Richardson And Dodd Against Forcing Gonzales Resignation...And Other Campaign Updates
Here are a few updates on the movements of the Presidential candidates:
* While Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have both called for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to resign in the wake of the unfolding U.S. Attorneys scandal, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Sen. Chris Dodd are against forcing him out. Richardson, speaking at the International Association of Fire Fighters presidential forum yesterday, said it's "the President's choice" and that he'd "rather the president have a chat with Gonzales and tell him to clean it up."
* While appearing on MSNBC's "Tucker" yesterday, Rep. Duncan Hunter was asked if he would call former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani a conservative. His response? "No, I wouldn't." In other Hunter news, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics and Washington (CREW) has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission about whether Hunter illegally used money from his political action committee to aid his presidential campaign.
* According to Democratic consultant Bob Shrum's upcoming memoir, "No Excuses: Concessions of a Serial Campaigner," Sen. Hillary Clinton's camp lobbied hard in 2004 to get her on John Kerry's shortlist of Vice Presidential candidates, but she was ultimately taken off because polling indicated that she "had high negatives - she would hurt the ticket."
* Appearing on the "Today Show" this morning, Sen. Barack Obama vowed that he would not make his rivals personal lives an issue as he campaigns against them for President. Obama's own personal history was pulled a bit more into the spotlight today when the Los Angeles Times published an article detaling his adolescent days in Indonesia, where he "was registered by his family as a Muslim at both of the schools he attended" because his step-father was Muslim.
* Sen. John McCain will be traveling through Iowa for the next two days on the "Straight Talk Express" bus he used during his 2000 presidential campaign, though some say the moniker may not be as effective for him this time around as he is increasingly seen as an establishment candidate. Minneasot Gov. Tim Pawlenty is joining him for the trip.
* California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation this morning moving California's primary from June to Feb. 5, which is now being referred to as "Super-Duper Tuesday." The move is expected to have a significant impact on the dynamics of the 2008 presidential campaign.
* Rudy Giuliani's director of rapid response, Tim O'Brien, quit yesterday after apparently clashing with communications director Katie Levinson, Ben Smith reports.
* Former Sen. John Edwards is set to have a private dinner tonight with the leaders of seven major unions, including the United Steelworkers, the International Association of Firefighters, the American Federation of Teachers and the Communications Workers of America. The dinner is one of a series that the group of unions will hold with different presidential candidates.
* Edwards' staff got a scare yesterday when a letter containing white powder arrived at their Chapel Hill, North Carolina headquarters, forcing the staff to evacuate. Edwards was in DC at the time.
* Meanwhile, Edwards will head to Reno, Nevada on March 24 for a fundraiser.
* Two staffers on Mitt Romney's campaign are getting new job titles: Josh Ginsberg, currently the campaign's deputy political director for voter contact, has been promoted to national field director while current national field director Julie Teer will become deputy finance director for affinity groups.
* Speaking in New Hampshire yesterday, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee the Bush administration's treatment of state's rights "has been horrible," especially regarding efforts to federalize education.
* Huckabee is heading to Southern California for a two-day trip that includes a Thursday night fundraiser in Newport Beach.
* Sen. Barack Obama picked up the endorsements of five prominent New Hampshire Democrats yesterday: ormer state Health and Human Services Commissioner Ned Helms and his wife, Sally, former gubernatorial candidate and state Rep. Paul MacEachern, Concord attorney/lobbyist Anne McLane Kuster and former state Rep. Jack Pratt, now a Cheshire County commissioner.
* Sen. Hillary Clinton picked up her own NH endorsements yesterday, including state Reps. Hector Velez and Steve Johnson of Manchester and Peter Cote of Nashua.
* Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson has hired Jack Heath and Michael Biundo's Meridian Communications to work for his exploratory committee in New Hampshire.
* Both Sens. Chris Dodd and Joe Biden will be in New Hampshire over the weekend to participate in St. Patrick's Day festivities. Dodd will keynote the Manchester Democratic Committee's St. Patrick's Day breakfast while Biden will attend former state Sen. Bobby Stephen's Fund for Education's 29th Annual St. Patrick's Day Celebration.
* Sen. Sam Brownback will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday and march in the Des Moines St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
* Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has named former Iowa state Sen. Stewart Iverson as an adviser to his presidential campaign. Iverson was formerly attached to former New York Gov. George Pataki, but joined Romney's camp after Pataki told his staff that he couldn't guarantee that he would run for President and they were free to join other campaigns.
* Sen. Hillary Clinton and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson will both head to Austin, Texas for fundraisers in the next few days.
* Former Sen. George Allen, he of the "Macaca" moment, is holding a private dinner in the coming days to "discuss whether to seek the Senate seat now held by senior Republican Sen. John W. Warner, if the five-term incumbent were to step down in 2008." It is also speculated that Allen might consider running for Governor of Virginia in 2009.















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