From NBC/NJ's Erin McPike
MT. VERNON, IA -- Riding a mini wave of momentum with a new MNSBC/McClatchy poll showing him statisically tied with Huckabee in Iowa, Romney made his way through the eastern part of the Hawkeye State with his wife.

Former Missouri Sen. Jim Talent (R) and his son traveled with the campaign in Iowa yesterday, as did pro-life advocate and attorney Jay Sekulow. Talent and Sekulow explained to reporters on the press bus yesterday afternoon that they have been meeting with evangelical Christian in leaders in the state to remind them of the importance of judicial appointments over the next few years. Sekulow insisted: "To nominate someone and then to see to confirming them are two different tasks. And for the task of confirmation, you have to have the political skills and leadership to do that," insinuating that Huckabee may not quite be ready for that.

But the suggestion that Romney is politically shrewd enough to cut through the partisanship and rigors of Washington at the same time that he's suggesting he's the candidate who can bring change to it seems to be a fine line. Asked that question early this afternoon, he explained to reporters: "Probably my best capability is in building a good team and working with people within that team and across the aisle to get the job done, and I'm not trying to take away from somebody else. They may have their skills. Sen. McCain has been there in Washington 27 years. So he certainly has political skill, but I believe that at this time, to change Washington, it would be helpful to have somebody who comes with more private sector skill, experience outside Washington. I don't think you change Washington from the inside. I think you change it from the outside."

Of course, Huckabee, his chief competitor in Iowa, is also a Washington outsider, and that could be yet another reason why they're locked in a fierce battle for support in the state.

A senior strategist in Romney's campaign noted yesterday that it's hard to poll caucus goers, and it's even harder to track numbers over the weekend. Romney acknowledged said at a stop in Oskaloosa yesterday, "This is going to be close. Some polls have me ahead, some have me behind. Most have me significantly behind but quickly catching up. I was 22 points behind about two weeks ago, and I think the most recent polls say it's gotten much narrower, like five or six or seven percent, and I even saw one that said I am ahead. Who the heck knows?"

Of course that just means that Romney is charging full steam ahead in the state – even though the campaign may seem more focused on McCain in New Hampshire because two consecutive early state losses would put a huge wrinkle in its early state strategy. In fact, when asked if he's concerned his attacks ads will affect his chances in Iowa, his entire answer centered on McCain and the attacks he has launched on the senator in New Hampshire.

Romney ended his remarks at one of his bus stops yesterday telling his voters that America needs strong values, a strong military and a strong economy, and he added, "I'm going to work like the dickens to do those things." That's also how he's maneuvering in the race here – six stops in western Iowa on Friday, six stops in the center of the state on Saturday and another five in eastern Iowa today. The stops have been short on time and remarks but packed with people due to venue size (lots of small coffee shops).

He began the day in Columbus Junction, a small town where allegedly no other major presidential candidates have been this cycle yet. At his second stop of the day here, he greeted supporters at the Hamburg Inn, where voters spilled out onto the sidewalk and in the street. There appeared to be more people outside the restaurant than actually inside.

After his third stop at a coffee shop here, Ann Romney marveled at the size of the crowds today and suggested it was probably because of the holidays and that people aren't usually working on Sundays. Nevertheless, she said she and her husband could both feel the momentum building today. In fact, during the event after she handed over the mic to the candidate, a voter shouted up to him, "She's cuter than you are." Romney agreed, saying "She's a cute girl. She's hot, too," and mocked the motion with a lick of the finger and a "sss."

From NBC/NJ's Carrie Dann
DES MOINES, IA -- Iowa didn't look like this three weeks ago.

Today, a glowing Richardson waded into a screaming crowd of over 500 to the spine-tingling guitar jangling of U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name." Last week, crowds of national reporters jostled for seats when Biden held a press conference in Des Moines after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. And McCain packed 'em in eastern Iowa earlier this week. 

For those of you just tuning in now, this is a whole new rodeo.

A breathtaking velocity of campaign frenzy and media coverage has been whirling around candidates like Obama and Clinton for weeks. For top-tierers who routinely attract hundreds to rallies, it's not out of the ordinary to see a tangle of network cameras elbowing through crowds to catch the money entrance shot as a pumping soundtrack fills the ears of cheering supporters.

To see the same at a Richardson event is stunning.

Perhaps even more so than for the rock star contenders, it has all come down to this. Barring a narrative twist of Hitchcockian proportions, a finish less than third place means the end of the plot for those on the Junior Varsity. With the prospects of a major meltdown by one of the leading candidates dimming by the hour, their sole hope now is to harness the elusive and revered momentum that could galvanize supporters who would be in their corner if they only thought their guy had a fighting chance.

Well, "harness" might be the wrong verb for it. In some ways, the momentum game is about creating an illusion of forward motion and praying that the hope becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. With the descent of the national media upon Iowa, smart campaigns are choreographing events to make sure that the press asks themselves whether or not the Big Mo might be waiting in the wings. That means a doubling of efforts to fill campaign events with an impressive turnout, and a crescendoing of the candidate's message with a forceful fire-up-the-troops closing argument. 

(Smart second-tier campaigns would also be advised to hover close to Des Moines if they want pronouncements of insurgency from journalistic opinion leaders -- the smartest minds in news might drop by an event down the block from their hotel rooms to see Dodd or Thompson, but they sure ain't driving to Fort Dodge for it.)

Oh, and U2 songs don't hurt either.

From NBC/NJ's Mike Memoli
BRETTON WOODS, NH -- As many Republican candidates sharpen the knives ahead of the first nominating contest of the year, Giuliani -- signaling his focus on the longer contest ahead -- looked to stay above the fray today.

Even as he campaigned here in New Hampshire, Giuliani did not exactly pursue the typical primary course. After a town hall meeting in Plymouth, he shook hands for just a few minutes before his staff asked the crowd to leave the room so Giuliani could do a live interview on Fox News Channel. He went on to a ski lodge in Lincoln, where he exchanged quick greetings with hordes of people who seemed surprised to see him there before he quickly moved. And he ended his day at the ritzy Mount Washington Resort, where he addressed a crowd that likely included as many out-of-staters on vacation as it did primary voters.

And as Romney, McCain and Huckabee exchange more pointed barbs on the eve of the caucuses, the former New York mayor urged restraint. In Plymouth, when Giuliani was asked specifically how he differed from his party rivals, he invoked Ronald Reagan's 11th commandment, saying he'll stick to talking about his record. But he did state the Giuliani amendment to that commandment. "Don't criticize other Republicans, comma, unless they criticize me," Giuliani said. "I have to make a little exception."

Giuliani went on to say that Republicans should not be "attacking each other. I don't think you get very much out of that." But, he added, "Of all the people in the field, I also have the most executive experience. I've run a government that is a very complicated government... And I didn't just run it. I got exceptional results."

At the Mount Washington Lodge, a woman told Giuliani that the last time she saw him, he was campaigning for Romney during the 2002 gubernatorial race. She wanted to know why he was now challenging him. Giuliani did remember the night in question. "We went to a great Italian restaurant. Great meal." But he called Romney "a friend," "a very good man," and "a very worthy candidate." "I just happen to think I'm a better candidate. And that I'd be better at being president," he said.

Speaking to reporters after the Plymouth event, Giuliani said he didn't feel left out of the back-and-forth among other candidates so close to the caucuses in Iowa. In fact, he said he wouldn't even be in Iowa on caucus night -- instead planning to rally supporters in Florida. "We're not involved in the back and forth about criticism of each other. I kinda like that," he said.

He also voiced confidence in his standing, even as polls show his national polling lead disappearing. "I think this race will narrow even more maybe," he said. "We expected it would be that way. Now it's a question of the Republicans deciding on who they want to be their candidate. And they'll do it in all these different states. And when you look at the states, we're in very good shape in a number of the states. And some we have some work to do. And that's why we're here."

From NBC/NJ's Aswini Anburajan
KNOXVILLE, IA -- Obama loves his Republicans. He makes an open pitch for GOP voters in his stump speeches, even as he calls them out in his stump speeches, saying he can beat Mitt and Rudy and Huckabee. At a town hall in Knoxville today, he threw in Ron Paul. "They don't poll Ron Paul, but I can beat him too."

But there's one Republican whom he seems to have a little more affection for than most. Obama frequently makes fun of Romney on the stump, joking about illegal aliens working on his Romney's yard. And today, he was given permission by a Republican deciding between Obama and Romney to draw some "contrasts."

"Mitt Romney is a very handsome guy. He's taller than me. I was listening to an interview this morning and somebody asked him if he's ever cursed. He said of course, but not the real harsh ones. I have to tell you -- I've used the harsh ones, the really juicy ones," Obama told the crowd, laughing.

He went on to contrast himself with all the Republicans in the field, saying he believes in fiscal restraint "unlike the  Republican orthodoxy." 

Obama was introduced by Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), who told the crowd that Obama could win voters in states as red as his.

The event was largely similar to the packed town halls that Obama has had over the past few weeks, giving his re-tooled stump speech and taking around four questions. 

Obama did throw in an extra line to the Bill Clinton quote he's been using frequently on the trail, saying "There's a right kind of experience and a wrong kind of experience..."

Telling the crowd who gave the quote, he answered, "A guy named Bill Clinton, who now talks about the roll of the dice. You know Bill Clinton was right then, and I'm right now."

In an interview with Radio Iowa's Kay Henderson after the event, Obama said that when he talks about "risks" and "gambles" and "stakes" in his stump speeches, he is referring to Clinton's comments on Charlie Rose, in which the former president said that voting for Obama would be a risk akin to "rolling the dice."

"I mean President Clinton argues that it would somehow be  risky to elect me. This is a theme that ironically George H.W. Bush used against Bill Clinton back in 1992," Obama said.

From NBC's Mark Murray
DES MOINES, IA -- Star attraction Martin Sheen couldn't make it as originally planned -- he is sick and couldn't fly to Iowa -- but that didn't stop a few hundred people from packing a third-floor room above a downtown bar here to listen to Richardson speak.

Is this momentum!" Richardson exclaimed to the crowd. "Is this a real surge!" He went on to say, "We are going to shock the world, right?"

Richardson also said the election "should not be [decided] by the national media. It should be by Iowa." Then citing a poll by the national media -- our MSNBC/McClatchy survey, which has him in fourth place in Iowa, at 12% -- he told the crowd, "We are within striking distance of the top three."

Later in his remarks, Richardson went through all of his campaign promises: bring home all the troops from Iraq, scrap No Child Left Behind, enact universal health care, give veterans a "Heroes health card," which would provide former service members access to the hospitals and doctors of their choice. And then he made his pitch to his supporters and undecided caucus-goers." I want your support... We need you to shock the world."

A Richardson spokesman later estimated to First Read that about 500 people attended the event. Indeed, NBC/NJ Iowa reporter Carrie Dann, also covering the speech, said the gathering was "huge" for a normal Richardson event in Iowa. But it also was clear that quite a few of the people in attendance were from Richardson's home state of New Mexico. The governor, in fact, acknowledged that when he gave a shout-out to the "New Mexico Road Warriors" supporters present, and there was a sizable applause from them in return.

At the end of his speech, Richardson asked, "Iowa, will you help us to take back America?"

The crowd screamed back, "Yeah!"

He continued, "Do we love Iowa?"

"Yeah!"

"Do we love New Mexico."

"Yeah!"

From NBC/NJ's Carrie Dann
DES MOINES, IA -- Hillary and Chelsea Clinton went to church today -- for 13 minutes.

Clinton appeared at an 11:00 am service at Corinthian Baptist Church, a mostly African-American congregation here. After arriving about a half hour after the start of the service with daughter Chelsea and former Gov. Tom Vilsack in tow Clinton participated in a lengthy fellowship sharing (the second of the service), during which members greet each other and mingle. Approached -- but not mobbed -- by churchgoers who snapped cell-phone pictures of the senator, Clinton shook hands and posed for photos until the pastor herded the congregation back to their seats with a series of increasingly impatient "Amens."

Clinton made brief remarks at the service, beginning with a pious declaration of  "this is the day the Lord has made." But despite her reverential tone, her remarks were not devoid of politics. Touting her years of work for the Children's Defense Fund, she said that she is running for president "in large measure" to ensure the future of America's children. "The American people need a president to be their champion," she said.

From NBC/NJ's Tricia Miller
BOONE, IA -- Emphasizing his theme as a fighter for the common American, Edwards used some variation of the word "fight" nearly 40 times at a town hall at the Giggling Goat Cafe here this afternoon.

In his stump speech, he uttered the words "fight," "fighting" or "fought" 31 times; in the Q&A session and his closing, he used them an additional eight times. In contrast, Edwards said "change" or "changes" six times in the stump speech and four times in the second half of the town hall.

A perfect example came about 12 minutes into the stump speech, when Edwards told the story of how his father taught him never to back down from a fight. "Where I grew up, you had to fight to survive. You did," he said. "I still remember when I was young coming home -- had gotten in a fight with an older kid and got my butt kicked. Came home, told my, you know, I was beaten up a little bit, said something to my father and he set me down and he said, 'I don't want to ever hear you starting a fight.' I said, 'Yes, sir.' And he said, 'But I want you to hear me and hear me clearly: You never ever walk away from a fight, because if you're not willing to stand up for yourself no one will stand up for you.'"

The words highlight the difference between Edwards and Obama, as the two argue over which one will be the more effective change agent.

From NBC/NJ's Mike Memoli
In the interest of keeping people on their toes, here's something to keep an eye on in New Hampshire. At midnight tomorrow, civil unions for homosexual couples becomes law here. In fact, some folks plan to gather on the State House steps at midnight to exchange vows.

So far the candidates haven't made much of an issue of it here. Remember that at a UNH/Fox News debate on Sept. 5, Sam Brownback was asked about the subject, and when he stood up for an amendment to ban gay marriage, the audience reaction was a mixed bag of boos and applause. One of the debate watchers in the diner, albeit a state employee union member, said: "Absolutely not. We're the state of live free or die, and people should be able to marry the person they love."

Still, we're likely to see the candidates at the very least asked about it when they show up in the Granite State post-caucus, possibly in the two debates planned for the short 5-day gap.

Here's a roundup of some of the local newspaper coverage of the pending civil union period: The AP, The Union Leader (here, here and here), the Concord Monitor (here and here), Nashua Telegraph.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro
DES MOINES, IA -- Want further proof that negative advertising works? After nearly two weeks of Romney airing TV ads in the this state criticizing his records on immigration and crime, Huckabee's standing in Iowa has slipped, according to the latest MSNBC/McClatchy/Mason-Dixon poll. In the survey, Romney now leads Huckabee, 27%-23%, although it's within the 5% margin of error. They're followed by Thompson at 14%, McCain at 13%, and Giuliani and Paul tied at 5%. Three weeks ago -- before Romney began his contrast ads -- the poll had Huckabee comfortably leading Romney, 32%-20%. One of the reasons for Huck's decline: His lead over Romney among self-identified born-again Christians has dropped from 42%-8% to 34%-27%. And among weekly churchgoers, it has decreased from 38%-15% to 28%-27%.

*** Dem race all about turnout: The Democratic race in Iowa, meanwhile, is essentially a three-way tie; just two points separate the three front-runners. In the poll, it's Edwards 24%, Clinton 23%, and Obama 22% -- followed by Richardson at 12% and Biden at 8%. Three weeks ago, it was Clinton 27%, Obama 25%, and Edwards 21%. Although the percentages in it show it to be a tossup, the poll suggests that turnout could decide the contest. According to the survey, Obama leads Edwards and Clinton among first-time caucus-goers, 31%-22%-21%. Among veteran caucus-goers, it's Edwards 25%, Clinton 24%, and Obama 18%. This suggests that a heavy turnout -- including many first-timers -- could greatly benefit Obama; a lighter turnout probably would benefit Edwards and (to a lesser degree) Clinton. Another important factor in the Dem contest is the battle for second choice (if a candidate doesn't clear the 15% viability threshold). In the poll, Edwards gets the most second-choice support, and when Richardson, Biden, Dodd, and Kucinich backers are realigned among the top three Dems, the poll has Edwards over Obama and  Clinton, 36%-26%-26%.

*** Other interesting findings: Edwards has the highest fav/unfav score (73%-11%) among the Dem front-runners, while Clinton has the worst (59%-19%). On the GOP side, Romney has the highest rating (58%-19%), while both Giuliani (30%-39%) and Paul (21%-44%) have net-negative scores. In fact, this is the second-straight MSNBC/McClatchy poll that has Paul with a net-negative rating, leading us -- once again -- to wonder if Paul is running for the wrong party's nomination. The new poll was conducted from December 26-28 among 400 likely GOP and 400 likely Dem caucus-goers, and it has a 5% margin of error.

*** So what about tea leaves? This poll indicates that the candidate with the greatest upside on the Dem side is Edwards. He's polling competitively and has the highest ceiling of support among these likely caucus-goers; he's tops among second choice AND he's got the highest fav rating. Obama appears to have the next highest ceiling, with Clinton with the smallest room to grow, as she trails badly in second choice and her fav rating -- while excellent -- is third among the top three candidates. As for the tea leaves on the GOP side, Romney appears to have the big Mo; these numbers match the anecdotal we've picked up.

*** Should the Dems go negative, too? Will Romney's apparent success in going negative change the CW about negative ads in Iowa on the Dem side? Maybe not. Why? It's much easier to go negative in a two-way race than in a three-way one, and that's why you aren't seeing any of the Dems risk going negative for fear that if candidate A attacks candidate B, candidate C gains.

*** The Outsiders: Both Huckabee and Edwards are running against bigger bankrolls and it's pushed both to using populist appeals. But the two aren't just "outsiders" in the literal sense. They are also relying on "outsiders" to win Iowa. Both are getting arguably more support (in the case of Huckabee) or as much support (in the case of Edwards) from these groups. Obama is trying to make this an issue with Edwards, as the Obama camp sees these outside groups allowing Edwards to apparently outspend Obama in these final days on TV. These Obama hits are having -- potentially -- a divisive effect on SEIU, whose state and local affiliates are helping to bankroll one of these pro-Edwards groups. Should Edwards fail to win Iowa, don't be surprised if there is a lot of internal turmoil inside of SEIU. Last night, the national union sent out a release reaffirming its support for the pro-Edwards 527, which is making a lot of pro-Obama SEIU forces upset.

*** The electability primary: Interestingly, all three leading Dem candidates made electability pitches during their Iowa stops. What did they all see in their recent tracking? Or is this about wooing second choicers? After all, according to the MSNBC/McClatchy poll out today, 20% are supporting Richardson and Biden, making the second-choice vote very important. And electability likely is a greater concern among folks making a backup pick. It can be a deal closer.

*** On the trail: Once again, nearly everyone is in the Hawkeye State… Biden travels to Mason City, Garner, Algona, and Woodbury; Clinton attends church in Des Moines before going to Vinton, Traer, Cedar Falls, and Iowa Falls; Dodd hits Le Mars, Emmetsburg, and Mason City; Edwards campaigns in Boone, Denison, Mapleton, and Sioux City; Huckabee has no other public events but a jog; Obama appears in Knoxville, Newton, Indianola, and Des Moines; Richardson stumps in Marshalltown, Des Moines, and Fort Dodge; Romney hits Iowa City, Mount Vernon, and Moscow; and Thompson is in Ames and Webster City. Elsewhere, both Giuliani and McCain campaign in New Hampshire.

Countdown to Iowa: 4 days
Countdown to New Hampshire: 9 days
Countdown to Michigan: 16 days
Countdown to Nevada and SC GOP primary: 20 days
Countdown to SC Dem primary: 27 days
Countdown to Florida: 30 days
Countdown to Tsunami Tuesday: 37 days
Countdown to Election Day 2008: 310 days
Countdown to Inauguration Day 2009: 387 days

Click here to sign up for First Read emails.

The New York Times looks at the Democratic ground war. Obama "is on the hunt for Iowans who have never participated in the state's presidential caucuses, including independent voters under 50 and students who will be 18 by the general election." Clinton "is searching for Iowans who have skipped the caucuses in the past and who, because of age, sex or other characteristics, seem likely to support her, starting with independent women over 65 and under 30." And Edwards "is taking a more traditional approach, working through the official list of Democrats who showed up to choose a candidate in 2004."

More: "The ground war - the laborious, unglamorous process of identifying supporters and making sure they show up to make their preference known when it counts - has always been a critical part of the contest in Iowa. But the turnout effort among Democrats this time around has exploded into the most ambitious and costly in the history of this state's presidential caucus system, and it puts on display the sharply diverging strategies the candidates are pursuing as they hurtle toward the first real test of the 2008 campaign."

The Clinton, Edwards, and Obama camps seem to agree with this:
-- if turnout equals 2004 (approx. 125,000), advantage Edwards.
-- if turnout is slightly up (say, 130,000-140,000), advantage Clinton.
-- and if turnout is way up there (think 140,000+), advantage Obama.

The MSNBC/McClatchy/Mason-Dixon poll isn't the only new Iowa survey out today. A Reuters/C-Span/Zogby tracking poll has Clinton ahead (outside the margin of error) over Obama and Edwards, 31%-27%-24%. On the GOP side, it's Huckabee 29%, Romney 28%, McCain 11%, and Thompson, Giuliani, and Paul all tied at 8%.

The Des Moines Register's Yepsen says Iowa caucus-goers are looking for "a candidate they like and trust - and who can put together the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House." He breaks down the electability arguments for and against the major candidates.

The Register's Beaumont breaks down the keys for Thursday. "For Democrats: Which campaign will attract the most first-time caucusgoers? For Republicans: Does Mike Huckabee have the organization to support his lead in the polls?"

Say this about Huckabee, he really can handle tough questions. Under intense questioning from NBC's Tim Russert, Huck never lost his cool. He passed the Pakistan pop quiz of sorts and even got in some harsh Romney digs, calling him dishonest. And in defending his running on his faith, Huckabee reminded viewers he didn't try and replace the Arkansas capital dome with a steeple. Bottom line: The guy is comfortable in his own skin and despite the array of tough questions he received, he never didn't smile or stay calm.

As far as Obama, who followed Huckabee on Meet the Press, the senator sounded a bit stuffed up.  Then again, so are we... Obama stuck behind David Axelrod's comments about Clinton, her Iraq vote and Pakistan. While he didn't accept the idea there was a causal relationship with the Iraq vote, he used it as an example on judgment.

Obama compared himself to Bill Clinton and claimed he had more formal foreign policy experience now than Bill Clinton did in '92. That's something the Clinton folks may pounce on.

"We're not that far away from normal." Might be one of the more fascinating quotes, he said in terms of saying what he meant when he said his wife said he wouldn't run again if he lost...

BIDEN: Biden drew 250 to an event in Iowa, "in a scene more typical of the events of Democratic front-runners Sens. Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards." Richard Schiff, the West Wing's Toby Ziegler, introduced Biden and will campaign with him today.

CLINTON: The Washington Post: "After trying out various themes and rationales for her campaign, Hillary Clinton has settled in the final week before the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary on the experience plank, arguing that she is the only one of the front-running Democratic candidates prepared to lead from the first day in office, a claim her rivals have challenged by questioning the value of her tenure as first lady. Clinton advisers noted privately this week that the experience argument was bolstered by the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and the threat of wider unrest in that country. Clinton pressed the point during a stop in Eldridge, Iowa, telling reporters: "I'm not asking you to take me on faith. I'm not asking you to take a leap of faith."

At a town hall meeting tonight, Bill Clinton once again suggested that he opposed the war in Iraq, NBC/NJ's Mike Memoli notes. Talking about the state of the economy here, Clinton talked about the growing inequality between the top wage earners and the rest of Americans. As he often has, he then talked about how he was given tax breaks and not asked to sacrifice. "As soon as I got rich, this party that had been so mean to me thought I was peachy keen, and the president could not do enough for me," Clinton said. "He just kept throwing tax cuts at me and borrowing money to pay for it, while we had men and women in uniform in Iraq and Afghanistan. And I was deprived of the opportunity to support them."

He continued: "One of the conflicts I supported; the other I didn't. But I supported those people." The comment was similar to one he made in Iowa in November, when he said, "I approved of Afghanistan and opposed Iraq from the beginning," and that he "still resent[s] that I was not asked or given the opportunity to support those soldiers."

You can add the Concord Monitor to Clinton's endorsement list. Interestingly, the Monitor seems to echo the Des Moines Register nod of Clinton while also praising Obama. "Barack Obama, more than most, has the power to inspire. The positive tone of his campaign is not a gimmick. He is a serious candidate with sober ideas. For reasons symbolic and substantive, he would also be a nominee Democrats could feel proud to vote for."

"But Hillary Clinton's unique combination of smarts, experience and toughness makes her the best choice to win the November election and truly get things done."

EDWARDS: As the candidate continues to proudly tell Iowans that he has never taken contributions from Washington lobbyists, prominent Edwards supporter Scott Tyre makes Edwards look a little less sincere, NBC/NJ's Tricia Miller reports.

Tyre, the president of the Association of Wisconsin Lobbyists (wisconsinlobbyists.com) and owner of the Madison, WI lobbying shop Capitol Navigators (capitolnavigators.com), serves as a member of Edwards' national finance committee. He personally has given a total of $6,600 to Edwards in 2007 (and also donated to Rep. Ron Kind and the Wisconsin Democratic Party), according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Asked about Tyre following his announcement at the public library here, Edwards said, "Scott Tyre is a friend of mine and a support of mine, yes." He said he had "no idea" whether Tyre is a lobbyist and added that the campaign has "a system in place where every contribution that comes in is checked against a registry of Washington lobbyists."

Questioned further about how the campaign justifies taking contributions from a state lobbyist, Edwards spokesman Mark Kornblau said that state lobbyists don't wield the same influence that federal lobbyists do, and that if Edwards were running for governor, he wouldn't take contributions from lobbyists in that state. He pointed to the funding Sen. Barack Obama took from lobbyists in his 2004 Senate campaign as a bigger hypocrisy. "John Edwards again goes further than anyone in the race on ending the influence of federal lobbyists," Kornblau added in an e-mail, calling the news about Tyre "piddly nonsense."

Edwards spokesman Eric Schultz adds, "Either you lobby the federal government, or you don't. Either you are paid to influence legislation and the people who write it, or you aren't. The line is clear -- and only murky for rival campaigns or reporters who are trying to blur it."

The Des Moines Register adds that the Web site of Tyre's firm describes it as 'a full-service public affairs firm delivering the very best in lobbying and grassroots services at the state and federal levels.'"

OBAMA: The senator is defending his health-care plan from the AFSCME radio attacks with a robo-call to supporters.

The New Hampshire Union Leader profiles Obama. "The candidate is clearly in his element before a large crowd: He smoothly moves from topic to topic and during the question-and-answer sessions he is well prepared, even when an audience member awkwardly begins a question about racism in the United States and how he would deal with racism while still winning the general election."

RICHARDSON: Martin Sheen was supposed to campaign with today and tomorrow with Richardson in Iowa, but he had to cancel due to illness. "I am deeply sorry for not being able to join Governor Richardson in Iowa," Sheen said in a statement released by the campaign. "I believe with all of my heart that he is the candidate we must elect as the next President of the United States," Sheen said. "At this critical time in our nation's history, Bill Richardson is the one person with the experience and vision to rebuild our reputation and alliances abroad and improve the lives of all Americans here at home. I hope that the people of Iowa will forgive me for not being able to fulfill my commitment, and I urge them to caucus for Governor Richardson on January 3rd."

GIULIANI: The former New York mayor appears to be moving on from Iowa. "Aides said the ex-mayor won't even return to Iowa for the caucus results," the New York Daily News writes. "While Giuliani's 20 stops in the state since the campaign began may seem like a lot, some Iowans said they didn't see enough of him to take his measure."  

HUCKABEE: The Politico's Martin writes, "Since becoming the Iowa frontrunner, Mike Huckabee has been subjected to a month-long siege of media scrutiny and mostly unanswered attacks from his top rival - an onslaught that any presidential hopeful would be hard-pressed to survive… Huckabee's slide can be explained by a series of inter-related factors. His rise came right as the media began to closely cover the campaign, he and his undermanned campaign organization have been ill-prepared to push back against broadsides from both the press and Romney and his positions and rhetoric have drawn the enmity of a constellation of groups within the conservative establishment."

When he's asked about the biting attack ads being slung at him by rival Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee likes to laugh off the tough talk, NBC/NJ's Carrie Dann reports. But a new mailer going out to Iowa Republicans makes it clear that he's playing serious defense. In fact, some might say that he sounds like a man on the ropes.

"He faced each decision with integrity," reads the lettering at the top of the 5.5" by 11" flyer. "Mike Huckabee doesn't base decisions on politics or polling." Here's the remarkable line: "While there may be some decisions he would change in hindsight, the fact remains that he made these tough decisions with the most current information available, and based on what he believed was best for his state and the nation."

The mailer features a list of the "tough decisions" Huckabee made as governor, including his turning down of 7,600 clemency requests and carrying out of 16 executions. "While some try to distort Governor Huckabee's record for political gain, Arkansas voters rewarded his consistent leadership and success by re-electing him - twice."

Huckabee's Amway connection? The Chicago Tribune: "Quixtar is a sibling of controversial multilevel marketing giant Amway, whose founders and owners have a long history of backing Christian causes and conservative Republicans. According to Huckabee's public schedule, Quixtar hosted the event. 'We found out later from a friend it was some kind of Internet marketing thing,' said Bill Evanich, an avid Huckabee fan who attended the evening at a hotel conference room late last week. 'I thought it was political, and that we'd get to ask questions.'

"On Saturday, Huckabee, who has been a paid motivational speaker in the past, said he was not compensated for appearing at the event, though he jokingly said, 'I wish I had been.' He said he knew some in the audience 'were part of that network' but that he had no association with Quixtar. Quixtar's blend of Christianity, conservatism and consumerism could be helpful to Huckabee, a Baptist minister, as he seeks the backing of evangelicals in his bid to win the Iowa Republican caucuses Thursday night.

NBC/NJ's Adam Aigner-Treworgy spoke with Patrick Davis, who is running the pro-Huck Common Sense Issues/Trust Huckabee group, and Davis talked about the polling and the ad. It's a  $50,000 Iowa cable TV buy for the 29th through the 1st, and will be extended if money is there. It will be airing on Fox News across all cable systems. They have spent 70,000 so far on behalf of Huck, and they are back on the phones making "educational" calls in Iowa until the caucuses.

MCCAIN: The Los Angeles Times looks at McCain's struggle to woo indie voters in New Hampshire away from Obama. Maybe it's why in recent days, McCain's reminded folks of what he believes is Obama's chief weakness: inexperience. 

ROMNEY: "To win the White House, you can't just win one state," Romney said. "You have to win these purple states, like Iowa and New Hampshire. And I'm going to fight in Missouri, and Michigan, and South Carolina, and Florida, and California. I'm going to be all around the country making sure that if I get this nomination, I'm not just a one-hit wonder."

THOMPSON: For any other candidate, this might be a good headline. But for Thompson, who has been battling a perception that he's not that interested in running, having an AP story noting that he doesn't have a burning desire to be president is not a good thing. Iowans, in particular, award the ambitious.

Just one day before the New Hampshire primary, a group of moderate Dems and Republicans -- as well as New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg -- will meet at the University of Oklahoma to announce that if the likely nominees of the two parties do not pledge to "go beyond tokenism" in building a bipartisan government, they will be prepared to back Bloomberg in an indie bid. Those participating: Sam Nunn, Chuck Robb, David Boren, Gary Hart on the Dem side; and Chuck Hagel, Bill Brock, John Danforth and Christie Whitman on the GOP side.

Others who may attend the event include: Bill Cohen, Alan Dixon, Bob Graham, Jim Leach and Susan Eisenhower (granddaughter of the late president).

From NBC's Christina Jamison
MAQUOKETA, IA -- Clinton continued her electability argument here in the home stretch of the Iowa campaign. 

The message was clear: She is a known quantity, and Iowans shouldn't risk someone who can't stand up to the election scrutiny. When Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland introduced Clinton, he warned "she has remained standing while many of her detractors are no longer around...  We know what they did to Senator John Kerry, don't we?  And they will do it again."

Clinton then took the stage, asserting again she has the strength and experience to bring change to Americans. "I know that change is hard. Change is hard in our own lives. Change is hard, you know, in any activity you're a part of. But we have to have a president who knows how important it is and can deliver on change for our country."

Perhaps taking a veiled swipe at Obama, she emphasized that she's a known quantity in this election. "Why do I tell you some of these things that I've done over the course of my 35 years of work on behalf of other people?"

"I'm not asking you to take a leap of faith on me. I'm asking you to examine and to consider and to evaluate what I have done and the kind of positive change I have already made."

From NBC/NJ's Tricia Miller and NBC's Mark Murray
WASHINGTON, IA -- Edwards told a crowd at a library this morning that he would not hire any former corporate or foreign government lobbyists in his administration.

"I want to make an announcement today, which is that when I am president of the United States, no corporate lobbyist or anyone who has lobbied for a foreign government will work in my White House," he said.

Following the town hall, Edwards reiterated to reporters that that means he will not hire anyone who has ever been registered as a federal lobbyist in Washington, DC. He said that would include "people who have lobbied, been registered lobbyists in Washington on behalf of corporate interests at the federal level ... corporate lobbyists, those who've lobbied against the interests of the American people, those who've lobbied on behalf of foreign governments."

Asked whether that would include federal lobbyists who have worked on behalf of interests like labor that he champions, Edwards replied, "This will be a judgment I'll make. But my view is that anybody who has been lobbying on behalf of big corporations are part of the problem, because corporate greed is at the heart and soul of what's stealing the future of our children and what's killing the middle class in our country."

He said his announcement has nothing to do with other candidates' choices. "I think it would be a great thing for America if the other Democrats would commit to the same thing, but this is about my presidency," he said.

In response to these comments, Obama spokesman Bill Burton said, "Early in this campaign, Barack Obama introduced the furthest-reaching lobbying reform proposal of any candidate in this race, and we appreciate that John Edwards is now following his lead in an attempt to distract attention from the fact that outside groups are exploiting campaign finance loopholes to spend millions of dollars to benefit his campaign. But the truth is, in his six years as a US Senator, John Edwards did not propose or accomplish a single thing to reduce the power of lobbyists while Barack Obama passed the most sweeping lobbying reform since Watergate."

From NBC/NJ's Aswini Anburajan and NBC's Mark Murray
FORT MADISON, IA -- Obama pushed his electability argument a step further at his second stop here today, highlighting Clinton's unfavorable ratings -- while claiming that he could win enough Republican support to create a coalition for governing if he were to win the presidency.

"There's one Democrat who beats every Republican potential opponent, and that's me. I beat Giuliani, I beat McCain, I beat Thompson, I beat Huckabee -- I beat whoever else they are planning to throw at me," he said.

Obama added, "And the reason that I beat them all -- and Hillary doesn't and Edwards doesn't -- is because I get more support from independents and I even get some Republican support, despite the fact that I've got the most progressive track record on many issues of any of the candidates."

Obama went a step further, contrasting his favorability ratings with Hillary Clinton's unfavorable ones nationally and played on the fears of Democrats that the election in 2008 could be a repeat of the one in 2004.

Obama paused before he drew his contrast, conscious of how his words would come off. "We cant win an election with a candidate... Let me say it this way, because I want to be fair…" He went on to say, "We are less likely to win an election that starts off with half the country not wanting to vote for that candidate." And in what seemed to be a dig at Edwards, he said, "We are less likely also to win an election with somebody who had one set of positions four years ago and has almost entirely different positions four years later. We've been through that."

In the most recent national NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, both Obama and Clinton bested their potential GOP rivals, yet Obama did so by larger margins than Clinton did. Clinton also had net-negative favorability rating in the survey.

Making a reference to the attacks leveled against Senator John Kerry in 2004 for being a flip-flopper, Obama added, "It's a problem, and so if you are concerned with electability having somebody who has been consistent, who has opposed the war from the start so the opponent cant say he was for the war just like I was." (Of course, Obama's rivals would likely point to his own changes on issues -- like the death penalty, gun control, and health care -- from the 1990s.)

At his next town hall in Keokuk, Obama appeared more comfortable making clearer distinctions, singling out Edwards and Clinton by name. "Part of the problem John would have in a general election is the issues he's taken on now are not the issues or the things that he said four years ago, which always causes problems in general elections," Obama said of Edwards, referring to his vote for the bankruptcy bill and the trade deal with China.

Regarding Clinton, he said, "And Senator Clinton doesn't beat all five of them because you start off with half of the country not wanting to vote for her."  

Though the conventional wisdom in Iowa is that a candidate tries to stay above the fray in the week leading up the caucuses, Obama's willingness to target the other candidates in the race may reflect the incredibly tight race in Iowa and recent polls that show both Edwards and Clinton rising in recent weeks.

A spokesman for a rival campaign said of Obama's attacks, "The Los Angeles Times [poll] was the second in a week to show him sinking to third place in Iowa. Is it mere coincidence that he's going negative or turning up the heat and retooling his stump speech as his numbers began to sink?"

To stress its electability argument, Obama's campaign released a series of poll numbers that showed him leading Republicans in a two-way race in a general election.

But even Obama acknowledged that for a progressive Democrats to win wide margins among conservative Republicans may be a pipe dream. "I understand that there are going to be Republican operatives that don't want to know what I'm going to say. I'm not trying to persuade Rush Limbaugh that I'm going to be a good president; you know I know he's not voting for me. I'm not trying to you know persuade the chief lobbyist for Exxon mobile about why we need to free ourselves from the dependence on foreign oil. He's not going to be persuaded," Obama said.

In talking about the power of hope, Obama also stepped outside of himself to take a look at his own candidacy in which his race could be a handicap if he were to run as the first African-American president.

"I'm a black guy running for president named Barack Obama. I must be hopeful."

From NBC/NJ's Mike Memoli
DOVER, NH -- Campaigning here for his wife, Bill Clinton made an appeal to the state's thrifty sensibility, saying that she "is more conservative than the Republicans" when it comes to fiscal policy.

Speaking at a crowded ceramics manufacturer here in Dover, where people who couldn't get inside clamored for a view from a sole window, the former president outlined the four main reasons voters should support his wife on primary day. One of them was fiscal responsibility, which Clinton said was a family trait. "Unless you think I'm telling you my speech instead of hers, let me remind you of something," he said. "My dearly departed father-in-law, her daddy, who died in my first term, never bought a car until the day he died that he couldn't pay cash for. We have a depression mentality about that, maybe we shouldn't, but we're tight."

Meanwhile, the government is borrowing money not for long-term growth, but for short term needs, Clinton said. "And that's why you have no trade enforcement," he said. America's biggest creditors also are the nations with the biggest trade surpluses. "Guess what else?" he prodded the crowd. "Our tenth-biggest banker is Mexico. Mexico! We borrow money from Mexico, a country with a per-capita income of less than one tenth ours to pay for my tax cut?" He said it was no wonder than that "there are so many illegal immigrants trying to get into this country to make a living. Maybe they think they'll get a tax cut."

As the crowd laughed, he said that if Mexico spent money investing in schools and manufacturing instead of loaning it to America, "there might be a lot less illegal immigration, cause people can make a living in their own country."

Turning back to fiscal issues, he noted that the value of the dollar has decreased as creditors are "putting their money someplace where they think they can get a better deal." And the nation, he said, is digging into a deeper whole. "In this one area, I have to tell you, Hillary is more conservative than the Republicans," he concluded. "She wants to get back to fiscal responsibility, so we will be in control of our economic destiny again."

The Dover stop was Clinton's second event of the day, not including two unannounced retail stops at diners in Manchester and Derry. In Nashua this morning, Clinton rallied supporters who were preparing to canvass in the neighborhood. He pitched his wife's electability, noting the support of Ted Strickland, governor of the pivotal general election state of Ohio.

Clinton also made an appeal on experience, noting the uncertainty facing America. "You have to have a leader that is strong and commanding and convincing enough, first to win, second to work with other people, and third to deal with the unexpected," he said. "There is better than a 50% chance that sometime in the first year or 18 months of the next presidency, something will happen that is not being discussed in this campaign... And you need a president that you trust to deal with something that we will not discuss in this campaign, and to continue to do what you hire the president to do. And I said it before I will say it again, I think on this score she is the best of all."

From NBC's Andy Merten and NBC/NJ's Adam Aigner-Treworgy
Huckabee certainly isn't afraid to stand up for himself -- or his political rivals.

Responding to dual attack ads released by the Romney campaign yesterday, which targeted Huckabee in Iowa and McCain in New Hampshire, the former Arkansas governor today defended not only his own honor, but that of the Arizona senator's.

"It's not the most pleasant position to be in," Huckabee said about the Romney ad that hits his record on spending, immigration, and sentence commutations for inmates. And using the matter-of-fact wit that has helped endear him to Iowans, he continued: "If I believe even half the stuff that's in those ads, I probably wouldn't even vote for myself, much less expect you to."

But he didn't stop there. As he did yesterday, he defended McCain from a twin attack ad that was released in New Hampshire. "Look, John McCain is a rival in the presidential race, but John McCain is an honorable, decent, true to heaven American hero." 

"It's like Mitt doesn't have anything to stand on -- except to stand against," he addded.

Also, an independent group has launched a Web site called Trust Huckabee, which debuts with a video mocking Romney's evolving views on abortion. The video, which adopts the same format of Romney's recent attack ads, shows clips of the former Massachusetts governor's conflicting statements on the issue, with a man laughing hysterically in the background.

From NBC's Bethany Thomas
DOVER, NH -- On the Straight Talk Express between two town halls in New Hampshire, news broke that the Romney camp had released a new negative ad against McCain. 

After McCain was read the script of the ad from a journalist's blackberry, he said he was not surprised by the new attack, the second in such days. "I think we expected it... We did have a response ad and I think it's effective. But for us to get down in that tit for tat -- we're just not going to do that."

Senior strategist Charlie Black said the voters will question Romney -- not McCain -- over the latest round of ads. "The biggest issue in the race right now is not what [McCain] says on any specific issue. It's Romney's credibility."

One of the topics taken into question by Romney: McCain's stance on Social Security for illegal immigrants. McCain's response: "They're talking about the Social Security thing. How a person who is here illegally under a false name is ever going to get Social Security -- you can't do it."

The McCain campaign responded with an ad Friday that Black says will hold its own, no matter how many more ads Romney puts out. "Look, he can throw up six more ads between now and [January 8] that say all kinds of stuff, but the people won't believe it... He's stuck somewhere around 30% and [McCain's] moving [in the polls]."

McCain: "I think it's very important for us to say. 'Look, we responded to his attacks with the quotes from two leading newspapers and that's our response.' For us to just keep going back and forth -- that's just not something, that's not productive.

*** UPDATE *** Romney spokesman Kevin Madden takes issue with McCain's comment on Social Security and illegal immigration. McCain voted on an amendment that would have allowed illegal immigrants to receive Social Security credits for the time they were working here and in the country illegally. Why is this important?  For starters, in order to qualify for full Social Security benefits, you have to work a certain number of quarters.

Second, Social Security benefits are based on a calculation of wages earned over your working history. So, in practical terms that means that if a person came here in their 20s and is now 50, under the amendment McCain voted for, he or she would get the benefit of 30 YEARS of Social Security credits instead of starting at zero at 50 years old.

Additionally, speaking in practical terms, if the person was here illegally, how would the right benefit calculation be determined? It would be virtually impossible. 
 
So the information provided stating that McCain supported "extending benefits" to illegal immigrants is entirely accurate in that his vote would give illegal immigrants Social Security credits that they would not have gotten previously."

From NBC/NJ's Aswini Anburajan
Obama's campaign is releasing another television advertisement in Iowa today, its second Iowa ad in the  and its third overall TV ad over the last two days.

The ad -- entitled "Hope" -- tries to convey the message that Obama has based his candidacy on: that he is the only candidate who can "bring a fractured people together," quoting an editorial from the Sioux City Journal.

The ad goes on to say that Obama can take on the special interests and "reset the nation's foreign policy and global reputation." 

It's the second Iowa ad that uses the local newspaper endorsements Obama has received from the Sioux City Journal, the Iowa City Press-Citizen and the Ottumwa Courier. Obama's campaign has prided itself on providing local papers with access to the senator. The ad concludes "Iowa's newspapers have spoken. Now you can stand for change."

From NBC/NJ's Matthew E. Berger
CLIVE, Iowa -- The New Hampshire co-chair of Veterans for Rudy resigned Saturday amid video remarks in which he suggested Giuliani would deal with the "rise of the Muslims" and that the United States should "defeat or chase them back to their caves".

John Deady made the comments in a video interview to The Guardian newspaper last weekend, while attending a Giuliani house party at the home of Manchester, N.H., Mayor Frank Guinta.

"He has got, I believe, the knowledge and the judgment to attack one of the most difficult problems in current history, and that is the rise of the Muslims," Deady said in the video interview, posted Dec. 27. "Make no mistake about it, this hasn't happened for a thousand years. These people are very, very dedicated. They're also very smart in their own way, and we need to keep the feet to the fire and keep pressing these people until we defeat them or chase them back to their caves, or, in other words, get rid of them."

Deady later confirmed he made those comments in an interview to Talking Points Memo, adding that he did not believe there were good and bad Muslims. "They're all Muslims," he said.

Reached at his Bedford, N.H. home Saturday, Deady would not say whether he was pressured to resign. "This is not going to go any further with me," he said. "I'm way beyond my depth with you people," before suggesting reporters contact the campaign's press office.

State Chairman Wayne Semprini said in a campaign statement Saturday that Deady resigned from his volunteer position.

The comments come at an interesting time for Giuliani, who has been actively courting support from veterans in recent days. He held three events for veterans in earlier this week in Florida before traveling to Iowa Friday.

Deady told TPM his comment to "get rid" of Muslims did not refer to genocide. "What I was referring to is, stand up to them every time they stick up their heads and attack us," he said. "We can't afford to say, `We'll try diplomacy.' They don't respond to it. If you look into Islamic tradition, a treaty is only good for five years. We're not dealing with a rational mindset here. We're dealing with madmen."

From NBC/NJ's Aswini Anburajan
Burlington, Iowa -- His voice raspy and strained, Obama turned up the heat in his own stump speech in Burlington this morning, shouting into the microphone that no other Democrat besides him had a chance to defeat a Republican in the general election.

"Those of you who are still undecided I know what you're asking is, who can win in November?" he said. "Cause you don't want to just elect a nominee, you want to elect a president. So I think you should take a look and see what the polls have said. Most recent polls, I am the only candidate who beats every single one of the Republican candidates. I beat Giuliani, I beat McCain, I beat Romney, I beat Thompson, I beat Huckabee, I beat 'em all. I beat them all," he shouted into the microphone.

Contrasting himself with his rivals, he said, "John Edwards doesn't beat them all. Hillary Clinton doesn't beat 'em all. And part of the reason I [would] because I am able to reach out and get the support of Independents and get the support of some Republicans who are tired of seeing their country waste away. And that is how we're going to win in November, and that is how we are going to govern 4 years from now and 8 years from now that is why I am running for president of the United States.   I am running to win this election and bring about real change."

Obama also poked fun at Clinton's latest message change in Iowa "Real Problems, Real Solutions – It's Time to Pick a President."

"They seem to have a new slogan every week," he said. "I can't keep up with them."

Normally mild mannered on the stump, Obama has toughened his rhetoric and his tone in recent days, not afraid to shout and raise his voice on the stump.  Audiences appear to be responding but the effect is having it's toll. Obama joked with the crowd when he took the stage, "As you can tell, I'm feeling great, but my voice is just starting to go a little bit. So I'm gonna - I'm still going to shout and holler, but it may not always reach the back rows so I'll try to keep the mic close."

Of course Obama's stump speech is now more than 50 minutes long, and that doesn't include the "fired up" story, so keeping it shorter may help the senator's voice as well.

Obama was also joined by Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts on the campaign trail today who told the crowd that it wasn't about "whose turn it is" to run for president, it was about "whose time it is."

"When you close your eyes and imagine the kind of leadership you know the image that comes to mind is Barack Obama. Then you open your eyes and the pundits and the pollsters try to tell us once again why we cant have what we know we want," Patrick said.

He went on, "That's the same thing they said when I ran for governor that it wasn't my turn that I didn't know my way around thee inside of Massachusetts state politics, I kept saying to the people of Massachusetts as I say to the people of Iowa it's not about whose turn it is its about whose time it is."

Obama also greeted his oldest Iowan supporter, Doc Patterson, who is 101 years old.

"See, we have supporters from every demographic. I'm going to follow him around to see what he's eating so I look that good when I'm 101," he joked.

From NBC/NJ's Bethany Thomas
The crowds have been steadily building over the last week for McCain, both in Iowa and New Hampshire. Today, in New Hampshire the crowds are literally spilling out of the doors and into the hallways of all of the venues thus far. In fact, it was so crowded, some of the TV crews couldn't get in to shoot.

From NBC/NJ's Matthew E. Berger
CLIVE, Iowa -- The closing night of any show always draws an interesting crowd, so as Giuliani makes his last lap around Iowa today, he is being trailed by a group of media heavyweights. Many of the reporters that are with him today acknowledge that they haven't seen Giuliani on the campaign trail for months, if at all, and want to catch a glimpse of him in person before he is gone for good. While the reporters have been camped out in Iowa, Giuliani has been elsewhere, and they say it has contributed to him being left out, by and large, from the national dialogue in recent weeks, his medical scare notwithstanding.

Giuliani started his day with a rally in his cramped Iowa headquarters here. He stayed for just 20 minutes, speaking to staffers and volunteers. He seemed more comfortable utilizing the new campaign theme of "Tested. Ready. Now." than he was when it was first unveiled.

He was asked about recent comments from McCain that Giuliani's experience on 9/11 was better described as crisis management than national security. "I would say that my experience goes back well before Sept. 11," he said, rattling off his time as a federal prosecutor and Justice Department official. "I have a tremendous amount of experience dealing with the safety and responsibility for other people."

People are beginning to question Giuliani's work ethic and whether he is willing to put in the amount of hours necessary to win votes, not just in Iowa, but nationwide. Giuliani is at his best when he is with those who like and respect him, where he can speak to a captive audience, sign copies of his book and accept kudos for his work on 9/11. He is less comfortable convincing undecided voters to choose him, and seems to be holding fewer town hall meetings and similar events than his colleagues.

And it's not just in Iowa. During his three-day swing in Florida, he held only one town hall meeting.

The former conventional wisdom was that Giuliani was not holding many public events so that he could concentrate on fund-raising, especially since his main challenger is one with unlimited resources. But now more are questioning whether he is just not a fan of events that put him in direct contact with undecided voters.

At the same time, we are seeing uncharacteristic moves from the campaign, which could be described as a charm offensive. Giuliani, who has been elusive to most cable news programs in recent months, made numerous appearances in the last few days, using the Bhutto assassination to talk national security. And campaign staffers, who have had an adversarial relationship with reporters in the past, have been more friendly and accommodating than they have ever been before.

Giuliani will devote much of next week in New Hampshire, arriving tomorrow. He will take New Year's Eve and New Year's Day off, and will spend part of caucus night in Florida before returning to the Granite State.