From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Dodd and became the first presidential hopeful to sign the early state pledge we reported on earlier.

DODD: "I believe that Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada offer a cross section of America and allow for voters to probe the experience and vision of candidates in a meaningful way. In this year, where the national media focus seems to be on celebrity and bank accounts, the role of these states is more important than ever. I am committed to the DNC nominating calendar and preserving the first in the nation status of Iowa and New Hampshire."

*** UPDATE *** BIDEN SIGNS PLEDGE: Biden Campaign Manager Luis Navarro: "It is time to end all the maneuvering around the dates of the early primaries and caucuses. We intend not only to sign the pledge, but to honor our pledge to Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina to respect their primacy to the process. They played by the rules of the DNC. We respect those rules.  The public despises this kind of maneuvering for political advantage. If the Republicans want to play this way, let them. But we will not be a party to it."

*** UPDATE 2 *** OBAMA, EDWARDS AND RICHARDSON ALSO SIGN PLEDGE: Obama, Edwards and Richardson have also agreed to sign the pledge. This puts pressure on Clinton now to say whether she will campaign in Florida and Michigan for defying the DNC and moving up inside the Feb. 5 window. ***UPDATE 3*** CLINTON SIGNS PLEDGE

Here are Obama's, Edwards' and Clinton's statements:

OBAMA: "As I have campaigned across America over the last six months, it's become clear that Governor (Howard) Dean and the Democratic National Committee have put together a presidential nomination process that's in the best interests of our party and our nation."

EDWARDS: "Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina need to be first because in these states ideas count, not just money. This tried-and-true nominating system is the only way for voters to judge the field based on the quality of the candidate, not the depth of their war chest."

CLINTON: "We believe Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina play a unique and special role in the nominating process," Patti Solis Doyle, the Clinton campaign manager, said in a statement per the New York Times.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
The Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina Democratic Parties have joined together to ask the presidential candidates to sign a pledge that they will "not campaign or participate in any state which schedules a presidential election primary or caucus before Feb. 5, 2008, except for the states of Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina." Earlier today, we reported that DNC Chairman Howard Dean sent a letter urging the candidates to abide by the calendar.

From NBC's Andrew Merten
Virginia Senator John Warner (R) announced today he will not seek re-election next year.

Some potential candidates who will run for his post: former Gov. Mark Warner (D), Rep. Tom Davis (R) and one-time presidential hopeful and former Gov. Jim Gilmore (R).

From NBC's Mike Viqueira
Mark your calendars... Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker will testify Monday, Sept. 10th at 12:30 pm before a joint hearing of the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committee.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Tony Snow and President Bush made it official that Snow will be stepping down Sept. 14th. Dana Perino will replace him.

"I sadly accept his desire to leave the White House," Bush told reporters at today's White House Press Briefing. "It's been a joy to watch him spar with you." Bush went on to call Snow "smart," "capable" and witty and then told Snow, "I accept. I love you, and I wish you all the best."

Snow said his decision is solely based on money and has nothing to do with his battle with cancer. "I ran outta money," Snow said. "There's a lot of people sitting there at home saying, 'Well whaddya mean, you make all this money.' Well I made more money in my previous career."

Snow, who was a conservative pundit on Fox Radio and television, said he had promised his family that he would not dip into its savings. He added that he had taken out a loan "when I came to the White House, and that loan is now gone," Snow said.

"Cancer has nothing to do with this decision," he said, adding that his chemotherapy treatment has "held serve." There are no new tumors and his cancer has not grown.

Snow said he plans to go on the speaking circuit and then write books -- first on battling cancer then likely on politics.

"What will be your lecture fee?" one reporter asked.

 "More than you can afford," Snow replied.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Democratic fund-raiser Norman Hsu has turned himself into police in California for a 15-year-old outstanding warrant. The Los Angeles Times, which first reported that Hsu was a fugitive, reports: "Prosecutors in California said Hsu disappeared in 1992 after pleading no contest and agreeing to serve up to three years in prison for defrauding investors in a Ponzi scheme."

San Mateo Sheriff's booking photo of Norman Hsu.

Hsu, who a judge ordered handcuffed, faces a grand theft charge. He is being held on $2 million bond. A bail hearing is scheduled for Sept. 5th, where a judge may consider reducing his bail to $1 million.

Hsu signed on to be a Clinton "HillRaiser," a group of individuals who pledged to raise at least $100,000 for the New York senator's presidential run. He has helped raise or donate money for many Democrats, including Clinton (during her presidential run), Obama (during his 2004 U.S. Senate run) and New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer.

Here's a statement from Hsu's attorney, Jim Brosnahan, released today: "The 15-year-old legal matter that Norman Hsu has is moving toward resolution. We arranged for him to appear in court and put up monies for bail, which can also be used for restitution to any persons who might still be unpaid. We have had productive preliminary conversations with the Attorney General's office concerning resolution of this old matter. "

**** UPDATE **** Per NBC's Andrew Merten, Speaking to reporters today at the New York state fair, Clinton said she believes Norman Hsu has "done the right thing" in turning himself in to California authorities.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Per the Atlantic's Ambinder, DNC Chairman Howard Dean sent a "strongly worded letter," urging candidates to abide by the DNC's nominating selection process calendar. This comes a day after Michigan dared the DNC by moving its primary up to Jan. 15. The DNC leveled heavy sanctions against Florida on Saturday for moving its primary up to Jan. 29th, before the allowed Feb. 5th window.

"My goal as Chairman, and our objective as a Party," Dean writes, "is to structure a nominating process that adheres to rules that are clear, straightforward and published. The vast majority of states have complied with these rules."

From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell
NBC News has learned that White House Press Secretary Tony Snow will step down Sept. 14 as the president's chief spokesman and the public face of the White House. Dana Perino is expected to replace him.

He is expected to make his announcement during today's on-camera White House briefing at 12:45pm. President Bush is expected to make a statement at the briefing. Snow formally informed the president yesterday.

Snow says his departure is based on family finances. "If I had the dough I'd stay 'til the bitter end," Snow told NBC News. As an assistant to the President, Snow earns the highest-level salary among White House officials at $168,000 a year. 

The 52-year-old Snow says his decision is not related to a recurrence of cancer. In March, the White House announced that Snow's colon cancer has returned. In his first battle, Snow had his colon removed in 2005.  This most recent recurrence showed cancer had spread in the abdomen, the peritoneal cavity. After surgery in March, Snow completed four months of chemotherapy recently and tells NBC News the CAT scans and MRIs "look great." Snow says he will continue with "maintenance chemo" for the approximately five tumors he still has. Snow says his doctors have told him those tumors are "stable" and "fractionally smaller."

He says he has no immediate plans but will seek employment where he can earn more money. Snow says he intends to become visible in cancer activism. 

The president named Snow as his third Press Secretary on April 26, 2006, replacing Scott McClellan. Snow conducted his first on-camera briefing on May 8, 2006.

Snow previously worked as host of "The Tony Snow Show" on FOX News Radio, and "Weekend Live with Tony Snow" on the FOX News Channel. He's written nationally syndicated columns for both The Detroit News and USA Today. Snow is married to wife Jill, and they have three children.

From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell and Lauren Appelbaum
After three months of "testing the waters" and testing the patience of some Republican supporters, Fred Dalton Thompson will seek his party's nomination.

This afternoon in a conference call with invited supporters and participants, Thompson political director Randy Enwright explained the next steps for  the "Friends of Fred Thompson Committee."

Taking a page from the Hillary Clinton playbook, the formal announcement will debut on a webcast on Thursday, September 6. It will be followed by a swing through key states: Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. And it will conclude with a "Welcome Home" in Lawrenceburg, TN on the 15th.

From NBC's Mark Murray
A new ONE campaign poll of likely GOP Iowa caucus-goers, conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates (D) and McLaughlin & Associates (R), has Romney leading at 35%, Giuliani at 12%, and Fred Thompson and Mike Huckabee tied at 11%.

Quick takes here: Romney has a comfortable lead, and Huckabee has a nice little bounce coming after his second-place finish in the Ames straw poll.

From NBC's Mark Murray
The AP's Ron Fournier writes that the presidential nominating contests may be far from over. "John Kerry's presidential bid was dead. If you didn't know that in September 2003, all you had to do was ask almost any pundit, politicians or political writer. We were wrong. Kerry picked up a key endorsement, poured his own money into the race and took advantage of the fact that Democratic front-runner Howard Dean's campaign had quietly peaked in the summer of 2003."

"We may be wrong again. The same folks who buried John Kerry months before he won the 2004 Democratic nomination are jumping the gun for 2008."

"The consensus in Washington is that Sen. John McCain's presidential dreams are dead and the only Republicans with a shot at the nomination are former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Sen. Fred Thompson and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Conventional wisdom also suggests that the Democratic nomination is Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's to lose, and that her only serious rivals are Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois and, perhaps, former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina."

"Then along comes a day like Wednesday that rubs history in our faces, reminding the so-called experts how much the political landscape can change before the first votes are cast in Iowa: Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, a longshot candidate for the Democratic nomination, picked up the endorsement of the International Association of Fire Fighters."

From NBC's Ken Strickland and Doug Adams
NBC News confirms an earlier report by the Politico that GOP Sen. John Warner will announce tomorrow whether he intends to run for re-election, at 2:00 pm ET on the campus of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

Warner is believed by politcial leaders in both parties to announce tomorrow that he will NOT run for another term. Warner, 80, has raised just $72,000 since the 2006 elections and only $500 in the first quarter of this year -- not exactly the actions of a man preparing to run in what is shaping up as a bad year for Republicans. And if Warner decides to retire, it is by no means a lock that Republcians would retain the seat. Several well-known candidates from both parties are expected to jump into the race.

Democratic former governor Mark Warner (no relation) is rumored to be strongly considering a bid. Warner decided abruptly last fall not to run for president, and speculation was that he would seek the Senate seat if John Warner stepped down. If he does run, the popular former governor would be a formidable candidate, and would give Democrats great momentum after Jim Webb captured the state's other Senate seat in 2006.

On the Republican side, Rep. Tom Davis, who represents Fairfax County in Northern Virginia, has made no secret of his desire to run. He's been raising money aggressively -- more than $1 million in the bank -- and touring the state to meet with elected officials (and editorial boards).

Former Gov. Jim Gilmore (R), who abandoned his run for the presidency a few weeks ago,  is also widely expected to run for the seat. For political insiders, a Gilmore vs. Davis GOP primary would set up a long anticipated fight between the two wings of the party. Davis is a moderate from the Washington suburbs in Northern Virginia, while Gilmore is very popular with conservatives in the rural areas of the state. 

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Hours after the 700,000-member International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers endorsed Clinton, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters announced it is endorsing Edwards. The 520,000-member union did not endorse anyone in the 2004 presidential race.

From NBC's Lauren Appelbaum
Clinton said today she was "surprised by the news" that Clinton fund-raiser Norman Hsu has an outstanding arrest warrant out for him, and added that after verifying the information, her campaign "returned his money."

"We will continue to analyze all contributions and take action if that's warranted," Clinton said during a joint press conference with New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer to discuss the State Children's Health Insurance Program, known as SCHIP. "And I wish Mr. Hsu well in dealing with the problems he's confronting."

VIDEO: NBC's Deputy Political Director Mark Murray offers his first read on the Democrat's fugitive donor.

A reporter pressed on, asking Clinton about problems during her husband's presidency with donors like Johnny Chung. "I don't think it's analogous at all," Clinton replied, "I think we take these one by one as they come up. When you have as many contributors as I'm fortunate enough to have, we do the very best job we can based on the information available to us to make appropriate vetting decisions and this one was a big surprise to everybody."
 
Spitzer, attempting to return to the planned topic, intervened. "I don't think we need any more questions on that issue," he said. "Every campaign vets donors as effectively and as efficiently as can be done. This is somebody who as the senator said, which was a surprise to everybody, had an open bench warrant from 17 years ago. I think it's a fair question to ask, was Senator Clinton's campaign, or any campaign, supposed to be doing better than the authorities in California -- who theoretically had an open warrant for this guy. They didn't do anything. Come on guys, let's get real."

ON SCHIP
Spitzer chastised the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for denying his state's application to include families who make up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level, arguing that amount of money is not considered much in New York State. Clinton also attacked the Bush administration, repeating her statement that these children and families are "invisible" to them and calling the rising number of uninsured children during this administration "unforgivable."
 
"For the President to say he will veto an expansion to the Children's Health Insurance Program is bad enough," Clinton said. "For his administration, in the stealth of night, as the governor said, last Friday, to come out with proposed regulations that would truly turn the clock back is absolutely beyond anyone's imagination. So, there they were, last Friday, looking for a way to launch a sneak attack on the children of America and their hard working families. The President is deliberately trying to undermine what we have done in New York and what a number of states have done, to meet the moral, economic, and healthcare needs of our children. …
 
"I'm going to do everything I can to get our bill out of Congress, to get it sent to the President, to dare him to veto it, to say, here's a bipartisan bill that expands coverage. Let's see where you stand on that. For him to say everyone has access to healthcare in America because everyone can go to an emergency room is the height of irresponsibility."
 
Spitzer also pledged to keep fighting. "New York State will bring a litigation if we do not see movement on the part of the Bush administration," he said. "We are happy to go to court. What they are doing is, we believe, illegal."

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
The McCain campaign today released a high-quality, 12-minute video that highlights McCain's military service and touts his "maverick spirit" with a "rebellious streak." It opens with McCain giving his name, rank, and officer number as a young prisoner of war in Vietnam being questioned by a foreign interviewer. The video marks a shift in his campaign to re-brand the one-time front-runner with an old theme -- the one that worked so well for him in 2000.
 
"I wouldn't call it a re-branding because this has always been his brand," said Brian Rogers, a campaign spokesman. "But certainly we view September as a critical month for the senator and our campaign. And this is the opening salvo in the way forward for our campaign."
 
The campaign has also bought up space on early primary state local newspapers, showcasing 60-second versions of the video, and purchased Google keyword ads. Look for any ad going forward to highlight McCain's bio. In the next few weeks, McCain will make an early state push, starting this Labor Day weekend when he visits Iowa. On Wednesday, he will be in New Hampshire for another GOP debate and then embarks on a "No Surrender Tour" through Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
 
This re-launch of sorts comes as McCain tries to rebuild and regain the momentum lost for the former front-runner. His campaign faltered financially, as well as on the issues after he had painted himself ideologically and strategically into a corner. When he was viewed as the front-runner, the initial launch of his campaign made broad appeals to Bush's base and donors. That had the potential to hurt him with the independents who propelled him to victory in New Hampshire in 2004, but the strategy could have worked as long as the base came out in full support of him. But his stance on immigration hurt him among conservatives. And now, he's trying to go home again, hoping those independents will welcome him back with open arms. But can it work?

From NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro
Clinton, per her campaign, has just picked up her second labor union endorsement this week -- from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. The endorsement comes a few days after some of the Democratic presidential candidates (including Clinton, Edwards, and Kucinich) spoke to the union. The IAM also endorsed Huckabee in the GOP race.

Earlier this week, Clinton also won the United Transportation Union's endorsement.

From Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro
*** It's Been A LONG Month…: August is typically a month when many unwind, go on vacation, or head to the nearest back-to-school sale, all to prepare for the busy fall ahead. But for those who have been participating in or covering this expedited presidential race, this month has been jam-packed with news that could influence the sprint -- but aren't we already sprinting? -- that begins after Labor Day. On the Democratic side, the month began with Obama's speech on terrorism (and Pakistan), which produced the first real shoot-out among most of the Dem candidates. Then came Clinton's statement at YearlyKos that she wouldn't refuse lobbyist contributions. Next was Richardson's response at a gay-rights forum, where he said that homosexuality is a choice. Then came the debate in Des Moines, where many of these things were rehashed and Obama proved he could take a punch. And then there was Edwards' aggressive re-launch in New Hampshire. 

*** More August News: On the GOP side, the month featured Romney's expected win in Ames, Huckabee's surprise second-place finish there, and Tommy Thompson's exit. Then there were the staff departures for the other (and better-polling) Thompson, as well as the growing complaints why his campaign was waiting so long to actually begin. Also, we saw Romney and Fred gang up on Giuliani regarding immigration and guns. And the news over at the White House and Congress included Rove's and Gonzales' announced departures, plus the recent scandal involving Sen. Larry Craig. Whew. If all of these things happened in August, what does the fall -- and then the nominating contests in the winter -- have in store for us?

*** If The Hsu Fits…: Another story that broke during the last few days of the month was the mysterious case of Clinton bundler Norman Hsu (who has donated to other Democrats and Democratic causes). As we've noted earlier, the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday reported on his links to a family of modest means who had donated tens of thousands of dollars to Clinton since 2005. Then the Los Angeles Times wrote that Mr. Hsu has been a fugitive for 15 years after pleading no contest to grand theft. Today, the papers note that the Clinton campaign -- after earlier refusing to do so -- is donating to charity the $23,000 Hsu has given the campaign and reviewing thousands more he had raised. Clinton and her campaign are the last folks who would ever back down from something. But with Edwards and Obama hitting her on accepting money from federal lobbyists and past press reports of another problematic donor -- Vinod Gupta -- the campaign's decision to return his money is a no-brainer. But what does it do with the money he's bundled?

*** The Buzzards Are Circling: Yesterday, GOP Sens. John McCain -- who is running for president -- and Norm Coleman -- who will be in a tough contest for re-election next year -- called for the embattled Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, to resign. In addition, Senate GOP leaders yesterday announced that Craig had complied with their request to step down from his key committee assignments. We've seen this process play out before, and there are essentially three outcomes. One, Craig resigns pretty quickly (a la Mark Foley). Two, he waits as long as possible before stepping down (Bob Ney, Alberto Gonzales). Or three, he rides out the storm as the press turns to other stories (William Jefferson, David Vitter).

*** On The Trail: Biden, in Iowa, participates in the SEIU's Walk-A-Day program; Edwards speaks at a Democratic county party BBQ in South Carolina; McCain is in Arizona; Richardson raises money in Nevada; Romney does the same in North Carolina; and actress Kathleen Turner campaigns for Obama in South Carolina.

*** And A Note: Given the need to take our final breather this August, the morning version of First Read will not publish tomorrow, although we'll have updated posts throughout the day. The next issue of the morning version will return bright and early Tuesday, September 4. Have a happy and safe Labor Day weekend.

Countdown to MA-05 Special Election: 4 days
Countdown to LA GOV election: 51 days
Countdown to Election Day 2007: 68 days
Countdown to LA GOV run-off (if necessary): 79 days
Countdown to Iowa: 136 days
Countdown to SC GOP primary: 141 days
Countdown to Tsunami Tuesday: 158 days
Countdown to Election Day 2008: 432 days
Countdown to Inauguration Day 2009: 509 days

A new Time magazine poll of Iowa has Edwards leading at 29%, followed by Clinton at 24%, Obama at 22%, and Richardson at 11%. "For Edwards, the poll has some less welcome news as well. So far, at least, his attempts to portray himself as the real change agent in the race — the one who wants to slam the door on lobbyists and other 'Washington insiders' — isn't paying off. Obama beats him by 35% to 25% on the question of who 'will take on special interests in Washington.' (Clinton trailed with 19%.) Iowa Democrats seem to like Edwards more for who he is than for what he says; they call him the 'most likable' and the one who best understands their concerns, but his toss-out-the-insiders message hasn't stuck."

CLINTON: "Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign said yesterday that it would give to charity $23,000 it had received from a prominent Democratic donor, and review thousands of dollars more that he had raised, after learning that the authorities in California had a warrant for his arrest stemming from a 1991 fraud case," the New York Times says. "The travails of Mr. Hsu have proved an embarrassment for the Clinton campaign, which has strived to project an image of rectitude in its fund-raising and to dispel any lingering shadows of past episodes of tainted contributions."

The LA Times also reports that Hsu said "that he would 'refrain from all fundraising activities' until he resolved an outstanding warrant for his arrest stemming from a 1991 criminal case in San Mateo County… Hsu has donated or raised more than $1 million for Democrats and their causes. He served as a 'bundler,' rounding up a group of donors and then packaging their checks together. He is a member of Clinton's 'HillRaiser' group, individuals who pledged to raise more than $100,000 for her presidential campaign."

The Wall Street Journal adds that "Clinton and other prominent Democrats scrambled to unload thousands of dollars of contributions from one of the party's leading fund-raisers, amid questions about his fund-raising techniques and news that a warrant for his arrest has been languishing in California since the early 1990s." 

EDWARDS: Salon writes: "This summer … Edwards has taken a new turn. For the first time in his career, he is running for office by criticizing segments of the Democratic Party, the institution he has long held up as the only hope for restoring economic justice in America." And the online magazine writes that Edwards has put a new spin on Howard Dean's " 'I'm here to represent the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party.' Edwards put it this way: 'We cannot triangulate our way to real change. We cannot compromise our way to real change. But we can lead to real change.'"

OBAMA: In a New York Daily News op-ed, Obama calls for sanctions against Iran and companies who invest heavily in the country and wants to put an end to Bush's "tough talk." "The Bush administration and an anonymous senator are blocking a bill with bipartisan support that would ratchet up the pressure on the Iranian regime. It's time for this obstructionism to stop." He warns that Iran's going forward with its nuclear program and mentions that Amadinejad "declared that Israel must be 'wiped off the map.'" In the piece, he also hints he would meet with Amadinejad: "While conventional Washington thinking says we can only talk to people who agree with us, I believe that strong countries and strong Presidents shouldn't be afraid to talk directly to our adversaries to tell them where America stands. The Bush-Cheney diplomacy of not talking to Iran has not worked."

Per the New York Times, a Web site -- with ties to a prominent GOP donor who was a major backer of radio ads last year linking Democrats with David Duke -- is going after Obama. "Harsh attacks on candidates from sources with murky motivations and support are nothing new in American politics, particularly in presidential campaigns, where the stakes are high and the interested parties are often well heeled and ideologically driven. In the current presidential contest, the ObamaTruth.org project is one of the more sophisticated assaults on a candidate, with downloadable videos titled 'The Audacity of Barack Obama' and periodic press releases announcing updates. The Obama campaign declined to comment."

The Washington Times examines the FairTax revolution -- the push for a national retail sales tax -- "that has taken hold of the 2008 Republican presidential debate and turned from outcast to kingmaker, including aiding presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee's surprise second-place showing in this month's influential Iowa Republican presidential straw poll. Of the major candidates on the Republican side six, including all-but-announced candidate Fred Thompson, have said they are either active supporters or would at least be willing to sign a FairTax bill if it reached their desks as president." 

GIULIANI: Giuliani tapped former New York fire chief Howard Safir to lead a coalition of "law enforcement and emergency-responders backing his campaign for president."

ROMNEY: The Romney campaign is running a new TV ad in Iowa and New Hampshire. It goes: "An Olympics hit by scandal and deficits, he rescued them. He turned around dozens of companies and became a business legend. A state losing jobs, with huge deficits, Governor Mitt Romney turned it around -- cutting spending, instead of raising taxes. At every step, he's met extraordinary challenges.  Mitt Romney – the energy and experience to turn around Washington."

THOMPSON: Per NBC's Joel Seidman, GOP campaign spokesguy Todd Harris will become the communications director to the "Friends of Fred Thompson" committee. He replaces Linda Rozett, who was let go earlier this week. Former Fox News producer Jim Mills continues as spokesman, and former Santorum aide Robert Traynham is expected to continue in the press shop. Harris is a principal of DC Navigators, a firm run by GOP strategist Mike Murphy.

"Gov. Jennifer Granholm is convinced that the state House today will approve legislation, already passed by the Senate, to hold a statewide presidential primary Jan. 15 -- even though the move could put the state on a collision course with the national parties," the Detroit News reports.

Edwards' campaign manager David Bonior, a Michigan native, told the Boston Globe: "I do believe there is a role for a larger state in this process whether that be Florida or wherever. But this campaign is focused on the four early states of Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, and South Carolina because that is where the issues matter most."

Per the Washington Times, "The top 2008 Democratic presidential candidates will likely campaign for the Jan. 29 Florida primary, and a potential earlier primary in Michigan, in defiance of the party's threat to strip the states of their convention delegates, Democratic strategists said yesterday." 

The New York Times:"The White House is growing more confident that it can beat back efforts by Congressional Democrats to shift course in Iraq, a significant turnabout from two months ago, when a string of Republican defections had administration officials worried that President Bush's troop buildup was in serious danger on Capitol Hill. Current and former administration officials say they realize that the September battle over the troop buildup will be difficult. But they also say the president's hand is stronger now than it was in early July, when Republican senators like Pete V. Domenici of New Mexico and Richard G. Lugar of Indiana publicly called for a change of course."

GOP Sens. John McCain and Norm Coleman called for Craig to resign yesterday. "My opinion is that when you plead guilty to a crime you shouldn't serve," McCain told CNN. "That's not a moral stand, 'holier than thou,' just a factual situation." And Coleman said in a radio interview: "If I was making the decision, I'd resign. I'd tell him to resign. I think this is one where you've pled guilty, you've had time to think about it."

The Washington Post also notes that "Senate GOP leaders said that Craig 'agreed to comply' with their request that he step down as the ranking Republican on the Veterans' Affairs Committee and two subcommittees while the ethics committee assesses his case. The move, they said, was for 'the good of the Senate.' The intensity of the Republican leaders' assault on one of their own was stunning, if for no other reason than its unusual -- un-senatorial -- nature. Several ethics lawyers and experts could not provide an example in the past two decades of one senator calling for the ethics committee to investigate a colleague."

USA Today: "The comments from Craig's colleagues, and the decisive action by GOP Senate leaders, … underscored concern about political fallout. Last year, Republicans lost control of the House after an ethics committee investigation found that GOP leaders did not respond quickly enough to reports that then-congressman Mark Foley, R-Fla., was making advances to former congressional pages."

Gay-rights activists and a Dem-leaning ethics watchdog group called on the GOP to also investigate Sen. David Vitter (R), who was caught in connection to the DC Madam scandal. "Apparently, in the view of the Republican conference there is almost nothing more serious than a member attempting to engage in gay sex," said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

In non-Craig congressional news, the Washington Post writes that Democratic-leaning groups and bloggers are upset that Democratic leaders haven't done more to stop the Bush Administration's warrantless wiretapping program or close Guantanamo Bay. In fact, the ACLU "is running Internet advertisements depicting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) as sheep. 'Bush wanted more power to eavesdrop on ordinary Americans, and we just followed along. I guess that's why they call us the Democratic leadersheep,' say the two farm animals in the ad, referring to Congress's passage of legislation granting Bush a six-month extension and expansion of his warrantless wiretapping program."

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
There was a broad range of reactions from the presidential candidates. We have statements from Giuliani, Dodd, Edwards, McCain, and Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. We also have a five-and-a-half-minute video from Obama entitled, "Rebuilding New Orleans, Two Years Later."

GIULIANI: "On this anniversary, Americans come together to remember all those who lost their lives, suffered or were affected by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. We must now use the lessons learned to ensure we are better prepared in the future. By building on the courage and skills of all our citizens, America will become a stronger, more resilient nation."

DODD: "On the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, we are reminded of the tens of thousands of people still affected by this catastrophe. Americans have lost their homes, their livelihoods, and for far too many, their lives, due to an egregious lapse in leadership by the Bush Administration.

"We need bold leadership to right the wrongs of Katrina and improve the lives of those affected by this national tragedy. I have proposed legislation to put tens of thousands of people back in their homes and revitalize the Gulf Coast, but we must also ensure that this kind of tragedy doesn't happen again. We need leadership that will ensure that we are always prepared by investing in our infrastructure and our first responders."

EDWARDS: "If George Bush's government were as good and decent and focused as the people of New Orleans, whole parts of the city would not still look like the storm just hit. This is a national disgrace. While President Bush continues to fail New Orleans, the American people and the residents of the city have not. Almost all of the progress that's been made has been the work of the proud residents of the city and generous Americans, working without and often in spite of the federal government. Our government needs to support their efforts and help get New Orleans back on its feet. And we need to do everything possible to make sure this never happens again.

"Hurricane Katrina brought poverty right into our living room and showed us the Two Americas that exist in our country. We all saw the images of people stranded on rooftops or at the Superdome because they were unable to escape simply because they didn't have a car or the cash to evacuate, didn't have the physical mobility or because they didn't want to leave behind the few possessions they had.

"Although those images have faded from our television screens, widespread poverty still persists. In fact, data released yesterday by the Census Bureau shows no statistical change in the number of people living in poverty from 2005 to 2006 -- leaving nearly 37 million Americans struggling to survive. America is better than this. We need a national effort to end poverty in America, and we need every American to take action in our fight to build One America. And we need to make sure another Katrina never happens again, in New Orleans or anywhere in America."

MCCAIN: "On the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, we pause to remember the victims, family members, and all affected by the tragedy. Let us not forget the bravery and courageousness of everyday heroes who provided a sense of hope in a city of despair.

"The failure of government's response to Katrina is one example of why Americans have lost faith in our government. In the wake of a disaster, the federal government must move expeditiously to aid residents in need. We must use the lessons learned to ensure the federal government and Department of Homeland Security performs better in the tests of future disasters to come.
"I praise the citizens of Louisiana, Mississippi, and the Gulf Coast for their continued resilience and perseverance in rebuilding their communities. Though the storm has long passed, its devastating effects remain. It is important on this anniversary for us to remember our neighbors who are still in need of our support. Our government must do better in the face of natural disasters and as president, I pledge that it will."

DNC CHAIRMAN HOWARD DEAN: "Two years ago, while President Bush strummed a guitar at a California fundraiser and Heck-of-a-Job Brownie had his back turned, the people of Louisiana and Mississippi stood on their roofs and fought for their lives. Americans watched the Bush Administration's inaction after Katrina with horror, not believing that our government was capable of this kind of incompetence and indifference.

"Yet two years later, people are still suffering, and the Bush White House's incompetence remains. Just a few weeks ago we learned that the Bush Administration knowingly left Katrina survivors in toxic trailers. When does this stop? The people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast deserve better and are still waiting for help.

"Democrats are fighting for those who have suffered after Katrina and won't stop until all survivors are able to rebuild their lives. But the struggle is far from over, and electing a Democratic president in 2008 is the only way to ensure the federal government makes the people of Gulf Coast a priority and that our government never lets our citizens down like this again."

From NBC's Lauren Appelbaum
With former President Jimmy Carter by his side, Edwards visited Georgia Southwestern State University to discuss his vision for America and his plans to build One America. Edwards began his speech with an attack on Bush's request for more money to fund the surge in Iraq. Using his fingers to make quote marks while saying the word "surge," Edwards dismissed the idea as a good plan.
 
"The Congress will be coming back next week, and I think the American people have seen enough excuses," Edwards said. "They don't want excuses anymore. They want to see this war come to an end. They want to see it brought to an end. What the Congress should do when they come back next week is make it absolutely clear, no timetable, no funding. And there should be no further excuses. The Congress needs to stand their ground. They had a mandate from the American people in the election in November in 2006 and they need to meet that mandate."
 
Invoking the second anniversary of Katrina, Edwards said another surge in Baghdad is not what America needs. "We need a surge in New Orleans."
 
Edwards also attacked Hillary Clinton once again on the lobbying issue. "That system has to change," Edwards said. "I don't think anybody should defend that system, whether it is Senator Clinton or anybody else. I think the system needs to be changed. There is nobody in this audience who thinks the way Washington works today is working for them. I am absolutely certain about that."
 
On poverty, Edwards lamented that the economic growth over the last five years has only benefited the richest Americans. In combating poverty, Edwards called for (1) truly universal health care; (2) a higher raise in the minimum wage; (3) an expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit and removal of its marriage penalty; (4) the strengthening of workers' rights to organize unions in work places; and (5) strong national predatory lending laws. All of these items clearly cost money, and Edwards proposed paying for health care specifically by cutting Bush's tax cuts. He did mention how he would pay for the other changes. 
 
Edwards borrowed a line from his wife Elizabeth regarding his stance on healthcare. "If you are shopping for a presidential candidate and they come before you and they tell you they have a health care plan and you find out that health care plan is not universal, then you should make them explain to you what man, and what woman, and what child in America is not worthy of healthcare?" He furthered the sentiment, stating if a candidate isn't for truly universal health care, the voter "ought to be looking for another candidate."
 
On a different note, Edwards took an aggressive stance on nuclear weapons in Iran and Pakistan. "I want to be the President of the United States that initiates and leads an effort, over time, but an effort to actually rid the planet of nuclear weapons ... America will have to lead the way and I'm not short sighted about this. I don't think it can be done overnight. I know it will take time, it will take leadership, and it will take cooperation from other countries."
 
Carter, an alumnus of GSW, told the audience Edwards is a "candidate whom I really admire." While he did not officially endorse Edwards, he came pretty close with his bold prediction that the presidential hopeful "has a very good chance to do well."
 
"I can say without equivocation," Carter said, "that no one who is running for president has presented anywhere near as comprehensive and accurate a prediction of what our country ought to do in the field of environmental quality, in the field of healthcare for those who are not presently insured, for those who suffer from poverty and with a special attention to a subject he knows quite well, and that is the rural areas of America."

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
America Coming Together, a political action committee credited with doing much of the grassroots organization and get-out-the-vote efforts for Democrats in 2004, was hit with a $775,000 fine by the Federal Election Commission for violating federal election law during the 2004 campaign election cycle.

The FEC leveled its third-largest fine in history against George Soros-backed ACT, "a federal political action committee (PAC) that also has a non-federal account registered under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, agreed to pay $775,000 to settle charges that it used funds raised outside federal limits and source prohibitions to pay for expenses that should have been paid with funds raised within the federal contribution limits and prohibitions," according to the FEC's Web site.

Also, the FEC "uncovered no evidence of coordination between" ACT and the Democratic National Committee, 2004 Democratic nominee John Kerry.