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 president will offer a prime-time address tonight on Iraq and troop deployments, but John Edwards’ campaign has a clever way of responding: it’s purchased two minutes of advertising time<\/a> on MSNBC following Bush’s speech. The ad will run in the first ad break following Bush’s address and the official Democratic rebuttal by Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.). In the ad, Edwards argues that Bush was wrong to push for more U.S. troops in Iraq, and calls for a “firm timeline for withdrawal,” according to excerpts of the ad provided to CNN.<\/p>\n * Hillary Clinton picked up another union endorsement yesterday, when the 300,000-strong National Association of Letter Carriers threw its support<\/a> to the New York senator. Union president William H. Young said Clinton was the “runaway winner” when they surveyed their members on the presidential primary candidates.<\/p>\n * Gen. David Petraeus came fairly close<\/a> to ruling out a career in politics in a discussion with the USA Today editorial board. After saying the idea has “not crossed [his] mind,” an editor asked if that might change at some point. When asked if he’d make the pledge offered by Union General William Tecumseh Sherman — “If drafted, I will not run; if nominated, I will not accept; if elected, I will not serve” — Petraeus said he would “associate myself with” Sherman’s sentiment.<\/p>\n * Newt Gingrich is still<\/i> making noises<\/a> about a presidential campaign, telling the far-right Washington Times this week, “I will decide based on whether I have about $30 million in committed campaign contributions and whether I think it is possible to run a campaign based on ideas rather than 30-second sound bites.”<\/p>\n * Bob Novak reports today that several seasoned GOP consultants have been willing to sign up with Fred Thompson’s campaign, but the inner circle of advisors for the actor\/lobbyist\/politician, including Mary Matalin, won’t let others in<\/a>.<\/p>\n