Free Republic

It was billed as "Fight Night", "The Final Showdown", and even "The Democrats' Ali versus Frazier". But in the end, the first one-to-one TV debate between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton was not so much a punchfest as a barbed match of who could be the most polite. By the end of the two hours, Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton were even agreeing to consider the other as their vice president and held each other close as they talked in one another's ears immediately after the debate. The Hollywood A-list audience was certainly expecting blood on the canvas as it...

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Rhode Island lawmakers, in a bid to make their tiny state matter in presidential politics, voted Tuesday to move the state's presidential primary up to Feb. 5, joining 22 other states. Lawmakers working during a special session Tuesday evening hastily rewrote a bill that had died earlier in the year. It passed with little debate in the Democrat-dominated House and Senate. A spokesman for Republican Gov. Don Carcieri said earlier in the evening that he would not veto the bill if it passed. Rhode Island is perennially overlooked in presidential races. It has just four electoral votes...

Gov. Eliot Spitzer signed a bill Monday moving New York's presidential primary to February 5 -- a change that could benefit the Democratic and Republican front-runners, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Rudy Giuliani, both New Yorkers. Nearly a dozen other states, including California and New Jersey, have already moved their primaries or caucuses to February 5 or are about to do so. About a dozen more are considering such moves, setting the stage for what is quickly becoming known as "Super-Duper Tuesday" just 22 days after the leadoff Iowa caucuses. "Moving the primary date to February, we will help secure New...

Albany (AP) - Gov. Eliot Spitzer signed a bill Monday moving New York's presidential primary to Feb. 5 - a move that could benefit the Democratic and Republican front-runners, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Rudy Giuliani, both New Yorkers. About a dozen other states, including California and New Jersey, have already moved their primaries or caucuses to Feb. 5 or are about to do so. About a dozen more are considering such moves, setting the stage for what is quickly becoming known as "Super-Duper Tuesday" just 22 days after the leadoff Iowa caucuses. "Moving the primary date to February, we will...