Pandering as Overcompensation [Brian Beutler]: "It's hard not to suck up to the rottenest elements of the GOP if, like Rudy and Mitt, you have a history of universalizing health care, or regulating guns, or being friendly to 'the gays.' In recent history, the Republican party has been better at keeping people like that from reaching any real prominence."
Waiting For Rudy [Byron York, The Corner]: "There's a lot of anticipation about Rudy Giuliani's appearance here tomorrow. It's not terribly positive--'I don't think there's any danger of him winning the straw poll,' said the FRC insider--but it is palpable. There's no belief that Giuliani will change many minds, although insiders say he will have a certain level of support. Rather, it's just that he's the big cheese at the moment, and people want to see him."
Dodd Takes a Stand [Digby, Hullabaloo]: " It is nearly incomprehensible to me, but after months and months of haranguing the Democratic leadership to force the Republicans to stage a real filibuster and stand on the floor of the Senate reading the phone book and re-enacting Miss Mellie's death scene from Gone With The Wind', they have finally decided to take our advice. Except for one teensy detail: they have decided to force Chris Dodd, Democratic presidential candidate, senior member of the Senate and Democrat to stage a real filibuster because he has the temerity to defend the constitution."
Freddie Come Lately [Kate Sheppard, TAPPED]: "Fred Thompson seems to be acknowledging that his entire life hasn't been saintly--which I guess is better than pretending. While he cites his voting record in the Senate as solidly pro-life, he says it wasn't until his late-in-life child with his second wife that he was really on-board with the pro-life movement."
Thompson Sitting Pretty? [John Hawkins, Right Wing News]: "All three candidates [Thompson, Romney, and Giuliani] will probably win January primaries and will be considered viable contenders, the only three viable contenders, when Super Tuesday rolls around--which likely means Fred Thompson will be in the catbird's seat."
--Josh Patashnik