Union Leader To Thompson: Do A Debate
The conservative New Hampshire Union Leader, the largest newspaper in the crucial primary state, has an editorial today challenging Fred Thompson to come to New Hampshire and participate in a debate scheduled for September 5. "Thompson's main weakness right now is his commitment to the race," the paper says. "Republicans are starting to think that his heart is not in it, and they are getting tired of the teasing."

Wyoming GOP Moves Contest To January 5
The Wyoming Republican Party has voted to move their delegate-selection conventions to January 5, a whole month ahead of the RNC's officially blessed date of February 5. "We're first in the nation," said Tom Sansonetti, the state GOP's county convention coordinator, sounding completely defiant. "At least for the next couple, three weeks until New Hampshire and Iowa move, which I expect they will." Expect the national GOP to come down like a ton of bricks on the Wyoming party, and disqualify most or even all delegates selected in this manner.

Professor Decides Against Minnesota Senate Race
Nobel Prize-winning chemist and Duke University Professor Peter Agre has announced that he will not be seeking the Democratic nomination for Senate from Minnesota, as he had been considering throughout this Summer. "As much as I'd like to run, I've decided it's just not the time to step in," Agre told the Associated Press. "It's late. I just don't think I can make the race." Agre declined to endorse any of the current candidates at this time.

Filner Releases Statement On Alleged Airport Rage Incident
Congressman Bob Filner (D-CA), who faces assault and battery charges for allegedly pushing a United Airlines baggage employee ten days ago at Dulles airport when his luggage was delayed, has released a short statement expressing his regret: "I was tired after a delayed flight and frustrated by the subsequent further delay of the entire flight's baggage. But I did not want things to turn out as they did, with offense obviously taken and much misunderstanding. This is an episode that I regret and hope to move beyond."

ACT Agrees To Pay $775,000 Fine
The Federal Election Commission announced today that it has entered into an agreement with America Coming Together, a George Soros-funded 527 group that did extensive get-out-the-vote activities in the 2004 election. ACT has agreed to pay $775,000, the third largest civil penalty in FEC history, for breaking fundraising and spending limits, and using money officially listed as non-federal for federal purposes. (ed.note: I was an ACT canvasser in 2004, and did payroll work for their get-out-the-vote drive on Election Day.)

Huckabee On Thompson: People Think They're Electing Arthur Branch
In an interview with David Brody, Mike Huckabee had some choice words about Fred Thompson. "I frankly don't get it. I mean I'm not being unkind I just don't understand it because there's not a substantial record in the Senate in him having authored the landmark signature bill that changed America. There's not been in essence the kind of thing that says boy I remember when he did and then you fill in the blank. I think a lot of it is that people aren't sure whether they're electing a former senator or Arthur Branch." Arthur Branch is the character Thompson played on Law & Order.