"WASHINGTON -- He launched his campaign in the hurricane-ravaged quarters of New Orleans and traveled through Appalachia, talking about poverty and railing against corporate greed and financial disparities. But something strange happened as John Edwards built his campaign for president: He drew votes from an economically diverse bloc, mostly white men, who were just as likely to be rich as they were to be poor."
(CNN) -- Former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina is dropping out of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, two sources inside his campaign said Wednesday.
Edwards has told top advisers about his decision. It is expected he will announce it in a speech at 1 p.m. ET Wednesday in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Edwards has amassed 26 delegates in the race for the Democratic nomination.
McCain-Rudy?
Could it happen?
Rudy Giuliani is preparing to exit the race and throw his support behind John McCain as early as Wednesday in California in a potentially dramatic pre-Super Tuesday moment. We saw tonight the Arizona senator heaping praise upon Rudy, calling him a true leader and speaking of his candidacy in the past tense, as Rudy himself did as well.
While there’s likely to be speculation of a McCain-Rudy bid, it’s difficult to envision.
Steve Scully: This is a political question in terms of how he gets the nomination, but just from what you have seen, how much support do you think he has among the base of the Republican Party?What work? I'm already holding my nose, with a clothespin!
Roberta McCain: I don’t think he has any. I don’t know what the base of the Repub–maybe I don’t know enough about it, but I’ve not seen any help whatsoever.
Scully: So can he then go on and become the nominee of this party?
McCain: Yes, I think holding their nose they’re going to have to take him.
Scully: Can you explain?
McCain: Well, everything they’ve done and said. … Now I’m really popping off, but he worked like a dog to get Bush re-elected. …He’s backed Bush in everything except Rumsfeld. Have you heard other senators and congressmen backing Bush over eight years? Find me it–give me a name. I’ve not seen any public recognition of the work that he’s done for the Republican party.
A friend asked me if it's too early to pick out your wedding-first-dance song if you don't even have a boyfriend. I told her, Not at all.
"If McCain wins Florida he will be unstoppable and he may just, given the support he obtained from retirees in South Carolina and military personnel."Last night certainly wasn't a pretty day for Republicans in South Carolina.
"Ok I must also admit, if the Giants weren't in the playoffs the Packers would be my favorite team this winter. It's hard to root against Favre, and I think most would agree. Even as the lovable scrappy underdogs, I think you'd be hard pressed to find anyone outside the NYC area hoping to see Eli Manning in the Superbowl. It's ok, as a Yankees fan I'm used to being the hated one. I think we should form a pact though that whoever wins this game needs to go on and beat the Pats. Or Philip Rivers, either one."And the kicker:
"Eli, who never has a bad thing to say about anybody, gets ripped constantly and mostly by his own fans. NYC is a notoriously "what have you done for me lately" city when it comes to sports. And then they wonder why the team does better on the road than they do at home."Bring on the NY Giants fans and their bad attitudes! We here in Wisconsin love our Pack and all they have done for us this season!
Nicole Grant went out with a friend to sell cookies and was stopped by a twelve-year-old girl. The other girl filled out an order form for cookies, then grabbed Nicole's money bag and took off on her bicycle.Haha.
PORTAGE, Wis. (AP) -- Upset that his 7-year-old son wouldn't wear a Green Bay Packers jersey during the team's playoff victory Saturday, a man restrained the boy for an hour with tape and taped the jersey onto him.This account seems pretty innocent, like a family that likes to joke around. But come on, Kid, no one should have to force you to wear a Packer Jersey. You should have it on as a second skin.
Mathew Kowald was cited for disorderly conduct in connection with the incident with his son at their home in Pardeeville, Lt. Wayne Smith of the Columbia County Sheriff's Department said. Pardeeville is about 30 miles north of Madison.
The 36-year-old Kowald was arrested Monday after his wife told authorities about the incident. Kowald was taken to the county jail and held until Wednesday, when he pleaded no contest, paid a fine of $186 and was released.
Kowald's wife filed a restraining order Wednesday, so Kowald will not be able to have contact with his family, Smith said. Smith said other domestic issues have surfaced, though he wouldn't elaborate.
The boy refused to wear the jersey Saturday, when the Packers beat the Seattle Seahawks in a playoff game, Smith said. Smith said the incident sounded strange when reported at first, but the mother took pictures with her cell phone and that type of evidence is difficult to dispute.
Kowald, contacted later Wednesday by the Portage Daily Register, said the incident started as a joke. His son challenged him by saying he wouldn't root for the Packers. When he tied the boy up, the youngster was laughing while his wife took pictures, he said.
"Then he couldn't get out and he got upset and that's it. It lasted a minute," he said. "I didn't mean no harm, and he knows that, but I haven't been able to tell him that."
District Attorney Jane Kohlwey said there wasn't enough evidence to support felony charges.
"I wouldn't agree with what he did, but legally a parent can restrain a child," she said. "I have no proof of emotional damage. ... I have to follow the law.
At a news conference Monday in Reno, Nevada, Obama said that he is "concerned about the tenor the campaign has taken in the last couple days."It's all rhetoric. He's a damn good speech giver. But has anyone actually looked at his policies?
"I think that I may disagree with Sen. Clinton or Sen. Edwards on how to get things done, but we share the same goals. We're all Democrats, we all believe in civil rights, we all believe in equal rights," said the senator from Illinois.
"I think they're good people, they are patriots and they are running because they think they can lead this country to a better place, and I don't want the campaign in this stage to degenerate into so much tit for tat back and forth that we lose sight of why all of us are doing this."
Top advisers to former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani have voluntarily agreed to forgo their salaries or consultant fees, an indication that Giuliani's strategy of sitting out the early primaries is causing fundraising problems for the campaign.Cautious = not paying your staff?
An aide confirmed that campaign manager Mike DuHaime and several other top advisers and consultant who make large salaries stopped being paid as of Jan. 1.
"We want to ensure that all of our resources are pointed to Florida," said campaign spokeswoman Maria Comella. "We're being cautious. We're going to spend a lot of time in Florida."
Comella declined to comment on fundraising efforts, but said the campaign has $11.5 million cash on hand, with about $7 million that can be used for the primary. She said the campaign continues to raise money for Giuliani's presidential bid.
But the decision to suspend salaries suggests that the mayor's strategy of waiting for the campaign to arrive in Florida is taking its toll.I think he's hurtin'.
By refusing to compete vigorously in Iowa, New Hampshire, Michigan or South Carolina, Giuliani has been relegated to watching on the sidelines. The crush of news coverage of the candidates in Iowa and then New Hampshire barely mentioned Giuliani.
The other leading candidates -- former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and Arizona Sen. John McCain -- have been constantly in the news for a month as they fight with each other for wins in those states.
JUST 24 hours after Barack Obama had the crowds spilling out of the North Nashua High School in the northeastern state of New Hampshire, US presidential rival Hillary Clinton arrived at the same location to fire up her supporters.Duh. But this baffles me:
An elementary rule in politics is never book the same venue to follow a surging rival.
And as they did eventually make their way in, the work of what they call the "Clinton machine" was clearly discernible.Why would anyone leave open space in their rally? Key to making a "packed room" is shrinking the room before the crowd piles in - check. Second rule? If it's not full, and the people keep comin' -pack 'em in! Do NOT section them off in some separate room to try to fool the press. If you've got room, that will only piss people off.
Clinton's campaign staff had shrunk the room. It made the crowd look bigger.
Using barricades, the public area in front of Clinton was considerably smaller than at the Obama event the previous day. Instead, they expanded the area reserved for the media.
Even so, the public standing space could have crammed plenty more people in.
But the Clinton staff stopped people moving into the area and instead opened the overflow room. In there just 250 or so were forced to sit when they could have easily been in the main hall to see Clinton herself.
And now, they play against God.Read the rest.
A stretch, perhaps. But only if you haven't been to Green Bay.
Big-time pro athletes don't come more admired than Brett Favre.
Pro sports franchises don't come more endearing than the Green Bay Packers. Fercripesakes, the team is community-owned.
After a splendid 13-3 regular season, the Packers are recipients of the national hug as they commence Saturday their march to the desert and the inevitable fight for the soul of civilization against the remorseless New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
Wondering what the striking TV/movie scriptwriters were doing with their free time? Now you know.
The Seahawks couldn't be more unwelcome if they were Mr. Potter plotting against George Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life."
The hiss has started in TV network headquarters. By the time it sweeps across a fruited plain desperate for feel-good sports stories (not you, Roger Clemens), the Seahawks will think they are in a hurricane.
All the Seahawks did was win a playoff football game. Soon they will be seen as dastardlies who tie widows to railroad tracks.
The feel is similar to the Super Bowl two years ago, when they went up against the national darling Steelers and Jerome Did-You-Know-He's-From-Detroit? Bettis. Even last week, the Seahawks were eight-hanky underdogs to the Washington Redskins, who were on an overwrought crusade for a slain teammate.
But in terms of sloppy sentiment -- which is, as you know, much more important to a game's outcome than countering a zone blitz -- this may be the worst, because even cranky sportswriters can't work up literary snarkiness to flick at Favre and the Pack.
Please don't think the Seahawks will do it for any of us.
The team's two most important figures, coach Mike Holmgren and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, came to Seattle from Green Bay and will go long with hosannahs about team and town.
Calling Lambeau Field "the greatest venue in all of sports," Hasselbeck, after the 35-14 win over Washington, needed only to add light background music and sepia-toned photos to complete his impromptu Ken Burns mini-documentary.
"I remember the first time I went back there, it was a huge deal to me," he said. "Green Bay, Wisconsin, is a special place to me. If it wasn't for that organization, I would have never gotten a chance. I would be wearing a suit to work every day. They helped me to fulfill my dream of playing in the NFL.
"The people there are the same way. From Brett to (coach) Mike McCarthy, who was there when I was there, to the people in the front office, to the people who work in the pro shops, everybody.
"It's just a special thing, when you get to play your friends."
Stop, Matt, just for a moment. I'm getting all verklempt.
There. I'm better now. Soft-focus lenses do that to me every time.
Holmgren was no less effusive. Cue the eye moisture.
"I'll probably have to say it a number of times this week -- Green Bay is a special place for people that like football," he said. " It is very unique. When my family was there, we had a wonderful time. We have fond memories.
"Now we have to go back and play them. We're very excited about the opportunity."
If the Oakland Raiders were alive today, they would retch.
OKLAHOMA CITY (Jan. 4) - With a button-popping spread of cornbread, sausage and gravy, chicken fried steak and pecan pie designated as Oklahoma's official state meal, it's no surprise that Oklahoma City's mayor wants to put the city on a diet.More mayors should try something like this.
Mick Cornett has challenged the city to shed 1 million pounds as its New Year's resolution.
As part of the initiative, residents can sign up and track their weight loss on a new Web site, http://www.thiscityisgoingonadiet.com. More than 2,600 people had registered by Thursday. They've lost more than 300 pounds.
Oklahoma City ranked 15th in a 2007 survey of America's fattest cities conducted by Men's Fitness magazine. The survey examined lifestyle factors in each city, including fast-food restaurants per capita and availability of city parks, gyms and bike paths.
ALAMEDA, Calif. (Jan. 3) - Warren Sapp announced his retirement on Thursday, ending the career of one of the best defensive tackles to play in the NFL.Classy way to announce.
Sapp posted a two word message on his Web site announcing his intention: "I'M DONE!" He had told teammates and coaches his plans after the season finale Sunday against San Diego. Sapp told the Contra Costa Times earlier Thursday that he had called Raiders owner Al Davis to give him the official news.
West Virginia booster Ken Kendrick, who was outspoken in his support of former coach Rich Rodriguez following his departure, called it a "sad morning."Let's give him a chance. If he sucks, you can fire him, but you don't know what he can do until you let him try.
"He is so overmatched it's not even funny," said Kendrick, managing partner of Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks. "He's a nice guy and a father figure. But they had a wonderful architect, and they hired the painter to build the next house."
"I never had a Gatorade bath," Stew said. "Never. And it is special. Never had it. So for all the assistant coaches out there that never had it, this is for them. This is for them because there is a lot of fine coaches out there, a whole lot better than me."I hope he kicks some ass.
Because the caucuses, held in the early evening, do not allow absentee voting, they tend to leave out nearly entire categories of voters: the infirm, soldiers on active duty, restaurant employees on the dinner shift, medical personnel who cannot leave their patients, parents who do not have babysitting and many others who work in retail, at gasoline stations and in other jobs that require evening duty.Not campaigning in Iowa or having any prior experience there, perhaps I should not comment on the above situation. However, isn't the idea that the Republican Party Chairman in Iowa won't caucus because of business that takes him away from his home county, oh say, just a tad disturbing? How long has he, of all people, had to schedule and plan and worry about this?
As in years past, voters must present themselves in person, at a specific hour, and stay for as long as two. And if this caucus is anything like prior ones, only a tiny percentage of Iowans will participate. In 2000, the last year in which both parties held caucuses, 59,000 Democrats and 87,000 Republicans voted, in a state with 2.9 million people. In 2004, 124,000 people turned out for the Democratic caucuses.
The rules are so demanding that even Ray Hoffman, the chairman of the Iowa State Republican Party and a resident of Sioux City, cannot caucus Thursday night, because he has to be in Des Moines on party business.
Iowans begin the presidential nomination process, making choices among the candidates that can heavily influence the way the race unfolds. Now some people are starting to ask why the first, crucial step in the presidential nominating process is also one that discourages so many people from participating.
"It was over when... Antonio Wardlow intercepted a Tyler Donovan pass, ending a Wisconsin drive that could have given the Badgers the lead in the final seconds of the game."Hardly. It was over four minutes before that when Bielema decided to go for it on 4th down with 5 minutes to go at the end of the 4th quarter, and Donovan completely botched the play with a throw-away toss. What could have been a 1-point deficit winnable by a field goal- which the Badgers were easily in place for with one minute to go- was a four point embarassing loss.
