Swampland

Rudy’s announced he’s skipping the Ames Straw Poll; this isn’t super shocking — the campaign was dropping hints about the possibility months ago. Slightly more surprising is his decision to “remain competitive” there nonetheless, i.e., to go ahead in participate in the caucuses — should he win in January, he’d be the first candidate in …

In this video, two Edwards advisers — Jonathan Prince and Joe Trippi — try and fail to bake a pie:

And then Elizabeth Edwards asks for money.

It’s, uhm, not exactly the Obama “1984″ ad. I’m all for campaigns trying non-slick ad experiments, and I have an unaccountable weakness for behind-the-scenes trivia, but this sort of looks …

The impending collapse of Social Security and Medicare will be the largest bankruptcy in human history. It is an avalanche aimed squarely at the American economy. Once again, tonight major party candidates were silent on the issue.

I was listening for the big problems facing our nation, but more importantly, answers in the form of big …

Well, clearly, Wolf won again.

Early web consensus seems to be coalescing around McCain and Rudy, with A for effort to Huckabee. Mitt seems to have underwhelmed.

CNN’s dial-testing was completely unsurprising: McCain tanks on immigration… and nuclear energy (hm). And, less than breaking, people liked it when they bashed the GOP …

First Clinton and Edwards. Now McCain and Brownback. Did ANYONE in the Senate read the NIE before voting to invade Iraq? Amazing. And depressing.

Update: Reader Hoplite promises, “If Carnie himself has read either Ulysses or the NIE, I’d have a heart attack.” Hoplite: Better call 911. I read the first with relish, some time ago, over …

7:01 PM Wolf just confirmed that we’re on the “honor system” again when it comes to talk time. Showing the most honor so far: Dodd, who’s given us another “Talk Clock.” He’s (Wolf) using the same script as last night.

7:04 PM Weird, random buzzing sounds?

7:05 PM Romney running through a check list on Iraq, apparently, if we hadn’t …

The movement toward limited government is at a serious crossroads and tonight it will be on display in New Hampshire. Disillusioned voters have delivered the message loud and clear that they are unhappy with big government, parochial Republicans claiming a conservative mantle. These party activists deeply miss the leadership of Ronald …

Is it just me or does Peter Pace’s letter seem… dutiful?

Yes, there will be liveblogging. Oh, there will be lots of liveblogging.

The two weirdest letters on behalf of Scooter Libby are from gender studies theorist/linguist Deborah Tannen and TNR literary editor Leon Wieseltier. Weird because they’re both, you know, presumably kinda not Republicans* and because of what’s blacked out in both of them. Tannen:

Wieseltier:

Tannen is Libby’s WHAT? He helped Leon

…

TalkLeft has thoughtfully posted the cache of letters written to Judge Walton about the Scooter Libby sentencing. Entertaining reading and I’ll post whatever amusing excerpts I come across. Until then, have at it.

I’d like to join in thanking Dick Armey for entering Swampland this week. He may remember that I spent some time covering him, Newt Gingrich and the rest of the GOP leadership that took over the House after the 1994 mid-term elections. I wrote one story in 1997 I doubt he liked much, after the failed coup attempt against Gingrich. A year …