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
* I haven’t seen much in the way of post-debate polls (if there were any), but Frank Luntz’s focus group seemed to think<\/a> that Barack Obama won last night’s event in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n * In an apparent effort to appear pathetic, Ralph Nader sued<\/a> the Democratic Party, the Kerry-Edwards 2004 campaign, and affiliated Democratic groups yesterday for “sabotaging” his latest failed presidential bid. He also told reporters yesterday that he would decide later this year whether to launch yet another unsuccessful campaign.<\/p>\n * Former FEMA Director Joe Allbaugh, also known as Bush’s chief of staff in Texas, signed on<\/a> yesterday as Rudy Giuliani’s “senior adviser on homeland security.” The New York Daily News added, “That Allbaugh is also a board member of the National Rifle Association – a group the ex-mayor once tagged as ‘extremist’ but now embraces as a presidential hopeful – was underscored by campaign aides.”<\/p>\n * Speaking of Giuliani, some news outlets have apparently noticed<\/a> his whopper about British healthcare in his new radio ad, though reporters are awfully polite about it. The NYT said Giuliani’s bogus claim is “in dispute.” It would have been far more accurate to just say, “It’s wrong.”<\/p>\n * Surprising no one, John Edwards is poised to win the support<\/a> of the SEIU local in New Hampshire, following an endorsement from the SEIU local in Iowa. He couldn’t pick up the national SEIU, but this is the next best thing.<\/p>\n * Following up on a report from yesterday, Hillary Clinton will oppose<\/a> Michael Mukasey’s nomination to be Attorney General. * Rudy Giuliani said some nice things<\/a> about Mike Huckabee yesterday on Fox News: “I don’t know about running mates, but I sure like having him at the debates, because he makes me laugh. And he has got a nice approach to life. You know, he is a man that is — he has got a happy approach and he has got an optimistic approach to life. And then I — you know, I have great respect for him.” When Huckabee returned the favor later, defending Giuliani’s position on abortion on CNN, speculation about a possible ticket grew.<\/p>\n * Who are the Republican candidates’ leading South Carolina hatchet men, where slander and whisper campaigns seem to make all the difference? TPM runs down the list<\/a>.<\/p>\n * Is Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in trouble in his re-election fight next year in Kentucky? Maybe. A recent poll showed McConnell receiving less than 50 percent of the vote in head-to-head match-ups with four potential Democratic candidates. Apparently, McConnell is starting to feel a little nervous<\/a> about his chances.<\/p>\n
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\n* Rumors abound this morning that Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) may be leaning towards retirement<\/a> at the end of his term next year. If he does, expect former state Attorney General Mike Moore (D) to make this another possible Democratic pick-up opportunity.<\/p>\n