Carter: Bush "Worst In History" In Foreign Relations
The Associated Press reports that Jimmy Carter said that President Bush has been the worst President in American history, in terms of America's foreign relations and image around the world. "I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history," Carter said. "The overt reversal of America's basic values as expressed by previous administrations, including those of George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon and others, has been the most disturbing to me."

Over 550 Obama Supporters Canvass New Hampshire With Petition
The Hotline reports that over 550 Obama supporters in New Hampshire went door to door yesterday on the candidate's behalf. The canvassers were collecting signatures from mostly Democratic neighborhoods for the candidate's petition to pressure the state's GOP Senators, John Sununu and Judd Gregg, to change their votes on Iraq. All signatures collected will be entered into a campaign database, so the Obama campaign will later be able to target those same voters during the primary.

Hillary Accepts Fundraising Support From Controversial Katrina Sheriff
The New York Times reports that Hillary Clinton has accepted the support of Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee, who sat on the host committee of a fundraiser in New Orleans for the Clinton campaign. Lee is perhaps best known for his officers preventing mostly black New Orleans evacuees from crossing a bridge into his parish in order to get out of the city. Lee defended the action as "a duty to protect our people," which many people felt had racial overtones.

South Carolina Republicans Boo Immigration Deal, Cheer Romney
The Boston Globe reports that yesterday's South Carolina Republican convention was the site of much booing by grassroots activists against the proposed immigration legislation — with a strongly negative reception given to even the state's own Senator, Lindsey Graham. The other Senator, Jim DeMint, was cheered for his opposition to the bill, and Mitt Romney was also received positively for his opposition. "If that's not a form of amnesty, I don't know what is," Romney said.

Romney Leaps to HUGE Lead in Iowa!
A new Des Moines Register poll has Mitt Romney jumping to a lead in Iowa with 30%, followed by John McCain at 18% and Rudy Giuliani with 17%. Furthermore, 74% of Republicans have a favorable view of Romney, ahead of even Rudy Giuliani 70%. On the Democratic side, John Edwards leads with 29%, followed by Barack Obama with 23% and Hillary Clinton at 21%. Bill Richardson has taken a solid fourth place with 10%.

Associates: No Way Bloomberg Would Run For Vice President
Ben Smith reports that those close to Mike Bloomberg think there is no way he would run for Vice President with Chuck Hagel, with whom the Mayor has been seen dining and is also contemplating a third-party run of his own. If the two were to run, it would have to be as Bloomberg-Hagel, not Hagel-Bloomberg. "I'm not sure he would run for president, but I'm fairly certain that he wouldn't want to run for vice president," said public relations executive Howard Rubenstein, who represents Bloomberg's company but was not officially speaking on the Mayor's behalf. "It's just in his personality."

Romney Has New Ad, Opposing Illegal Immigration
Mitt Romney has a new ad running in Iowa and New Hampshire, a 60-second piece in which the candidate lays out his stance on immigration during a town hall. The candidate declares strongly, "Legal immigration is great. But illegal immigration, that we've got to end ... And amnesty is not the way to do it."

Edwards' Iraq Ads Get Strong Ratings From Dems
The Hill reports that John Edwards' recent ads, in which various people talk about getting out of Iraq, followed by a required disclaimer from Edwards that he approved the message, has gotten a positive reception from Democrats. According to a survey by Wilson Research Strategies, the ad scores a 7.8 out of 10 for strength of message, a 7.5 for credibility, and scored 6.8 or above in all six categories for which Wilson Research Strategies did ratings.

Kerik: My Reputation Won't Damage Rudy's Campaign
Chris Cillizza points out that Bernie Kerik appeared on MSNBC on Friday, where he was asked about Rudy Giuliani's statements that supporting Kerik for Secretary of Homeland Security was a "mistake," and whether Kerik's reputation would damage the Giuliani campaign. "No, absolutely not," Kerik said, pointing out Giuliani's record of leading New York, and his strong performance on 9/11. "That's what they should be judging him for, not whether or not he recommended me for Homeland Security or not. They have to look at his 33, 35-year career as a manager and a public servant. And I think when you do that, you compare him to the other candidates, I think the decision is pretty obvious, and I think he should be the man to run the White House.""