IsRudyaLiberal?Not....WillObamatoGoforJugular...

Theweekendroundupof‘08presidentialracenewsmakesitclearthatthingsareheatingupastheprimariesdrawnearer.Here’safewofthetopstories:

IsRudyaLiberal?Not.

Somehow,though,GiulianiisbeingintroducedtotherestofAmericaasaliberal.AndthepeoplepinningtheL-wordonhimaren’tjustfar-rightspokesmensuchasJamesDobsonorRichardViguerie,towhomeventheBushadministrationlookssquishilycentrist.No,it’ssupposedlyobjectivejournalistswho’vebeenusingthelabel.ABCNewsreporterJakeTapperrecentlyspokeoffhandedlyaboutthemayor’s“liberalviewsonsocialissues.”EchoedNPR’sMaraLiasson:“Giulianihasliberalviewsonanumberofsocialissues,includingabortion.”Onwashingtonpost.com,politicalbloggerChrisCillizzareferredtothemayor’s“liberalpositionsonsocialissues,”eventhoughGiulianisupportsonlylimitedabortionrightsandgayrights.

WillObamagofortheJugular?

SenatorBarackObamasayshewillstartconfrontingSenatorHillaryRodhamClintonmoreforcefully,declaringthatshehadnotbeencandidindescribingherviewsoncriticalissues,ashetriestoaddressmountingalarmamongsupportersthathislackofassertivenesshasallowedhertodominatethepresidentialrace.

Mr.Obama’svowtogoontheoffensivecomesjustovertwomonthsbeforethefirstvotesarecastfortheDemocraticnomination,andafteralongperiodinwhichhisaides,donorsandothersupportershavebattled—andinsomecasesshared—theperceptionthathehasnotexhibitedtheaggressivenessdemandedbypresidentialpolitics.

EdwardsCampGetsTweakedOverStudentVideo

AjournalismprofessorattheUniversityofNorthCarolinaatChapelHillisaccusingaidesofJohnEdwards,aformersenatorfromNorthCarolina,ofdemandingthatheremovefromYouTubeastudentreportcriticalofMr.Edwards’sDemocraticpresidentialcampaign—andofthreateningtoblocktheuniversity’saccesstoMr.Edwardsandthecampaignheadquartersnearcampus.

Mr.Edwards’scampaignofficialssaidtheydidnotlevelanysuchthreatduringwhatwereclearlyheateddiscussionswiththeprofessorandthestudentoverherapproachandoverthecentralquestioninherreport:WhyhasacampaignfocusedonpovertybaseditsheadquartersinanaffluentpartofChapelHill?

Staytuned…It’slooksliketemperatureswillberisingasweheadintoprimaryseason.

--PamelaLeavey,TheDemocraticDaily;courtesyofFrankLeidermann,AssociateEditor