Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) leads his 2008 rivals for the Democratic presidential nod in a new Rasmussen Reports poll released today.
Obama had a "statistically insignificant" 32-30 lead over Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), who is in second place for the first time Rasmussen has done the poll.
Former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) is in third place at 17 percent.
It was taken via phone before the Democrats met in South Carolina for the first-in-the-season debate.
Here's a roundup of our coverage from the Palmetto State.
-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

"Thank you for giving this party a consciousness," a woman shouted to Democratic presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich as he was swarmed by supporters after his speech to the California Democratic Convention in San Diego on Saturday.

-- Stephen Dinan, White House correspondent, The Washington Times

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- After leaving her spirited campaign forum this afternoon, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) made an unexpected stop.
The presidential candidate popped over for a visit with Jesse Jackson's mother, Helen, who lives in Greenville. A friend of Fishwrap said the two chatted for a few minutes, giving the local TV reporters just enough time to scoot over to the house and take note of the "This is Clinton Country" sign on her front door.
In case you don't spot the irony, Jackson is no mama's boy -- he recently endorsed Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), Clinton's top rival for the party nomination.

-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

There was feverish activity in the massive Camp David hangar this morning prior to the press conference held by President Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Photographers and TV guys scrambled to get all the lighting and sound details just right during the last 30 minutes before the 11:10 start.

A White House sound guy stood behind Mr. Abe's podium and tested the sound going into the translation booth.

"Speaking Japanese from the Japanese podium. Speaking Japanese. Speaking Japanese," he said.

"Are you hearing Japanese?" he said.

"No I'm hearing English," wisecracked the guy handing out translation earphones.

"Speaking Japanese. Speaking Japanese. From the Japanese podium," the sound guy continued.

Then another presidential aide began speaking into the mic that would be used by Japanese reporters to ask questions, only he was speaking English.

The sound guy up front motioned for him, with his right hand, to "speak Japanese."

He obeyed.

"Speaking Japanese. Japanese correspondents' mic. Speaking Japanese. Speaking Japanese. Speaking Japanese. Speaking Japanese. Speaking Japanese," he said.

-- Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times

Addendum to earlier post about the music at Hillary Clinton's forum here:
The New York senator gets extra points for putting local high school kids on stage, and for letting one talented youngster play the guitar after the top hits stopped.
Another student led the national anthem.
"Nice touch," one attendee said.
-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Hillary volunteers tell us they are impressed with turnout here as they wait for the Democratic 2008 candidate to arive here for a town hall forum
Clinton is 25 minutes late as of this writing, but organizers keep packing in the overflow crowd of more than 600.
"Who would have thought we could get this many Democrats together in Greenville?" Asked one volunteer, mentioning the Palmetto State's ultra-red political credentials.
Noted: The musical selections are predictable - including John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, Tom Petty, U2 and of course, Van Halen's "Right Now."
-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

Highway 385, 70 miles west of Coumbia, S.C. -- Spotted: The first Republican presidential candidate sign from Columbia to here.
Since the Democrats eyeing the White House converged here for a debate last night and dinner tonight, the road signs have all been for them.
But here is the first GOP sign -- It was for Mitt Romney of Massachusetts.
Also noted, a Fishwrap source tells us that turnout for Sen. John McCain's presidential forum Thursday was lackluster.
-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- That's what SurveyUSA asked 1,250 South Carolina voters last night after the 8 Democrats facing off for their party's presidential nomination debated for the first time.

Only 403 of those called actually watched the debate, but 31 percent said they favored Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) was a close second with 24 percent and former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) trailed with 14 percent, but led the lesser-known candidates.

Of note in a story about the poll: "Obama did three times better than Clinton and twice as well as Edwards among South Carolina's Independents. Obama and Clinton tied among Democrats. Edwards and Obama tied among Republicans. Clinton won among white viewers. Of the respondents, 60 percent were white and 36 percent were black."

See our story in today's print edition, and check back here today for more on the Democrats' Palmetto State campaign weekend.

-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- There were plenty of fun one-liners tonight coming from the Democratic candidates, far too many to list here.

But here are some of the best:

"I'm the senior statesman on here, and I was beginning to feel like a potted plant standing over here." -- former Sen. Mike Gravel (D-Alaska)

"I'm not planning to nuke anybody right now, Mike, I promise." -- Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), after Gravel asked him who he would nuke with nuclear weapons

This exchange got the most laughs:

MODERATOR: "Senator Biden, words have, in the past, gotten you in trouble, words that were borrowed and words that some found hateful. An editorial in the Los Angeles Times said, 'In addition to his uncontrolled verbosity, Biden is a gaff machine.' Can you reassure voters in this country that you would have the discipline you would need on the world stage, senator?"

BIDEN: Yes.

(LAUGHTER)

MODERATOR: Thank you, Sen. Biden.

"Joe Biden did himself proud," Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), smiling, after the debate.

"There's no such thing as one sentence with this crowd." -- NBC's Brian Williams, the moderator, on how so many of the candidates went over the alloted time for their answers.

Check back with Fishwrap for more on the debate.

-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- It was tough to get into tonight's debate, even for VIPs.
Friends of Democratic Whip Rep. James Clyburn (S.C.), a key organizer of the forum and the state's first-in-the-south primary status, were made to wait before the debate began.
Even Rep. John Larson of Connecticut and his entourage were held at the door by police making sure security was tight.
-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

Stophernow.com, an anti-Hillary Clinton Web site, is running an uber-substantive survey after tonight's Democratic presidential debate.

Their questions:

1) Who had the best hair?

2) Who had the best southern accent?

3) Who played the minority card the most?

4) Who pandered the most to the environmental community?

5) Who claimed the most humble origins?

You can vote in the survey here.

-- Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times

ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have dozens of supporters waving competing signs among the raucous crowds here outside the debate. But some observers liked the added touch -- Obama (D-Ill.) has a marching band chanting his name.
-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- A Fishwrap source working for one of the presidential campaigns got a kick out of the sights as the staffer headed into town for the first Democratic debate.
Our informant noticed that one of the first buildings on the way to the South Carolina State University campus is for the "Edwards Beauty and Barber Shop."
"Sadly, we passed it too quickly to take a photo."
Get it?
-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

There will be none of the traditional lowering-of-expectations from the Clinton camp today in advance of the first debate of the 2008 presidential candidates.
Consider this release the New York Democrat's campaign just sent out, all but declaring the senator the favorite:

In The States: New Polls Show Clinton Leading in FL, OH, PA, SC Heading Into First Debate

The Democrats head into today's debate in South Carolina with Hillary Clinton holding a consistent lead in the Democratic primary. Quinnipiac University released polls in the key swing states of Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania today showing Hillary with 20-point leads in the Democratic horse races, while three South Carolina polls out this week show Hillary ahead in the Palmetto State.

IN FLORIDA:
Hillary Clinton leads with 36 percent, Al Gore 15 percent, Barack Obama 13 percent and John Edwards at 11 percent.

IN OHIO:
Hillary Clinton leads with 37 percent, John Edwards 17 percent, Barack Obama 14 percent and Al Gore 11 percent.

IN PENNSYLVANIA:
Hillary Clinton leads with 36 percent, Al Gore 14 percent, Barack Obama 14 percent, John Edwards 13 percent.

IN SOUTH CAROLINA:
* The League of Conservation Voters poll has Hillary Clinton at 31 percent, Barack Obama at 27 percent and John Edwards at 16 percent.
* The National Education Association puts Hillary Clinton ahead with 31 percent of the vote, compared with 28 percent for Obama and 21 percent for Edwards. Among African-American voters, Clinton leads with 40 percent, compared to 35 percent for Obama and 9 percent for Edwards.
* The Zogby poll has Hillary Clinton at 33 percent, Barack Obama at 26 percent and John Edwards at 21 percent. Among African-Americans, Clinton leads with 43 percent while Obama has 30 percent and Edwards 7 percent.

The White House press office has confirmed that top Bush administration spokesman Tony Snow will return to work next Monday.

Mr. Snow's colon cancer was found late last month to have returned and attached itself to his liver. Mr. Snow underwent surgery to remove as much cancer as possible, and will continue to receive regular treatment.

But one source said the cancer attached itself to the outside of his liver but has not penetrated the liver, and that Mr. Snow will not have to undergo the most debilitating forms of chemotherapy.

-- Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times

Sen. Hillary Clinton tops a presidential poll conducted by a coalition of environmental groups, who, as mentioned here recently want to make sure global warming is a top issue in tomorrow's Democratic debate.
The Conservation Voters of South Carolina Education Fund and the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League teamed up to ask voters their positions on warming and the 2008 race.
Some 31 percent of Democrats favored Clinton (D-NY) with Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) close behind at 27 percent while 22 percent were undecided. Republicans by 24 percent favored Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) while 22 percent were undecided.
The poll also shows a majority of likely primary voters want action on climate change.
Among other findings, the poll showed 87 percent of likely Democratic primary voters and 80 percent of likely Republican primary voters believe that the state and federal government should take steps to reduce fossil fuels, such as oil and coal that are used by cars, factories, and power plants.
"We hope the 2008 presidential candidates are listening," said Conservation Voters of South Carolina Education Fund Executive Director Ann Timberlake.
The groups also noted that a bipartisan majority in the South Carolina legislature wrote a letter to the 2008 candidates urging them to make energy and global warming policy a priority in the coming months.
-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

An HBO crew was at the White House press center today, gathering footage of columnist Helen Thomas for a special on the news veteran.

And Miss Thomas delivered, with 13 questions total at the briefing.

-- Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times

Our pals over at the Hotline on Call blog are taking some guesses on when -- not if -- New Gingrich might announce he is running for president.
They think it will be Sept. 14 this year based on hints the former speaker has dropped in recent months.
But with all due respect to their forecasting skills, we'll suggest another day.
On Sept. 27, Gingrich will hold a "very excited and historic event" dubbed the first annual "Solutions Day," he announced recently in an e-mail blast. The date just happens to be the anniversary of the Contract with America.
"Solutions Day will be a day of citizen activism," he said. "It will be devoted entirely to positive solutions based on positive principles to enable us to transform government and public policy so America can win the future."
Sounds like a presidential platform to me.
"Join me in taking this first step toward a better America," Gingrich wrote in the April 9 e-mail, directing supporters to his new site.

Republican National Committee Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan today said Rep. Henry Waxman, the California Democrat running the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, was using a congressional probe to try to steal the party's "playbook for 2008."
"You don't see the New York Yankees giving the Boston Red Sox their signs before a crucial series -- and I won't be giving our equivalent to [Democatic National Committee Chairman] Howard Dean," Mr. Duncan said.
Mr. Waxman's committee is seeking RNC e-mail as part of the probe into Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales' firing of U.S. attorneys.
"While we continue to cooperate to the most appropriate level, we fully expect this Democrat fishing expedition to continue for the entire two years of their time in the majority," Mr. Duncan said.
-- S.A. Miller, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

So in case you didn't have enough John McCain gear, the Arizona Republican's presidential campaign is offering donors some more swag.
The "exclusive offer" is geared to tout the senator's official announcement tour.
"With your generous online contribution of $75 or more, we will send you an exclusive John McCain 2008 mouse pad for your home or office!" campaign manager Terry Nelson writes in an e-mail, noting, "These mouse pads are not available anywhere else."

-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

Former presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton will represent the United States tomorrow at the funeral of former Russian President Boris Yeltsin, the White House announced this morning.

The elder Mr. Bush and Mr. Clinton are no strangers to foreign trips together, having traveled to Indonesia in 2005 after the tsunami that killed roughly 300,000 people in the region.

-- Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times

I will remember when David Halberstam made time for a nobody.

Several years ago I was working on the Times' Metro Desk, and was reading Halberstam's "Firehouse." I had read "The Best and the Brightest" a short time before.

I was so inspired by Halberstam's work that one day I decided to call him. So I spent an hour or so trying to figure out how to get in touch with him, and eventually located a friend of his who gave me his home phone number.

I called Halberstam at home in the middle of the day at his New York City home. He answered, in his deep voice, and I said, "Mr. Halberstam, I'm a young reporter in Washington, D.C., and I love your work, and I wanted to ask you for any advice you could give me."

Halberstam paused, thinking. He may have asked me a question or two. And then he took several minutes, away from whatever he was doing, to give me counsel. He was unhurried. He seemed in no way annoyed or irritated by my interruption from out of the blue.

Halberstam said that one thing many reporters don't do is figure out what their weaknesses are and work on getting better at those things. He encouraged me to spend some time in self-analysis and work on improving my weaknesses. We talked for a moment longer, and then he hung up.

So apart from Halberstam's great career and inspiring work, I will remember him as one in a string of great persons whose greatness was amplified, and in some ways explained, by their lack of self-importance.

I asked White House spokeswoman Dana Perino this morning to comment on Halberstam's death.

"He is a really important historian ... and the president and Mrs. Bush are always saddened when they hear of the deaths of our historians," Mrs. Perino said.

-- Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times

Interest groups will be heading south this week to get ready for the first debate of the 2008 presidential season. The Democrats will gather in Orangeburg, South Carolina, Thursday night and Fishwrap will be there, bringing you live coverage of where each stands on important issues.
One group, the League of Conservation Voters, already is running TV ads in South Carolina featuring actor Robert Redford urging action on climate change.
"We need to challenge all of the presidential candidates to make solving global warming a top priority," Redford says, directing viewers to "HeatIsOn.org" to see where the 2008 hopefuls stand on the issue.
"In every generation, there are a few defining moments when we have the chance to chart a new course that will leave our children a better world. Our moment is now," he says.
The ads are sponsored by the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund and Conservation Voters of South Carolina Education Fund. LCV also is working in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada to encourage voters in those early election states to make global warming a top issue.

-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

Sen. John Kerry, who has made global warming his latest crusade, announced today a bill to make the U.S. Capitol carbon neutral by 2020.
"Congress must lead by example in energy efficiency, conservation and the fight against pollution," said Kerry (D-Mass.), the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee.
The Kerry plan would implement energy efficiency measures in Congressional offices, increase conservation efforts and aims to use renewable energy at the Capitol.
The bill also looks to explore ways for the Capitol Power Plant to use clean coal technology, with Kerry saying that is "action that's long overdue."
Kerry also said he supported Speaker Nancy Pelosi's initiative to replace 12,000 light bulbs on the House side of the Capitol complex in an attempt to set an example for energy conservation, an effort reported here last week.
"I look forward to working with the speaker to make a greener, cleaner Capitol a reality this Congress," said Kerry, whose book on global warming "This Moment on Earth," was published last month.
-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

Would Vice President Cheney help a mobster in need? Fuggedaboutit.
On last night's episode of the HBO series, Corrado Soprano Jr. (aka Uncle Junior) writes an impassioned plea to the Republican Veep, wondering if he could help free him from incarceration.
Uncle Junior got into some trouble last season for shooting his nephew, mob boss Tony Soprano. He was thrown into a mental institution, where he runs a poker game and buys off the orderlies.
The aged gangster has his younger pal take dictation for his letter to Cheney, in which he asks for clemency and notes Cheney's own problems with accidental shootings.
Junior gets a form letter back later in the episode, and suggests that perhaps a letter addressed to Cheney via Halliburton would yield him a better result.
-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

Presidential candidates Sens. Sam Brownback, Kansas Republican, and Christopher J. Dodd, Connecticut Democrat, are scheduled to join NBC News Washington Bureau Chief and "Meet the Press" host Tim Russert in a panel discussion tonight at Boston College entitled "Catholic Senators and Presidential Candidates: Their Faith and Public Policy."
As three prominent Catholics, the panel will discuss the personal influence of religion on policy decisions, as well as broader questions regarding the role of religion and politics.
The event will be available live at 7 p.m. via webcast.
-- Sean Lengell, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq and the man upon whose shoulders U.S. hopes in the region rest, is at the White House this morning to brief President Bush.
Mr. Bush will then make a short speech on the war in Iraq.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who last week said the war is "lost" but has not since then repeated his claim, will make his own speech on the war at noon. In excerpts of the speech released this morning, Mr. Reid, Nevada Democrat, plans to say Mr. Bush is in a "state of denial" about Iraq.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino this morning said that Mr. Reid's comments "really disturbs" her.
"I fear that they are talking themselves into believing that we are not facing a determined enemey," Mrs. Perino said. "We do this at our peril."
-- Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times

Drudge was leading this morning with John McCain's joke about bombing Iran during a visit to South Carolina yesterday:

"At the campaign rally, McCain was asked if an attack on Iran is in the works, the GEORGETOWN TIMES reports.

McCain began his answer by changing the words to a popular BEACH BOYS song.
'Bomb bomb bomb, bomb, bomb Iran,' he sang to the tune of 'Barbara Ann.'"

Sound familiar? Well, it does remind me of another famous bombing joke.

-- Eric Pfeiffer, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

Alberto Gonzales and Sen. Arlen Specter clashed early at today's Senate hearing when Mr. Specter threw a comment about preparation back at the attorney general.
"I prepare for all my hearings, senator," Mr. Gonzales volunteered, interrupting Mr. Specter.
A visibly angered Mr. Specter asked Mr. Gonzales, "Do you prepare for all your press conferences?"
Mr. Gonzales said he had "already conceded that I misspoke" at a March 13 press conference where he said he "was not involved in seeing any memos, was not involved in any discussions about what was going on."
For more on the hearing, click here.

Wyoming senators sure love their cowboys and cowgirls.
Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming) today issued congratulations for the University of Wyoming Women's Basketball Team in an e-mail titled "Cowgirl Honor." Enzi praised the unanimous passage of his resolution commending the team for its championship win.
From his press release:

"The Cowgirl basketball team and coaching staff serve as an excellent example of what the state of Wyoming represents, plain old hard work and steadfast dedication," Enzi said. "This once-underestimated team made a statement before the nation; Wyoming is one of the strongest programs in the Mountain West."

UPDATE / 10:14 a.m.: Cindy Sheehan is among the protesters in the crowd, who have so far stayed quiet.

The Code Pink protesters are out in force this morning at the hearing for Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Some of the women are wearing orange jumpsuits. Others are wearing all pink. One woman is wearing a sign that says, "Arrest Gonzales."

Another, wearing an orange jumpsuit and a small patch that read, "I miss habeas corpus," offered polite "hellos" to reporters and others milling around before the hearing started.

-- Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times

There was a fascinating portion in President Bush's speech today on the genocide in Darfur, to a crowd that included Holocaust survivors at the National Holocaust Museum:

"Some might be tempted to ask, why have a museum dedicated to such a dark subject? The men and women who built this museum will tell you because evil is not just a chapter in history; it is a reality in the human heart. So this museum serves as a living reminder of what happens when good and decent people avert their eyes from hatred and murder," Mr. Bush said at the beginning of his speech.

In the second sentence Mr. Bush affirms the belief, based on the Bible, that evil comes from inside the human heart, not from the environment or any other abstract thing. Yet in the next sentence Mr. Bush also affirms that there are "good and decent people," which points to the Judeo-Christian belief that each human being is made in the image of God and therefore has inherent value, as well as the potential to imitate the divine.

-- Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times