The Blue State

Blue Nightowl Clips

Here we go with a look at the top political clips making their rounds on the blogs at this hour:

1. More contractor abuse.
2. Edwards doubles down on Nevada.
3. Religious leaders rally around Obama.
4. No nukes for you!

More clips tomorrow.

FOX Host: Democrats are "damn fools" for not coming on FNC

FOX News' Chris Wallace tells Politico what he thinks about the Democratic presidential candidates:

“I think the Democrats are damn fools [for] not coming on Fox News,”Wallace said. “And my guess is that once you get a nominee, theyprobably will come on, because they know that we get a lot of votersthey are going to need if they are going to win the election.”

Hillary would go on FOX if she gets the nomination.

Blue Radar

As I post each morning, here are some of the political stories thatmight not be worthy of their own posts, but are nonetheless newsworthy:

• POLL CBS: Bush approval rating at 28%.
• 2008 ELECTION/SENATE Alaska Senate race (Research 2000): Mark Begich (D) - 47%, Ted Stevens (R) 41%.
• 2008 ELECTION/HOUSE Alaska House race (Research 2000): Ethan Berkowitz (D) - 49%, Don Young (R) - 41%.
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL A new Strategic Vision poll to be released later this week will show Mike Huckabee increasing his lead in Iowa, moving into the lead in Georgia and moving into second in Wisconsin.  For Obama, he will lead in Iowa, and barely trailing in Georgia and Wisconsin.
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL Campaigning for his wife, Bill Clinton claimed that Hillary is always been an agent for change.  "She has spent a lifetime as a change agent when she had the option to do other things," he said.
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL Giuliani on homosexuality on Meet the Press in 1992: “My moral views on this come from the, you know, from the CatholicChurch, and I believe that homosexuality, heterosexuality, as a waythat somebody leads their life is not, isn’t sinful.  It’s the acts — it’s thevarious acts that people perform that are sinful, not the orientationthat they have.”
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL The Obama-Winfrey event in South Carolina, which drew 30,000 people, communicated Obama's message to many new voters.  According to the AP, "Obama's people said 68 percent of the nearly 30,000 people who showed up had never communicated with them before."
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL South Carolina Republicans (SurveyUSA): Huckabee - 30%, Romney - 19%, Thompson - 18%, Giuliani - 13%, McCain - 8%.  Giuliani seems to be imploding.  He was at 26% last month.
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL National Democrats (CNN): Clinton - 40%, Obama - 30%, Edwards - 14%.

If we left something out, it's because we either wrote about ityesterday or are scheduled to do so in an individual post later today. Otherwise, feel free to add any stories to the commentbox.

Blue Nightowl Clips

As we post in the middle of each night, here are some of the political clips making their rounds on the blogs this hour:

1. Rudolph's mistress security.
2. Rudolph Giggliani
3. Pardon for Scooter?
4. Bushed!

More clips tomorrow.

Blue Radar

As I post each morning, here are some of the political stories thatmight not be worthy of their own posts, but are nonetheless newsworthy:

• FOREIGN POLICY A foreign affairs council is calling for a massive overhaul of the State Department.
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL The Democrats will debate live on Thursday in Iowa.  This is the last debate before the Iowa Caucus.
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL Barack Obama while campaigning with Oprah Winfrey in South Carolina: "I'm tired of Democrats thinking the only way to look tough on national security is to act like George Bush ," he said. "We need a bold Democratic Party that's going to stand for something, not just posture and pose."
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL A second Hillary staffer has resigned for being part of the Obama smear email.
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL Iowa Democrats (NBC): Clinton - 27%, Obama - 25%, Edwards - 21%, Richardson - 9%, Biden - 5%.
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL New Hampshire Democrats (NBC): Clinton - 30%, Obama - 27%, Edwards - 10%, Richardson - 7%.
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL South Carolina Democrats (NBC): Clinton - 28%, Obama - 25%, Edwards - 18%.

If we left something out, it's because we either wrote about ityesterday or are scheduled to do so in an individual post later today. Otherwise, feel free to add any stories to the commentbox.

Blue Nightowl Clips

As we post in the middle of each night, here are some of the political clips making their rounds on the blogs tonight:

1. ABC News panel on the rise of Mike Huckabee.
2. NBC News quotes Obama rallies with Oprah.
3. FOX paints happy picture in Iraq
4. Kristol: Another feather in the cap.

More Clips tomorrow.

Huckabee once advocated isolating AIDS patients from public

This was a smart move because it might win him more conservative votes:

Mike Huckabee once advocated isolating AIDS patients from the general public, opposedincreased federal funding in the search for a cure and saidhomosexuality could "pose a dangerous public health risk."

As a candidate for a U.S. Senate seat in 1992, Huckabee answered 229 questions submitted to him by TheAssociated Press. Besides a quarantine, Huckabee suggested thatHollywood celebrities fund AIDS research from their own pockets, ratherthan federal health agencies.

Huckabee said Saturday that his comments came at a time when thepublic was still learning about HIV and AIDS and promised to do"everything possible to transform the promise of a vaccine and a cureinto reality."

So when you're learning, are you supposed to jump to conclusions like that?

Blue Radar

As I post each morning, here are some of the political stories thatmight not be worthy of their own posts, but are nonetheless newsworthy:

• 2008 ELECTION/HOUSE Congressman Jim McCrery (R-LA) will retire in 2008.  Six Senators and 22 House members are retiring.
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL In Des Moines, IA on Saturday, Oprah Winfrey stumped for Barack Obama.  “For the very first time in my life, I feel compelled to stand up andspeak out for the man who I believe has a new vision for America,” Ms.Winfrey said, speaking over more than 10,000 screaming admirers. “I amnot here to tell you what to think. I am here to ask you to think –seriously.”  18,500 people showed up at the event.
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama will visit South Carolina and New Hampshire today.
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL Chelsea Clinton is being sent to Iowa to stump for her mother.
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL Studies predict that the gender gap voting turnout is likely to increase over time, as women continue to out-number men at the polling booth.
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL Mike Huckabee wants to have a border fence in place by the year 2010.
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL Iowa Democrats (Edwards internal poll): Clinton - 27%, Edwards - 24%, Edwards - 22%.
• 2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL Nevada Democrats (ARG): Clinton - 45%, Obama - 18%, Edwards - 14%.

If we left something out, it's because we either wrote about ityesterday or are scheduled to do so in an individual post later today. Otherwise, feel free to add any stories to the commentbox.

Blue Nightowl Clips

As we post in the middle of each night, here are some of the political clips making their rounds on the blogs at this hour:

1. Oprah on "experience" factor.
2. Oprah introduces Obama in Iowa.
3. Bush losing support of military families.

More clips tomorrow.

IA-08: Obama and Huckabee way ahead in new poll

After six years of closed government, after more than two decades of have two families run our government, it comes as no surprise that voters in Iowa on both sides favor populist candidates.

Obama is out in front for the Democrats:

Likely Democratic Iowa Caucus-goers
Barack Obama - 35%
Hillary Clinton - 29%
John Edwards - 18%

Now for the Republicans:

Likely Republican Iowa Caucus-goers
Mike Huckabee - 39%
Mitt Romney - 17%
Fred Thompson - 10%
Rudolph Giuliani - 9%
John McCain - 6%