Vote 2008

3… 2… 1… Iowa! NPR pulls together a mini-roundtable to flog the numbers and see if the Democratic and Republican races are indeed too close to call.
Voting Season Nears Without Frontrunner

And Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other potential independent candidates will consider the merits of a third-party bid at a meeting in Oklahoma City next week.
AP: Independent Candidacy Weighed

Also, the Newshour takes a look at the implications of this years wacky political calendar
‘08 Calendar Forces New Innovations

WNYC political director, Andrea Bernstein zeros in on the outlook for Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Rudy Giuliani in Iowa, one week from today.

Also, what implications will the news of the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto have for U.S. foreign policy?
Bhutto’s Death Poses Dilemma for US
2008 Hopefuls React to Bhutto Death

The Associated Press reports today that dispite government rules preventing it, former mayor Rudy Giuliani secreted out of City Hall the written, photographic and electronic record of his eight years in office - more than 2,000 boxes.
Giuliani Secretive As Mayor

And if you’re still hungry, try Digesting Politics: Holiday Edition. This is a web-only political treat from WNYC’s Brian Lehrer and Andrea Bernstein. Listen up!

NPR’s Audie Cornish had an interesting report about the Straight Talk Express this morning.
McCain’s Presidential Bid Garners Serious Attention

Also, Mark B. of Michigan says of WNYC’s and NPR’s programming:
“It makes me sick that you choose to pay attention to the “major candidates” more so than the other candidates”
Well Mark, check out this interview with Dennis Kucinich on the Brian Lehrer Show
Candidate Kucinich Jan 30, 2007

Iowa’s largest newspaper give endorsements to presidential candidates: Republican John McCain and Democrat Hillary Clinton. For Clinton the backing of The Des Moines Register comes as the best news in weeks.

Full story on NPR.org

Also, WNYC’s Andrea Bernstein is with the Obama campaign in Iowa and she has this report.

Clinton and Obama Spar in Iowa