Item 1) New Year celebrations went peaceful -- no terrorist attack on U.S. soil, depriving Dems of grist for the 'Bush-Isn't-Doing-Enough-ON-Homeland-Defense' mill. The newsies were, till 12:01 New Year's morning, almost giddy over prospects a group of as many as 19 Muslim extremists, who reportedly entered the country illegally through Canada, were poised to strike on New Year's day, handing Democrats a major issue.
Item 2) Tom Daschle has decided, and it's a go -- he's running for president. "Daschle," writes Adam Nagourney in this morning's New York Times, "has told associates that he is likely to run for president in 2004 and will create a presidential exploratory committee sometime this month." This, according to "Democrats close to Mr. Daschle."
Daschle, for those who might not be familiar with the name, is the outgoing Democrat Senate "Majority" Leader who led his party to overwhelming defeat in November's midterm elections, costing the Bush-haters control of the Senate. That, if my history is correct, is a first for first midterm elections. Republicans, I assure you, are 'bring-it-on' chortling this New Year's Day.
