Burbank, CA-

In front of the NBC Universal Studios, presidential aspirant John Edwards joined striking members today, and proclaimed through a bullhorn, his solidarity for their side of the labor fight against the studios/media companies.Edwards also relayed messages of support from other organized labor groups.

”Unions across the country walk with you, they stand with you “, Edwards said to loud cheers from the crowd.” I am in this cause with you. I’m proud to be with you in this fight for justice.”

Edwards also said that the Writers Guild is in a very important battle to “protect their creative right” against large media conglomerates.Edwards ‘ Democratic competitors, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have both stated their support for the striking guild members, but this is the first time that a presidential candidate has physically visited the writers picket line during this labor dispute.

Edwards Walks with Writers

Trough the honking support by the cars driving by on Alameda ave, many strikers in the crowd said they were impressed that Edwards took the time to come down and join them, and appreciated his words.Strikers commented on what they thought of Edwards’ visit, and if it would affect there vote. California is part of “Tsunami Tuesday” one state in the massive wave of February 5th primaries.

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The WGA went on strike earlier this month, after the negotiations fell apart over a new contract for its membership of over 12 thousand. The main topic of contention was a difference over on internet revenues that the writers would receive.Tomorrow, Edwards and Clinton will be speaking at the CA League of Conservation’s presidential forum on global warming in West Los Angeles.

UPDATE:KTTV REPORTS WRITERS BACK TO TABLE

KTTV,Our great local affiliate here in L.A. reports late tonight that the TV writers who’ve been on strike will return to contract negotiations on Nov. 26, their union and producers said Friday. In a joint statement, the Writers Guild of America, West, and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers said both sides had agreed to return to formal negotiations.

Did John Edwards’ visit play a role? I am sure his campaign would like to think so.Interesting question.

Las Vegas, Nevada-

One of the most talked about moments last night was Clinton’s accusation of Edwards, and other candidates of “throwing mud”against her. Historically, mud-slinging is a political term that conjures up images of defined, personal attacks. Despite some criticism for unloading aggressive attacks rhetorically against Hillary Clinton in the past couple weeks, Edwards has focused primarily on the differences in policies, and overall campaign themes, and has shied away from personal attacks, even when prompted by audience q and a.

Here are 2 Edwards’ Top Dogs, Joe Trippi senior advisor, and Rep. David Bonior(D-MI), campaign chairman, and their spinning take, on Clinton’s charges of mud-slinging from last night.

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Former Las Vegas reporter Major Garrett braves the throngs outside the Democratic debate in Sin City to bring you the feeding frenzy that is a pre-debate cheering section. The price he pays for bringing you the up-close, no holds barred, insider access? Almost getting swallowed alive by amped up Obama supporters. Check it out.

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Maybe not, if that nominee is Hillary Clinton. The New York Times reports Edwards declined to answer whether he’d back Hillary if she wins the nomination, saying “I’m not willing to talk about that at his point.”

The news prompted a quick response from Chris Dodd. In a statement, the Connecticut Senator said, “I am surprised at just how angry John has become. This is not the same John Edwards I once knew. Of course, we should all come together to support the nominee.” Dodd added, “I wonder which of the Republicans John prefers to Hillary?”

Clinton spokesman Isaac Baker wouldn’t comment directly on Edwards’ remarks, but said, “Hillary Clinton has spent her entire adult life supporting Democrats running for office and isn’t about to change that now. We fully expect that Hillary will be the nominee, but if she isn’t, of course she will support the Democratic nominee.”

UPDATE:

Producer Serafin Gomez, traveling with Edwards in Lebanon, NH, reports the former NC Sen told reporters,”I fully expect to support the Democratic nominee, and I fully expect to be the Democratic nominee.” So what if it’s Hillary instead? “I stand by what I said,” said Edwards.

Hillary Clinton’s campaign has copped to planting a question at a Newton, IA event this week, after the Grinnell College student newspaper reported that a campaign staffer told a student to ask the NY Senator about her plan to fight global warming.

Patrick Caldwell reports that Grinnell College student Muriel Gallo-Chasanoff says her question and others were planned in advance.

“’They were canned,’ she said. Before the event began, a Clinton staff member approached Gallo-Chasanoff to ask a specific question after Clinton’s speech. ‘One of the senior staffers told me what [to ask],’ she said.”

Senior Spokesman Mo Elliethee tells FOX News’ political correspondent Major Garrett, “on this occasion a member of our staff did discuss a possible question about Senator Clinton’s energy plan at a forum. However, Senator Clinton did not know which questioners she was calling on during the event. This is not standard policy and will not be repeated again.”

Not exactly an apology. At least one rival pounced immediately. Edwards Communications Director Chris Kofinis tells FOX, “in light of a weak debate performance, not to mention a persistent inability to answer the tough questions, it appears the Clinton campaign has adopted a new strategy of planting questions — it’s what the Clinton campaign calls the ‘politics of planting.’”

UPDATE: Barack Obama’s Iowa Press Secretary Tommy Vietor says simply, “we do not plant questions.”

Sunday was a busy day in Iowa for Hillary Clinton. She rolled out the endorsement of former Vice President and Democratic Presidential Nominee Walter “Fritz” Mondale, spoke at a fundraiser for Democratic congressman Bruce Braley, and toured a hospital where she addressed local residents about the need for high speed internet access in rural areas.

There was also plenty of attention to the issues that have been facing her campaign since that watershed Democratic debate in Philadelphia last week, where she got hit by her rivals for seemingly inconsistent answers on Iran, Social Security, and illegal immigration. Her campaign has called it the “politics of piling on,” but Sen Edwards and others have accused Clinton of using her gender to play the victim. To that charge, Hillary now has a stock defense:  “I don’t think they piled on me the other night because I’m a woman, I think they piled on because I’m winning.”

But the campaign also seems to have developed a more subtle approach to spinning the debate in Iowa, where a negative ad war between front runners Howard Dean and Dick Gephardt led to John Kerry’s caucus victory in 2004. “I’m going to continue to run a positive campaign,” she said on multiple occasions, insisting that she’ll keep talking about what she’ll do on day one in the White House, not what she’ll say on a debate stage. And even Walter Mondale got in on the defense, saying Hillary “stayed focused on her positive vision for change,” and arguing that “now is not the time to tear down fellow Democrats with personal attacks.” Translation: those other guys aren’t playing nice. Or to paraphrase another Clinton line from an earlier debate, “If you want a nice candidate, she’s your girl.” Check out part of her responses here.done

And on the substance of some of those issues from the Debate? Take a listen to her answers to reporters on drivers licenses for illegal immigrants and those presidential records that are sealed away in the National Archives (including the records of her time on the Health Care Task force in 1993, which she says she believes were already released). done

  The media filing center is a buzz with an anticipated democratic brawl.  Rival campaigns are ridiculing Obama for telegraphing his attacks in the NYT’s.  Why spoil a hit by warning everyone?

The Clinton campaigns Howard Wolfson, Jay Carson, Anne Lewis and others arrived in force to work the press an hour and ahalf before the debate began.  Arriving at the last minute: Obama’s top aides led by David Axelrod,,,along with Edwards top aides led by Joe Trippi and Jonathan Prince.  They both got to the debate site 15 minutes before the show.

Dodd manager Jim Jordan predicts Obama will not deliver the body blows many expect. There is a desire among democrats to really test her, either to get her into fighting condition for the GOP…or to beat her and replace her with a candidate with less baggage.  Edwards aides say he will be blunt direct and tough on Clinton.

–per Aaron Bruns–

Not so much for the moderators as for the viewers:

1) will Obama’s attacks land? He’s talked about throwing punches at previous debates and has failed to hit Hillary much, if at all. Will accusing her of deflecting questions on Social Security really hurt her with Democratic primary voters, or can Obama come up with something fresh?

2) How will Hillary respond? It’s been mostly with laughter lately. The front runner usually doesn’t have to dignify attacks with a response  — it has a way of dignifying opponents she’s trying to say are beneath her. But if she finally decides to engage on the substance of the attacks (not just saying “what happened to the politics of hope?”) it means she’s concerned that her opponents’ attacks might start to gain traction and define her in the eyes of the voters.

3) What is Edwards’ strategy? He’ll go after Hillary, ‘natch, but he’s been doing it for months and it’s getting him nowhere. With all the media eyes watching for Obama vs Hillary, how does he make headlines? Does he go after Obama to inject himself in the post-debate stories?

4) Can the also-rans make inroads? Chris Dodd will be harsh on FISA and Mukasey, issues on which he led the field in his opposition to the administration. Biden will push his soft partition plan and probably rap the others on experience and how achievable their plans really are; and Richardson will hit the others for keeping troops in Iraq too long. But they’ve been hitting those talking points for awhile now and it hasn’t gotten them out of tier 2. Can anyone make the leap? My money’s on Dodd. He’s moved harder to the left than anyone so far, and has a shot at taking the netroots vote with a strong performance tonight.

8:31pm — per Serafin Gomez –

Look for John Edwards striking hard on Hillary and her connection to “Washington lobbyists.” Today in Durham, New Hampshire, he told a group of reporters that he would be bringing this up during tonight’s debate.

“She has taken more money from Washington lobbyists than any candidate, Democrat or Republican, and she defends lobbyists and she defends the system. So she is status quo, and I think we have to bring about change, so I think there’s a significant difference between her and me on that issue.”

The FOX News Politics Unit is going to try something different tonight. Our producers embedded with Democratic and Republican presidential candidates alike, as well as our top editorial minds back in the bureau, will be weighing in on the big moments in tonight’s Philadelphia debate as they happen.

With fireworks expected from the opening question, this one promises to have lots of developments worth talking about. We’ll give you our take, and hopefully you’ll give us yours. Please post your comments, let us know what you’re thinking. We’ll see you here at 9pm.