Mike Gravel's offensive

Mike Gravel's offensive

With the most recent Times Poll showing Democrat Mike Gravel's standing at 0% in both Iowa and New Hampshire, the former senator's surge to the front of the political pack has yet to emerge.

Yes, he's gotten some ink recently and even not so recently when The Times' Tomas Alex Tizon followed him on his simple campaign trail.

He's still trekking around the countryside, alone, staying at friends' houses and talking to anyone who will listen. He was in Colorado this week where he got some free publicity in a Denver Post article. And hoped he could convince maybe 70 people to show up at his niece's house in Boulder and pay $50 apiece to hear him speak.

I think that Mike Gravel isnt doing what is needed to be done in order to become elected president and that if he even wants a chance he is going to need to step up his game and start finding places that will listen to him and agree with him.

Biden Calls for Preschool Expansion

Biden Calls for Preschool Expansion

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democrat Joe Biden unveiled an education plan Wednesday that would provide free preschool to every child and bonuses to teachers who work in poor neighborhoods.

The presidential candidate said the U.S. education system needs an overhaul because its students are lagging behind their peers in other countries. He cited recent test results from the Program for International Student Assessment that showed U.S. students' scores in math and science were lower than the average of the 30 countries involved in the study.

"The numbers are very disturbing," Biden told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "But we've known this. ... We're not investing in our kids the way we should."

I think that his plan to create preschool free for everychild would be a very good idea but i dont see how that would increase test scores overall in the United States, because you dont learn Math or Science in preschool anyways. But overall it is a pretty good idea.

Spotlight turns to Edwards

Spotlight turns to Edwards

Saunders is the rural strategist for former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), who now is seen as having found new momentum in Iowa, where Edwards, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) are deadlocked.

It's not so much that Edwards is surging 15 days before the Jan. 3 Iowa caucus; he's been strong all along, but the media was paying more attention to front-runners Obama and Clinton. Now he is growing as a factor. Everything is fluid.

"At least early on, there was a lot of glitz associated with Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama," Edwards said Tuesday on "Hardball." "I think that's faded some, to be honest with you, and now I think we're getting down to the nitty-gritty."

I think that this is true that in the beginning it was all about Obama and Clinton but now everyone is out and running the spotlights are changing some and the other runners are getting a lot of view too.

Huckabee rises in Iowa but faces tougher road ahead

Huckabee rises in Iowa but faces tougher road ahead

DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) - Republican Mike Huckabee's quick rise to the top of the presidential pack in Iowa may be the 2008 campaign's most improbable success story -- but staying there could be even tougher.

Huckabee's surge, fueled in part by growing support among the state's sizable bloc of religious conservatives, was accomplished on a bare-bones budget with few paid staff, nominal advertising, and without the candidate visiting the state from early November to early December.

But a strong showing in Iowa on January 3 could be the easy part for the former Baptist minister, who will face a contest five days later in New Hampshire where there are far fewer religious conservatives.

I think that this means that Huckabee will probably have more of a chance at becoming president now because he is getting a lot more support now and he is on a bare minimum budget.

Romney: No Religious Test for President

Romney: No Religious Test for President

Republican Mitt Romney, confronting voters' skepticism about his Mormon faith, declared Thursday that as president he would "serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause," and said calls for him to explain and justify his religious beliefs go against the profound wishes of the nation's founders.

At the same time, he decried those who would remove from public life "any acknowledgment of God," and he said that "during the holiday season, nativity scenes and menorahs should be welcome in our public places."

In a speech prepared for delivery less than a month before the first nomination primaries, Romney said he shares "moral convictions" with Americans of all faiths, though surveys suggest up to half of likely voters have qualms about electing the first Mormon president.

I believe that his faith will affect his decision making no matter what he says but I dont think it will make a big change in the reason people would not vote for him. The reason they would vote for him is because they think he will make the decisions they think are right not because of his choice in religion.

Newspaper: McCain is 'the man to lead America;' Will voters agree?

Newspaper: McCain is 'the man to lead America;' Will voters agree?

"What is most compelling about McCain, however, is that his record, his character, and his courage show him to be the most trustworthy, competent, and conservative of all those seeking the nomination," the newspaper said. "Simply put, McCain can be trusted to make informed decisions based on the best interests of his country, come hell or high water."

On Monday, Union Leader publisher Joseph McQuaid said it decided to back McCain because he was the most conservative candidate running in that race.

The newspaper announced the highly coveted endorsement in a front-page story Sunday.

Does the Union Leader's endorsement have an impact? Sometimes.

The newspaper has endorsed six Republican candidates in the past 30 years.

Twice, the endorsed candidate won.

I think that the newspaper has chosed McCain because they personally believe that he is the best choice but I dont think that will have any impact on the voters decision and personally I dont think you hear enough about him to even be popular enough to become president.