Today’s shorter-than-usual installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:
* The suspense is over: New Hampshire will host the first presidential primary on Jan. 8. With that in mind, Jonathan Martin notes the January schedule is finally set: Iowa caucuses on Jan. 3, Wyoming caucuses (which won’t count) on Jan. 5, New Hampshire primary on Jan. 8, Michigan primary (which most Democratic candidates won’t compete in) on Jan. 15, Nevada caucuses on Jan. 19, South Carolina Republican primary on Jan. 19, South Carolina Democratic primary on Jan. 26, and Florida primary (which also won’t count) on Jan. 29.
* John McCain, in an interview with Robert Traynham, Republican-spokesperson-turned-Comcast-bureau-chief, that he will not be anyone’s running mate next year.
* In light of the ongoing WGA strike, Michelle Obama has cancelled a scheduled Dec. 5 hosting of “The View.” Obama spokesman Bill Burton, said, “Michelle Obama will not cross a picket to line to appear on ‘the View.’ When the strike ends she looks forward to appearing.”
* On a related note, John and Elizabeth Edwards cancelled a joint appearance on “The View.”
* And Tony Perkins, head of the far-right Family Research Council, wrote a provocative piece yesterday explaining why Rudy Giuliani’s promises about “strict constructionist” judges aren’t good enough: Giuliani has embraced “the view that strict constructionism can coexist with Roe.”