John McCain

• McCain Stands to Benefit From the Energy Issue - Michael Barone
• McCain condemnation upstages Bush - Edward Luce and Andrew Ward
• McCain warns Russians of “severe, long-term negative consequences” - Jonathan Martin
• Political Cycles - Peggy Noonan
• Rick Davis on Fox News Sunday - Fox News
• McCain Is Right to ‘Go Negative’ — But Needs Positive - Mort Kondracke
• If You Don’t Think It’s Pawlenty You’re Not Paying Attention - Gary Matthew Miller

Barack Obama

• 7 worrisome signs for Obama - Glenn Thrush
• Why Obama is in Trouble - Steven Warshawsky
• Life with Obama - Kathryn Jean Lopez
• Obama and the Born Alive Act - Yuval Levin
• If Edwards’ Affair Were Revealed, We Would Have Won Iowa, Hillary Aide Charges - Jim Geraghty
• Obama’s Economic Challenge - Jay Newton-Small
• Why isn’t Obama crushing McCain? - Thomas Schaller

Miscellaneous Election News/Opinion

• A Last Chance to Reform Debate Format - Barry Casselman & Newt Gingrich
• Too Early To Obsess Over Horserace Polls? - Kathy Frankovic
• The MSM’s Latest Embarrassment - Jennifer Rubin
• Strong Energy Measures Wanted: Poll Shows Most Favor New Drilling, Taxes on Oil Profits - Jon Cohen and Paul Kane
• 55% Say Media Bias Bigger Problem Than Campaign Cash - Rasmussen Reports
• 64% Now Support Offshore Drilling; 42% See it as Best Way to Reduce Oil Prices - Rasmussen Reports

Note: Article submissions for R4′08 Essential Reads can be emailed to kavon_w_nikrad@yahoo.com.

R4′08 Thursday Evening Essential Reads

• Barack Obama Trashes United States to Seven Year Old Girl - Rush Limbaugh
• Exxon [Hearts] Obama - Jake Tapper
• No Olympic break in campaign marathon - Johnathan Martin
• “The Oil Companies Shut Us Down”—Obama Campaign - William March
• Some say choice of VP could clinch their vote - The Boston Globe
• Republican Revolt Resonating Back Home -Robert Bluey
• How Big Is PUMA Now? - Marc Ambinder
• What Will Be The Carbon Footprint Of The Obama-Clooney Switzerland Bash? - Hugh Hewitt
• Astounding Things, Indeed! - Powerline
• Hillary Clinton Serves Notice - Powerline
• Obama the Postmodernist - Jonah Goldberg
• Obama, Abortion and Catholics - Peter Kirsanow
• Is Obama’s Slump From McCain’s Ads? Or From Overall Barack Fatigue? - Jim Geraghty

Read Soren Dayton’s breakdown of Philadelphia voting patterns…like right now.

John McCain

• McCain campaigns with Crist
• Radio Talkers on the Line Against McCain
• McCain Gains as Furor Over Immigration Cools
• Does A McCain Radio Ad Gaybait?
• McCain Ads Attack Romney
  New Web and radio ads by the Arizona senator lack context.
• Energy of McCain, 71, appeals to many oldsters
  Some uneasy despite his vigor
• McCain Vs. Alito
• Gang of 14
• McCain Lies Again
• Is McCain Fighting a Losing Battle?
• Age May Help McCain in Florida
• I’m not too old to serve a little longer, says McCain
• McCain on Fund’s Alito Quote: I Don’t Recall Saying That
• McCain Calls Romney a Flip-Flopper
• Crist endorsement is surprising, risky
  Last-minute backing of McCain leaves Giuliani camp fuming.

Mitt Romney

• Gov. Romney On Cutting Wasteful Earmarks
• Romney: Rally welcomes new U.S. citizens
• Romney’s Quick Fix
• Romney’s Major Florida Advantage
• Gov. Romney On McCain-Lieberman
• Romney’s Flip-Flopping On Climate Change And Gas Tax
• Gov. Romney Reacts To The State Of The Union Address
• Romney forges Bush family ties
  Amid political move, he finds common bonds
• Mitt Romney, the anti-Kennedy
• Romney Says He Won’t Be a McCain VP
• Romney comments on Hinckley’s death
• Romney on Death of Mormon Church President
• Former Rep. McIntosh endorses Romney
• Romney says Miami robocalls misstate his Cuba policy
• In tight Florida race, Romney slams McCain on economy
• Romney has no end date for Iraq
  He would withdraw based on achievements.

Rudy Giuliani

• Giuliani Spends A Little Time With His Friends
• Is Jon Voight Rudy’s secret weapon?
• ‘Factor’ Exclusive: Rudy Giuliani on ‘O’Reilly’ Ahead of Florida Primary
• Rudy Lends Himself a Hand
• Rudy: We’re Going to Win Florida
• Giuliani holds out hope for a surprise win today
• Giuliani Calls On Young Voters
• Giuliani Proud Not to Join Last-Minute Attacks
• The Last Stand for a Pro-Choice Republican?
• Giuliani Says He’s In After Florida
• Giuliani Burns It All For Florida
• David Malpass on Rudy’s Tax Plan
• Congressman Dreier on Rudy’s Tax Plan
• David Dreier: Florida is Rudy Country
• Giuliani Will Debate in California Tomorrow
• Giuliani seeks to prove experts wrong
• Video: Mayor Giuliani in Clearwater, Florida on National Catastrophe Fund and Need To Become Energy Independent
• Cellucci stays course with Rudy
• Rep. Peter King on why Rudy’s the best choice for President
• Florida is crucial for Giuliani
• The Brody File: The Giuliani Interview
• Giuliani’s New Ad: ‘Not Endorsed’
• Giuliani Vs. The “Liberal Newspapers”
• Rudy’s Latest Ad - ‘Not Endorsed’ And Proud of It!
• GIULIANI AD FACTS “Not Endorsed”
• Giuliani trumpets lack of US media endorsements
• Success in Iraq could mean defeat for Giuliani
• Giuliani: ‘In The Past I’ve Done The Impossible’
  Actor Voight On Florida Polls: ‘Wrong Since The Beginning’
• A Giuliani win in Florida would shake establishment
• Perception he’s lost support hurts Rudy in Florida
• Broward Republican Party Leader Endorses Rudy Giuliani
• Florida may seal Rudy Giuliani’s fate
• Rudy’s Last Stand
  by Tom Bevan
• Giuliani’s Last Stand
  by Ryan Sager
• A Rudy Awakening
  by James Antle
• Last stand … or a Giuliani shocker
• Rudy looks for a miracle in Florida
• Less of a Draw, a Subdued Giuliani Stays Upbeat
• Rudy Giuliani Talks with’ Hannity and Colmes’
• Giuliani bolsters Olmert ahead of Winograd

Mike Huckabee

• Huckabee Strikes His Own Chord
• Group Files Complaint Against Huckabee Over Governor’s Portrait
• Is America Getting Presidential Buyer’s Remorse?
  by Chuck Norris

General Race 4 2008 News

• Geographic Coalitions Key To FL Win
• McCain-Romney Scraps Continue As Voting Begins in Florida
  GOP Race Will Likely Establish Front-Runner Heading Into Next Week’s Super Tuesday
• Candidates trade charges as Floridians flock to polls
• Election coverage: Gay-marriage-ban supporters collecting signatures at polling places
• Election 2008: Florida Republican Primary
  Florida: In Two-Man Race, Third Place Finish by Giuliani May Have Lasting Impact
• McCain, Romney in Florida Showdown
• Only Hillary Can Reunite Republican Party
• Acrimony Reigns in G.O.P. On Eve of Florida Vote
• McCain, Romney Raise Attacks As Florida Looms
• Guns vs. Butter
• Hayes: Is the Iraq War Over?
• McCain, Romney trade ‘liberal’ barbs
• Winning Little Havana
  How will the Cuban vote affect Florida’s GOP primary?
• Early votes’ rise stirs unease
• Ha’aretz Rates the Candidates
• Are You Readyyyyy To Rumble?
  In Florida the interesting fight is between Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist.
• Which Direction Is Right
• Without independents, will McCain, Obama falter?
• Staying The Coarse
  By George Will
• The Kennedy Mystique
  By David Brooks
• Bill’s Criticism Loses Kennedy’s Endorsement
  By E. J. Dionne
• Hold the I Told You So’s
  By Jennifer Rubin
• Remember Me?
  President Bush takes a final swipe at Congress.
• Bush’s End Game
• Transcript of State of the Union address
• Bush Pledges Crackdown On Earmarks
  State Of Union Speech Also Calls For Patience In Iraq, Fast Action On Economic Stimulus Plan
• Presidential candidates on Bush speech
• Bush Aims to Ease Worries And Burnish Legacy
  Progress on Stimulus And Iraq Highlighted; Some Modest Plans
• Bush Speech Focuses on War and Taxes
• Final State
  Rather than review a troubled record, President Bush aims for some last-year achievements.
• Bush seeks to ease Americans’ fears over economy
• Bush Aims to Cut Earmarks, but Not Yet
• Grasping for a Legacy
  In his final State of the Union address, Bush lays out a modest agenda-and wants it on his own terms
• State of the Union: Bush Makes Pitch for Bipartisan Economic Push
  Civil Tone as President Makes Final Annual Address to Congress
• ‘Unfinished business’ is the state of the union, and the presidency
  With time running out on most of his goals, Bush asks Congress to solve Medicare and Social Security. He is upbeat on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Bush warns against fast troop withdrawal from Iraq
• Transcript: Kansas Gov. Sebelius Responds to State of the Union
• Barack Obama’s response to Bush’s final State of the Union

John McCain

• Winging It
  John McCain has a golden opportunity to make peace with conservatives. Will he take advantage of it?
  by John Fund
• McCain Peaks
• In GOP, some averse to McCain politics, manner
  Senator’s tendencies make them shudder to think he might be their nominee
• McCain sees attrition as way to ease illegal entries
• The Unique Threat of John McCain
• John McCain on Meet the Press
• McCain Emerges as the Unlikely Standard Bearer in the G.O.P. Race
• McCain Continues Criticism of Romney
• McCain denies match up with Clinton would be boring
• Crist endorses McCain
• Why Crist Went for McCain
• Fla. guv: People tell him ‘McCain, McCain, McCain’
• Former Sen. Majority Leader Howard Baker endorses John McCain
• Hayes: Crist Endorses McCain
• McCain Insists Romney Called For Iraq “Withdrawal”
• McCain, Romney, and Timetables
  by Byron York
• McCain, Romney Go Back-and-Forth On Iraq
• McCain Goes on Offensive in Tight Race in Florida

Mitt Romney

• More On The Romney Whisper - Romney Aid Admits To Earpiece
• As Bain slashed jobs, Romney stayed to side
• Mitt better get his show on road
• Gov. Romney On The Leadership And Experience Needed Today
• Romney Attacks McCain on McCain-Lieberman
• Romney: McCain anxious to change the subject
• Romney Goes Casual
• Romney wearing well in Florida
• Can Romney’s Relaunch Take Off in Florida?
  On Sunday, in Sweetwater, the Mormon candidate who has been married to the same woman for almost forty years found himself trying to explain the appeal of Florida’s sun-soaked fairer sex. “Why are there so many beautiful women here? I haven’t figured this out,” Romney said, innocently enough. “Cuban American women are gorgeous.”
• Romney Slams McCain On Economy, Climate Bill
• Mitt Romney sells himself as America’s CEO
• Romney Seeks Shift Back to Economy
• Romney Lashes McCain Over Washington Record
• AJC: Romney rises as Republican choice
  His experience and business sense heighten electability for president
• Ed Morrissey’s pick
• Cheney’s Daughter Joins Romney Camp
• Romney Almost Makes KFC Healthy

Rudy Giuliani

• Giuliani Confident in Last Florida Push
• Giuliani Camp Sees Hope In Florida
• Giuliani Makes Last-Ditch Effort in Florida
• Honking for Rudy
  By Philip Klein
• CNN Video: Rudy at the Boca Raton Synagogue
• Giuliani Hangs Loose
• Rudy to rivals: Stop the “high school politics”
• Familiar New York faces rally around Rudy Giuliani in Fla.
• From the Road…Mayor Giuliani on Negativity in the Presidential Race
• Rudy: Demise rumors are ‘premature’
• Thompson Supporters Should Back Giuliani
  By Jeffrey Anderson
• VIDEO: Rudy on Face the Nation
• Rudy on Florida
• Giuliani in Port St. Lucie
• GIULIANI: Bastion of hope and strength
• Giuliani Spends Morning at Synagogue
• Giuliani to Jerusalem Post: Israel has to be able to defend itself
• Rudy Giuliani barnstorms Treasure Coast
• In Miami’s Little Havana, Giuliani makes his stand
  On the eve of Tuesday’s primary in Florida, the one-time national GOP front-runner is still running strong among Cuban-Americans, who represent 10 to 12 percent of the state’s GOP electorate.
• Giuliani Campaign Adds Backing of Apopka City Commissioner
• Video: Peter King on Rudy’s Florida Momentum
• First Responders Endorse Rudy in Florida
• Giuliani Would Be Best President
  By Robert Natter
• VIDEO: Mayor Giuliani on the New York Times
• Video: Mike DuHaime on Florida
• Gov. Perry joining Giuliani in Florida campaign
• ‘Women for Rudy’ Welcome Giuliani to Orlando
• Giuliani’s Florida vacation: Make that all or nothing
• Play something with ‘Italian flair,’ Giuliani hosts say
• Florida holds the answers for Giuliani
  Polling In Third
• Sunshine Showdown
  Giuliani’s Daredevil Strategy Faces a Make-or-Break Test
• McCain, Romney are “getting kind of nasty,” Giuliani says
• Rudy Giuliani couldn’t overcome his pro-choice stance - and GOP losing out

Mike Huckabee

• Huckabee Mocks Romney’s Chicken Eating Method
• Huckabee Continues To Attack Romney, Defend McCain
  By Josh Kraushaar
• Huckabee: Romney backed secret timetable
• GOP Presidential Hopeful Huckabee Touts ‘Fair Tax’ In Jax Rally
• Transcript: Mike Huckabee on ‘FOX News Sunday’
• Orlando’s First Baptist Church Hosts Huckabee

General Race 4 2008 News

• Cage Match: McCain vs, Romney
• 2008 Presidential Primary Pollster Report Card Through 01/26/08
• Florida primary turnout may set record
  Early and absentee ballots are pouring in, suggesting that moving up Florida’s primary to Tuesday is drawing more voters to the polls.
• Mitt Romney, John McCain Trade Charges
• Analysis: Romney, McCain Turn Up Rancor
• Hitting Home: McCain, Romney Attack Records on Economy, Iraq
• The Truth About Timetables
• Hayes: Arrrrgh
• In Florida, Rivals Focus on Economy and Security
• Real Estate Troubles Are Weighing on Florida Voters’ Minds as Primary Nears
• Did he or didn’t he?
• McCain and Romney: Dining on each other’s words
• Feb. 5 Will Be Turning Point for GOP Campaigns
• Races Entering Complex Phase Over Delegates
• Surge in Early Balloting Shifts Florida Races
• What Really Matters in the Voting Booth?
  By George Will
• Exit polls: Bill Clinton’s effect
• Clinton camp: Ted Kennedy will endorse Obama
• Sen. Kennedy to Endorse Obama
• Ted Kennedy embraces Obama
• A President Like My Father
  by Caroline Kennedy
• Richelieu: Spinning South Carolina
• Palm Beach County Human Rights Council endorses Giuliani, Clinton
• Romney Focuses on Economy
• Hillary unleashes pit bull Bill
  The ex-president has rushed to the rescue of his wife, raising fears about how the double act would play out in the White House should Hillary triumph
• Rudy thinking only about Florida; Governor backs McCain
• The Science of Presidential Complexity
• Rush is not happy with his GOP choices
  Also, the inside story on why Fred Thompson really ran, er, walked and 5-year-olds ask ex-presidents the darndest things.
• Tory MPs back Hillary Clinton for president
• Hillary Clinton plot to keep Bill in the spotlight
• Bubba: Obama Is Just Like Jesse Jackson
• The Billary Road to Republican Victory
  by Frank Rich
• A Win for Obama — Or Is It?
• An unlikely echo
• A Former President, Back in the Thick of Politics
• Obama Wins South Carolina Primary
• Chicago Tribune Endorsement for the Democrats: Barack Obama
• Obama wins in SC, regaining momentum
• Obama’s big win keeps his hopes alive
• Obama Gains, But Still Lags In Big States
• Barack Obama’s South Carolina Victory Speech
• Obama Tonight
• Obama Is Big Winner in S.C. Primary
  Democratic Race Continues With No Clear Front-Runner
• Analysis: Bill Clinton’s Lost Legacy
  Former President’s Conduct Tarnishes Reputation
• Democratic Politics After Bill Clinton
• Bush presses Congress on FISA
• Obama Says SC Win Turns a Page
• Clinton to Campaign in Florida
• Hillary Clinton’s Pakistan ignorance
• Cut and Running
  Dems Disastrous Iraq Flip-Flopping
  by Max Boot

John McCain

• Bill Clinton doing McCain no favors
• Bill Clinton: John McCain and Hillary are ‘very close’
• Hillary and Johnny, Sittin’ in a Tree…
• John McCain’s No Good, Very Bad, Horrible Day
  by Hugh Hewitt
• McCain stays focused on security
  America’s biggest challenge is “radical Islamic extremists,” he says.
• McCain’s troubling legacy
  By Pat Buchanan
• McCain re-stresses party appeal
• Right For The Times
  Campaign ‘08: No institution in America has opposed the achievements of Republican presidents and Congresses more militantly than the New York Times. Will GOP voters nominate the candidate it has endorsed?
• McCain gets NYT endorsement, but ya wouldn’t know it
• McCain Backpedals on Economy Quote
• Shift to Economy Challenge for McCain
• McCain Tackles Economic Questions In Fla. Campaign
• A Revealing McCain Moment
• Meet the open borders family: McCain, Hernandez, Soros, and the “Reform Institute”
• McCain’s connection to…$oro$?
• Rush: McCain Sounds Like Hillary’s VP!
• Rush: Drive-Bys Love McCain, but They’ll Never Vote GOP. So Who Cares?
  Limbaugh: “These clowns don’t like either Romney or Rudy because they don’t like conservatives. And so, of course, McCain, Huckabee, whichever one happens to be doing well at the time is who they’re going to ballyhoo and promote. “
• So-Called Torture: An Example of McCain’s Pursuit of Liberal Praise
• On again: Mel Martinez to endorse McCain
• Florida Senator to Endorse McCain
• McCain at the Latin Builders: With Mel Martinez

Mitt Romney

• Romney Plays Himself
• Mitt a Straight Face
• Romney’s New Groove
  He Touts Expertise as Focus Shifts to Economy
• From now on, Romney’s home field edge is gone
• Romney: Working with Democrats is Bad… Unless I’m Doing It
• Deroy Plays Hardball
• Is Rudy Mitt’s Best Friend In Florida?
• Romney’s Cash Advantage Sinks In
• Mitt to make Cali dash for cash
• Romney Responds to McCain
• Fred lawyers flock to Romney
• Romney: It takes chutzpah. . .
• Missionaries popping up at Mitt events
• Questions for Mitt?
• Who was that whispering bandit?
  Don’t blame Romney’s people; it was just someone in the crowd, NBC says

Rudy Giuliani

• Keeping America first in space
  Increase NASA funding to return to the moon
  by Rudy Giuliani
• Rudy Winning Race - For Mayor of Miami
• Florida State Representative Hugh Gibson (The Villages) Endorses Mayor Giuliani
• Port St. Lucie Councilman Joins Rudy’s Florida Team
• Rudy Relishes Underdog Role
• Rudy vs. “The Experts”
• For Giuliani, Missed Greetings — and Chances
• Giuliani on “Hannity & Colmes”
• Rudy Thinks FAST
• Giuliani: I’m the Only One That Would Provide Florida Relief
• Giuliani: Romney + McCain = “Me”
• Giuliani: Extra Time, Early Voting Makes Difference In Florida
• Former Front-runner Giuliani, Now Hoping to be Comeback Kid
• Rudy: I’ll Win in an Upset Like the Giants
• Rudy Plays to Cuban-Americans
• Rudy v. Fidel
• Giuliani counting on Little Havana: ‘Maybe, maybe’
• Giuliani’s Tax Plan Could Hurt More Than Help
• Giuliani campaign pulls staffer from West Coast to help in Fla
• FL Attorney General Bill McCollum on why he supports Rudy

Mike Huckabee

• Huckabee on Saddam’s WMDs: Have you checked Jordan yet?
• Huckabee focuses on wider I-95 from Maine to Miami
• Former Thompson staffer channels anti-Huck energy

General Race 4 2008 News

• Did MSNBC rig the Florida Republican presidential debate?
• Catastrophic-Fund Plan Moves to Fore in Florida
• Prez candidates fan out to Sunday shows
• A Bush Rally
  Can he close strong in 2008?
  by William Kristol
• The Ten Most Annoying Things About the Race for the Presidency
  By John Hawkins
• Rummy, Rudman, and Rudy
  Thoughts on the GOP debate.
  by Duncan Currie
• Early vote may be decisive in Florida
  Nearly 700,000 have already cast ballots.
• Romney, McCain Exchange Jabs in Fla.
• McCain, Romney clash over economic know-how
• McCain questions Romney’s economic record, Mitt strikes back with anti-Washington message
• After Break for Debate, Two Rivals Resume Spat
• The Coast (Of Florida) Is Still Clear
• A Revealing Poll
  Could it be that Romney comes across too corporate or too upscale and is now attempting a slight course correction?
  by Jennifer Rubin
• FactCheck.org: Dubious claims in GOP debate
• Fact Checker: The GOP debate in Florida
• Candidates Work Harder for Cuban Vote
• Republicans stump on way to Florida primary
• GOP Hopefuls Court Cuban American Vote
• Iraq ready for “final” battle with al Qaeda: PM
• Republicans target Clinton ‘joint presidency’
• Transcript: John Kerry On Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton And More
• Kerry blasts Bill Clinton for ‘abusing truth’
• Bill Clinton Takes on the ‘Polarizing’ Issue
• Bill Clinton again wagging finger, raising eyebrows
• Off the leash
   Democratic politics is all about Bill-again
• Barack to the Mountaintop
   The unfulfilled promise of Obama’s response to the Clintons.
  By John Dickerson

John McCain

• The New York Times’ Primary Endorsement: John McCain
• To the best of McCain’s economic knowledge
• Flashback: Saturday, November 26, 2005
  ‘Reform. Reform. Reform.’
  John McCain explains his eclectic–and troubling–economic philosophy.
  “I’m going to be honest: I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated.”
  Mr. McCain is no antitax supply-sider himself. He grandstanded against the Bush capital-gains and dividend tax cuts and even co-sponsored an amendment with Tom Daschle to scuttle the reduction in the highest income-tax rates. Why? “I just thought it was too tilted to the wealthy and I still do. I want to cut the taxes on the middle class.” Even when I confront him with emphatic evidence that those tax cuts have been an economic triumph and have increased revenues, he is unrepentant and defends his “no” vote by falling back on class-warfare type thinking: “We have a wealth gap in this country, and that worries me.”
• GOP Debate: Thursday, January 24, 2008
  Tim Russert: Senator McCain, you have said repeatedly, quote ‘I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated.’ Is it a problem for your campaign that the economy is now the most important issue? One that, by your own acknowledgement, you are not well-versed on?
  John McCain: Actually, I don’t know where you go