It's All About Hillary

Can these folks cause heartburn for Rudy? The L.A. Times has the details:

"In an effort reminiscent of the bitter 'Swift Boat' campaign during the 2004 presidential race, a group of New York firefighters who lost sons in the Sept. 11 World Trade Center attacks is organizing a political committee to take on former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani in Republican primary states. A leader of the 9/11 Firefighters and Families group met Tuesday with union leaders and political consultants, readying plans to set up a tax-exempt committee that would fund appearances and a media drive against Giuliani."

Don't try telling Fred Thompson's wife that he's lazy. Here's what she tells CBN's David Brody:

" Brody : Has the criticism been unfair and if so why?

"Jeri Thompson: It has been stunningly unfair. The one thing that anyone that's been close to Fred, again over the years that has worked with him knows, that his work ethic is bar none, one of the most diligent people I've ever met in my life."

The New York Times, like other papers, has often been accused of attack-dog journalism, but not like this. Former CNN executive Eason Jordan has the gory details:

"It was a stunning, painful sneak attack that landed me in the emergency room of the U.S. Army's hospital in Baghdad's Green Zone.

"The attacker: Scratch, one of The New York Times' Baghdad bureau dogs, whose vicious bite opened three deep gashes in my right hand, sending blood spewing in all directions."

Apparently Scratch is a serial biter. And wait till you find out what Blackwater did to another Times canine.

Liberal radio talker Ed Schultz has had it with Hill and her reluctance to come on his show:

"I am done with the Clintons. I'm done with the cheap shots. I'm done with the innuendos. I'm done with the blaming it on the Des Moines Register. Hillary, I do not want you to be the nominee. Biden, I do not want you to be the nominee. I'm taking a stand here and I am being self-serving. Just like there are Americans out there being self-serving about health care. Just like there are Americans out there being self-serving about tax cuts or faith and politics. I can't believe that Barack Obama can call me yesterday from his bus just on a whim after we asked about it maybe an hour beforehand . . . You mean to tell me that the guy who happens to be leading in Iowa is so much less busy than Hillary Clinton?"

And the day's weightiest story comes from Mike Allen:

"Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee says he's gained about 12 pounds in the past year and is struggling to ward off trail fat by carrying nuts and insisting on running time in an increasingly packed schedule."

Well, he's still 98 pounds below his gubernatorial weight.