[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

News that former New York City Mayor Rudy "911" Guiliani has dropped to a distant forth in the Zogby Poll, pretty much seals the deal for the fate of his campaign.

Yet it was only a couple of months ago that former Schwarzenegger campaign communications director Katie Levinson took a whack at then U.S. Senator Joe Biden for roughing up Rudy in a Democratic debate, saying "I, Katie Levinson, Levinson, have a better chance of becoming president than he does!”
 
Actually, it now appears that Senator Biden had a better shot than Levinson's boss, Mr. Guiliani. At least Senator Biden ran a respectable campaign. And heck, he even paid his staff.

by Paul Eisenman [courtesy of Blog for America]

Bergen Grassroots elected the members of its 2008 Steering Committee at our meeting yesterday evening (Weds, Jan. 2) in the Ethical Culture Society auditorium.

With six candidates filing for six vacancies, there was no need for formal balloting. The 2008 team will comprise four members of the ’07 committee: Joey Dobbs, who volunteered to become the alternate member; Paul Eisenman, Bob Gulack and Beatrice Robbio, who switched places with Joey Dobbs to become the full member. The newcomers are David Dubin of Haworth and Allen Sklar of Paramus, both relative newcomers to Bergen Grassroots as well. Allen Sklar has an impressive record of public service in his resume: three terms as a member of the Paramus Council and one term as a Bergen County Freeholder.

* * * * * *

At the meeting, the results of the Bergen Grassroots 2008 Presidential Endorsement Poll were announced. Former Senator and 2004 vice-presidential candidate John Edwards was the clear winner, leading throughout the five elimination rounds.

by Sheri Divers [courtesy of Blog for America]

Face the Nation (CBS): Karl Rove on politics and the 2008 presidential race.

This Week (ABC): This Sunday, a live 90-minute debate with the Democratic presidential contenders on a special edition of "This Week With George Stephanopoulos."

The candidates: Senator Joe Biden, D-Del., Senator Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., Senator Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., Former Senator John Edwards, D-N.C., Former Senator Mike Gravel, D-Alaska, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Governor Bill Richardson, D-N.M.

Find out how they tackle tough questions on the campaign issues that you care about-- from Iraq to healthcare, from immigration to education. Join us for the first Democratic Presidential Debate of the 2008 cycle and the first Democratic Presidential Forum of the 2008 cycle held in Iowa.

60 Minutes (CBS):  Deepwater
The country is less secure and the U.S. Coast Guard is in worse shape now than when it began its $24 billion "Deepwater" refurbishment plan years ago, says a congressman overseeing the maritime force. Steve Kroft reports.