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
* AP<\/a>: “Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton will give to charity the $23,000 in donations she has received from a Hong Kong-born fundraiser who is wanted in California for failing to appear for sentencing on a 1991 grand theft charge. The decision came Wednesday as other Democrats began distancing themselves from Norman Hsu, whose legal encounters and links to other Democratic donors have drawn public scrutiny in the past two days.”<\/p>\n * In his 2000 campaign, McCain would allude infrequently to his time as a prisoner of war during Vietnam. This year, he’s ready to use the experience quite a bit<\/a>: “The McCain campaign — in a new video unveiled exclusively to CNN on Wednesday — is aiming to showcase the Arizona Republican’s service in the Vietnam War, including his time spent in a North Vietnamese prison. Called ‘Courageous Leadership,’ the twelve-minute video begins with footage of McCain being interrogated by enemy soldiers.” The campaign apparently intends to use the video at house parties and speaking events, and as the basis for television commercials.<\/p>\n * Barack Obama unveiled a mortgage plan yesterday, which would target unscrupulous subprime lenders with steep fines, which would in turn be used to help bail out borrowers facing a wave of foreclosures, according a report<\/a> in the Financial Times.<\/p>\n * Wyoming Republicans made a bold move yesterday by moving its presidential primary to Jan. 5<\/a> — before even Iowa or New Hampshire vote. “We’re first in the nation,” said Tom Sansonetti, the state party’s 2008 county convention coordinator. “At least for the next couple, three weeks until New Hampshire and Iowa move, which I expect they will.” Expect the RNC to come down hard on Wyoming.<\/p>\n * While some unions are starting to line up behind their favored presidential hopeful, AFL-CIO leaders said yesterday that they probably won’t endorse anyone<\/a> during the primary season.<\/p>\n * Though he stopped short of an endorsement, former President Jimmy Carter had some strong praise<\/a> for John Edwards yesterday, lauding the former senator’s positions on the environment, healthcare, and poverty.<\/p>\n