewards like Bill Gardner and Jim Splaine also sound optimistic.

Fringe candidates recount

  It's not about me, it's about fair elections, or so Dennis Kucinich declared yesterday as he filed for a recount of his 3,901 votes in the New Hampshire Primary. Republican fringe candidate Albert Howard also requested a recount of his 44 votes. He offered a similar charge that machine counts were drastically at odds with hand counts and that ballot gimmickry was at hand. Sounds like conspiracy theory, but nothing short of a return to paper ballots will likely please Kucinich. The recounts start Wednesday. Each candidate must pay a $2,000 fee and agree to cover the cost of the recounts, which could cost tens of thousands of dollars. The last time there was a statewide recount in the presidential primary was 1980, with a guy familiar with singing his own tune, Lyndon LaRouche.

Clinton's Michigan win in peril

   Taking a hard look at what should be Hillary Clinton's easy win in Michigan on Tuesday, it's hard not to feel sorry for Michigan voters. Their Democratic state party and legislature threw them under the bus. The state jumped ahead of the DNC's nominating calendar, prompting several Democratic presidential candidates to pledge not to campaign there and to remove their names from the ballot as a matter of principle. Not Clinton, Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich. Their names are on the ballot, but Michigan voters lack the option of voting for John Edwards or Barack Obama. So their supporters are forced to vote "uncommitted" on the ballot. It's a mess born of failed leadership in the Michigan Democratic hierarchy, chief among them Sen. Carl Levin, who appears more bent on scoring insider points than caring for an organized primary. The poor voters. And it's a disservice to the candidates, including Clinton. While she is the favorite to notch another victory, it could be tarnished if there is a ridiculously large "uncommitted" vote. It's the "anybody but" vote.

How did she do it?

  Something funny happened on the way to the coronation. Barack Obama has a fight on his hands and the Democratic presidential race remains muddled. But the laugh of the week comes from Marianne Pernold-Young, the 64-year-old photographer who asked Hillary Clinton that now famous question: "How do you do it?" Said Clinton, "It's not easy. It's not easy." The best part? Marianne voted for Obama.

Likable Enough, Hillary

   Analysis of Hillary Clinton's tears, whether they humanized her enough to dominate the women vote in New Hampshire, continues. Pundits are now saying it was a combination of her tears, regardless of the fact her tear ducts never appeared to be in operation Monday in Portsmouth, and a good debate performance Saturday. The real reason? Scott Spradling, the smiling anchorman at WMUR who was Charlie Gibson's sidekick during the debate. First, Spradling did Clinton a favor by touting her as the most experienced and most electable. And then, drum roll, he brought up the likability issue. "Well," Clinton aw-shucked, "that hurts my feelings." Barack Obama offered an odd aside, "You're likable enough," but the siren had already sounded. The Sisterhood was mobilizing for the rescue, trumping the Sister Resisters with ease.

Obama is Totally YouTubular

   Barack Obama left New Hampshire with one victory: the primary runner-up captured top honors in a study of the most-viewed YouTube videos. Oprah Winfrey helped the Democrat defeat Republican Ron Paul in the unique popularity contest (we hear she can sell a few books, too). KDPaine & Partners tracked candidate videos, with the stipulation that YouTube clips had to mention New Hampshire The data is here. The media-measurement firm found people watched Paul more often. Katie Delahaye Paine said four of the top five clips in December were actually advertisements. Not all the buzz carried over to YouTube. Paine found fewer Mike Huckabee videos, despite his success.

Annoy a liberal ...

Outside Mike Huckabee's rolling thunder-bus and next to Ron Paul supporters chanting Tax Hike Mike, a street vendor seemed o