Monday, November 19, 2007

The Monday morning Presidential Briefing


By Jessica Van Sack | Monday, November 19, 2007 | http://www.bostonherald.com | 2008 Campaign News

Some corn with your turkey? The candidates zero in on Iowa in the run-up to Thanksgiving this week. As former Bay State Gov. Mitt Romney prepares to make his 35th campaign visit to the Hawkeye State, Sen. Hillary Clinton has juiced up her Iowa staff and ads. Two Democratic candidates, Joe Biden and Chris Dodd, will celebrate Turkey Day in Iowa with their families. Meanwhile, the GOP’s front-runner in national polls, Rudy Giuliani, will focus on Feb. 5 primary states more than the leadoff momentum of an Iowa win.

HITTING THE ROAD

Clinton in Iowa all week; Obama in Iowa for a two-day swing and then New Hampshire;Edwards and Biden in Iowa. Giuliani fundraising in Texas and campaigning in Illinois; Romney in Idaho today and Iowa until Wednesday; McCain in New Hampshire.

THE LONE REPUBLICAN WITH HOLLY ROBICHAUD

I have some swamp land to sell you in Florida if you believe that Hillary Clinton will abide by her latest position of opposing driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants. She cannot even say the words “illegal immigrants.” Clinton’s clarity on the issue of so-called “undocumented workers” came on the same day the governor of New York threw in the towel. Eight states already pass out licenses. Do you suppose she will support cutting federal funds for those states? Only during the election.

HOT VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Mike Huckabee’s first TV ad debuts this week in Iowa, and you might call it a roundhouse kick of marketing. None other than Chuck Norris by his side, the former Arkansas governor proclaims, “My plan to secure the border? Two words: Chuck Norris.” Think hunting, border patrol and obliterating the IRS.http://www.youtube.com/explorehuckabee

POLLS Gallup/National Primary Dems: Clinton 48%, Obama 21%, Edwards 12% GOP: Giuliani 28%, Thompson 19%, McCain 13%, Romney 12% Research 2000/Iowa Caucus Dems:. Clinton 27%, Obama 25%, Edwards 21%, Richardson 10% GOP: Romney 27%, Huckabee 18%, Giuliani 16%, Thompson 10% EPIC/MRA Michigan Primary Dems: Clinton 49%, Obama 18%, Edwards 15% GOP: Giuliani 28%, Romney 25%, Thompson 13%, McCain 12%

THE MITT WATCH

We may never know who was responsible for the calls made in New Hampshire and Iowa impugning Romney’s Mormonism, but the Granite State’s attorney general is vowing to get to the bottom of who’s behind the underhanded hit, which violates state laws banning anonymous political ads. Utah-based Western Wats is under suspicion for reportedly placing the 20-minute calls. They ask whether the person receiving the call knew Romney received military deferments when he served in the Mormon missionary, and that the religion didn’t accept blacks as bishops until the 1970s, among other negative messages known in campaign circles as “push polling.”

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/national/politics/2008/view.bg?articleid=1045660

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