Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:<\/p>\n
* The rumors are true: Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) has won the support of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), which as the WaPo noted<\/a>, is among the most “politically active and symbolically prized labor groups in the country.” When John Kerry was struggling in 2004, the IAFF endorsement helped turn things around for him. With this in mind, this is a major boost for Dodd. (For months, the political world has wondered if any second-tier Dems could make a serious play for the top tier. From where I sit, Richardson isn’t the one to watch; Dodd is.)<\/p>\n * On a related note, Hillary Clinton’s campaign announced yesterday<\/a> that she has earned the United Transportation Union’s endorsement. With Dodd getting the IAFF’s support today, the Clinton team emphasized that the UTU announcement is “the first national union endorsement of the 2008 campaign.”<\/p>\n * Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), eight months after a severe brain hemorrhage, appeared before a cheering crowd at the Sioux Falls Convention Center yesterday, declaring: “I am back<\/a>.” Johnson will return to work after Labor Day and said yesterday he expects to run for re-election next year.<\/p>\n * Though most of the calendar attention has been on the Dems’ side of the aisle, the Republican National Committee indicated yesterday that it plans to penalize<\/a> at least five states holding early primaries outside of the agreed-upon schedule. “The rules are clear,” said Tracey Schmitt, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee. “Any state that holds their primary outside of the window shall be penalized delegates.” The severity of the punishment remains to be seen.<\/p>\n * Barack Obama has picked up the support of Douglas Wilder<\/a>, the former governor of Virginia and the current mayor of Richmond.<\/p>\n * According to a leaked PowerPoint presentation, Rudy Giuliani believes that he can fall short in the early primary states, but remain competitive, just so long as he wins big in Florida<\/a>. The former mayor’s campaign considers the Sunshine State to be Giuliani’s “firewall.”<\/p>\n