The American Spectator

I echo Quin's sentiments on Thompson. Some things are more important than politics and we wish his mother all the best. In a year in which no one knows anything and anyone can win, he certainly may play a vital role by remaining in. At the very least, Thursday's debate would be livelier with him in it.

Meanwhile Rudy is going after McCain. On taxes he sends around this, arguing that McCain is not a fiscal conservative and citing his opposition to the Bush tax cuts and repeal of the death tax. Rudy's team also points out that McCain has said he is opposed to a national catastrophic fund policy. Others have pointed out that Rudy does not have the fiscal conservative high ground on this one. However, it may do for him what autocare did for Romney in Michigan.UPDATE: Romney in this state seems unwilling to pander and evidences skepticism about the idea of a fund.

Remember how vital an issue illegal immigration was? Well not a beep out of the candidates on their plans and critiques of their rivals' "weaknesses" in a state with a substantial Hispanic population. Indeed Romney (for whom immigration was the sharpest weapon to be used against Huckabee and McCain in earlier contests) starts up his Spanish language ads today. (Rudy has his own).

The polls are mixed but overall show a small edge for McCain.

UPDATE: And McCain's team does not intend to give Romney any free passes either. McCain ecommunications consultant Patrick Hynes offer this reminder from Romney's book that he considered McCain "Washington's number one watchdog against waste."