A few hours later, McCain announced the same thing, and the headline on that same article is "McCain follows Giuliani in skipping Iowa straw poll." So I guess both McCain and Giuliani have taken healthy first steps towards bowing out.

2-fer. BONUS!

Seems to me that Rudy & Fred's half-assed campaigning shows that they think they can somewhat sneak into the nomination--Rudy by keeping a fairly low profile and coast on being "America's Mayor" and Fred by keeping a fairly low profile and coast on being "None of the above."

And getting the nomination is the whole ballgame, because either one of them (and McCain) will crush Hillary without breaking a sweat.

Remember that it was Democrats' brilliant strategy to start the campaign season nearly a whole YEAR before its traditional beginning: some voters will be tired of it all when the actual election rolls around, and most of the lesser lights will be gone through attrition or lack of funds by the time the less politically active start paying attention. In that context a "sneak-up-on-you" candidate might fare well in comparison to the old standbys who you're already tired of - isn't that what Bill Clinton took advantage of in '92?

b,

I would humbly submit for your consideration that the Wahoo Right's reaction to the immigration amnesty plan (oops, now I'm using the A-Word!) smacks of a business plan in the first stages of execution. What's the ultimate goal of the business plan? To make sure that not only there will not be enough votes to get either McCain, Rudy, or Fred! elected, but to also jockey for the position of chief Hillary basher.

So far, they're doing a pretty good job of beating down McCain and Rudy.

Americans would welcome a candidate who held off until the Winter. Rudy's just in it for the attention, like Cuomo.

McCain has an organization in IA. Rudy needs to build one.

What's better, dropping out or getting struck by lightning?

McCain leads IA, NH and SC. Both major party nominees will support amnesty.

Brad: The fact that there is very, very little public support for the current Senate bill means really bad things for the Dems, because their future nominee has to vote on it, which can only hurt her no matter what she does. Other than McCain, none of the Republican prospective nominees have to do so, which means that in comparison they're sitting pretty. It's no accident that Senators don't become President.