Mayoral Money woes. The polls show John McCain breathing down Rudy’s neck, even in Florida. We have reported here for weeks that Hizzzoner was having cash problems. He’s been canceling ad buys in early states and in December redoubled fund raising efforts. There’s a great old political axiom that goes: “if you are explaining you are losing…”

VIEW RUDY’S RESPONSE AT THE MEDIA AVAIL:

NEW HAMPSHIRE:

Since 2000 some in NH have continued to call John McCain “President of New Hampshire.”

As FNC Chief White House correspondent in the Spring of 2006 I saw Senior McCainiacs visit the White House more than once – and they didn’t like me knowing they were there. Before I gave up the WH gig to return to the trail for this very race, Senior White House officials often uttered the words:

“It’s McCain’s turn.”

Of course he hired several top Bushies, rehired his 2000 team, added a few new folks and ran up huge bills. His organization was so sprawling it collapsed under its own weight – then imploded. He was written off. Wholesale firings and resignations before August were designed to get him back on track after Labor Day. The Petraeus report came out. So did Fred Thompson, occasionally. Huckabee went largely unnoticed in NH. So, when Thompson fizzled everywhere but South Carolina, NH became a 2 man race: Mitt v McCain.

Thompson’s absence in Iowa, and becuz McCain basically skipped it, turned Iowa into a Mitt v Huckabee battle. It is a cardinal rule in first-in-the-nation politics, NEVER be in first place in the final two months, attacks in the last month can ruin you. Mitt was further hampered by the need to battle on two fronts. McCain got a pass in Iowa’s expectations game. Huck gets a pass in NH. Mitt went to war in both places at once.

With most establishment republicans skeptical of Huckabee’s chances beyond South Carolina, many are now wrestling with the possibility that perhaps it is “McCain’s Turn.”

(more…)

From C Cameron
Republican Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani is feeling better, up and about, joking around and awaiting test results at the Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis tonight. Katie Levinson at the hospital tonight at 2:03 eastern time says they are just awaiting test results and may leave tonight.

He had a headache and felt poorly. On the plane out of Chesterfield earlier tonight he decided to turn around and get to a hospital. The plane was out of commission all day and rather than fly to events, Giuliani traveled across Missouri by motorcade to three fundraisers and two additional campaign events.

He has no history of such things. Levinson called Giuliani a vigorous, energetic campaigner who has been working hard and is known for working harder than the other candidates.

ST. LOUIS – Rudy Giuliani Communications Director Katie Levinson released the following statement this morning:
Earlier today, Mayor Giuliani experienced flu-like symptoms campaigning in Missouri. The symptoms worsened as the day wore on and shortly after taking off from Chesterfield, Missouri for New York the Mayor became uncomfortable enough that our plane returned to the airport in Chesterfield. To be on the safe side, the Mayor consulted with his personal physician in New York and made the decision to go to the Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis for routine tests.

“The Mayor will spend the night in St. Louis and we will provide another update in the morning.”

After a few days of speculation, the Obama camp sent an email to reporters confirming Oprah Winfrey will come out to stump with Barack Obama.

Winfrey and Obama will hold events in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines on Saturday, December 8th, and in Columbia, SC, and a to be determined New Hampshire town on Sunday the 9th.

The campaign will distribute tickets to the Iowa events beginning December 3rd to precinct captains, campaign volunteers, and to supporters and undecided caucus goers (in that order). Volunteers who “either complete a four hour volunteer shift or attend their local caucus training before the event” will be guaranteed admission.

Last week, Obama was overheard telling a supporter at the ropeline that Oprah Winfrey was set to come out on the trail, and one day before Thanksgiving, the senator was asked how the superstar would help his campaign.

Here’s what he said about his most famous supporter last week:

Following a rally in Littleton, New Hampshire, Monday, Obama talked to reporters about Oprah coming on the Obama campaign plane.

Thanksgiving provided little rest for the campaigns. A year long marathon now goes into the kick.  It is 3 dimensional chess played 5 ways, and it’s turning nasty.

Rudy is firing in several directions: Fred has no record, Mitt has questionable judgement, Huckabee is weak on immigration and tax hikes.
Fred hits Romney for being pro choice 3 yrs ago and trying to buy the election, Rudy for weakness on illegal immigration, guns, and social issues …Huckabee gets flak for tax hikes.  Romney blasts Rudy as weak on immigration and social issues, Huckabee on immigration and tax hikes, and Fred on being an actor with a reputation for laziness.

And then there is John McCain, Just back from Thanksgiving in Iraq with the troops, he argues that all of his rivals lack the experience he has – and that is required – to be commander in chief.done

Obama’s Campaign Manager David Plouffe sent out an email Tuesday to “Interested Parties.” Basically that means it’s sent to a large group of reporters and it’s usually something juicy.

The email was entitled “Obama Gains Strength at Critical Time,” and was meant to be a look at how the campaign sees their candidate’s chances and/or how the campaign would like the press to interpret Obama’s chances in the early primary and caucus states.

Obama is doing well, the memo stated, because Clinton cannot unify and Senator John Edwards thinks that compromise is a “dirty word.”

In Iowa:

The Clinton camp is lowering expectations despite the fact that Iowa is “make or break for them.” Plouffe continued, “Which is why they will likely start planting signs, instead of questions, in Iowa.”

Of  Edwards – “We see no signs of Edwards growing outside of his core base from 2004.”

In New Hampshire:

Recent polls show that Hillary Clinton’s lead has been cut in half. “Amongst voters who say they know both Obama and Clinton equally well, we actually take a lead outside the margin for error, and in our internal polling as well as public polling, among those following the race closely, Obama and Clinton are in a dead heat.”

In Nevada:

What happens in Nevada…..(no, guess again) will be influenced by what happens in Iowa and New Hampshire. “Therefore, what the turnout is and the pace of decision making is not fully known.”

In South Carolina:

Obama has not run a single ad in the state, the campaign noted, and yet he is still doing better than John Edwards, who won the primary in 2004. “We also believe that Edwards’ support in South Carolina, if he is no longer in the race or is a weakened candidate, is much more inclined to be supportive of Obama.”

The Eleven February 5th States:

“As best we can tell, Clinton only has a meaningful presence in California and New Jersey,” the memo read. “Edwards has no formal presence in the February 5th states.”

Here is Senator Obama himself, talking strategy at a Monday town hall forum in New Hampshire.

Keep checking our slide shows. We’ll show the candidates and the media in their natural habitat. If you have GREAT campaign pic of your own please email them!!