A few things to consider as you head out to New Year's Eve events (I'll be celebrating here in Des Moines) --
"Mo-Joe is here!" declare staffers for Sen. Joe Biden, who are boasting of overflow crowds in Iowa this week.
Among them, 250 in Dubuque, 300 in Mason City and 400 in Ames. This is a candidate who is used to speaking to crowds of 40.
"As we say goodbye to 2007 and think about the hopes and dreams we have for 2008, please join us in supporting the only candidate ready to tackle the challenges and realize the opportunties we face as a nation in this next decade," Biden campaign manager Valerie Biden Owens (his sister) told supporters in an e-mail today.
But New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is out there say he is the one with momentum leading up to Thursday's caucus.
"We have a real shot at shocking the world on Thursday! You can see it in the crowds. People are packing the Governor's events!" exclaimed Dave Contarino, his campaign manager.
Here are some photos that Astrid Riecken and Rod Lamkey have taken on the campaign trail during this trip.
Here's the forecast for Thursday's caucus:
Finally, here is Sen. Hillary Clinton's New Year's Eve ad counting down what she says she would do as president:
Happy new year, everyone!
-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times
Comments (1)
Sen. Joe Biden is absolutely correct when he says that Sen. Clinton doesn't even understand the basics when it comes to Pakistan.
In the last week she claimed that President Pervez Musharraf is up for election NOW when he was elected--fairly or unfairly -- as president six months ago.
Apparently Sen. Clinton did not know that it is a parliamentary election, not a presidential election, that is coming up in Pakistan.
And she said it not once, but two different times--in a Dec. 28 CNN interview on CNN ("If President Musharraf wishes to stand for election, then he should abide by the same rules that every other candidate will have to follow") and on a Dec. 30 ABC "This Week" interview, when asked if Musharraf should step down, responded: "He could be the only person on the ballot. I don't think that's a real election."
In addition, she stated that Pakistan is "not a country that has had a history of peaceful successions"--which is news to any U.S. diplomat who has served there.
So much for her vaunted "experience" and ability to lead "from day one." Could someone please buy her a map?
Posted by Martin Edwin "Mick" Andersen | January 1, 2008 11:12 PM