- "Florida's Democratic primary was thrown into disarray on Saturday when the Democratic National Committee voted to strip the state of its national convention delegates because the date of the primary -- Jan. 29 -- violates party rules," the Miami Herald reports.

"The decision is likely to affect how much time and money Democratic presidential candidates spend in the state and may affect the outcome of a property-tax referendum scheduled to be voted on the same day."

"The move -- which would become effective in 30 days unless Florida Democrats can reach a compromise with the national party -- could turn the Democratic primary in the fourth-largest state into an essentially meaningless 'beauty contest.'"

- Fred Thompson's "decision to announce his presidential candidacy with a video was suggested by Newt Gingrich," Robert Novak reports.

Gingrich "has indicated he will run only if Thompson does not, or his late-starting campaign crashes and burns. Actor-politician Thompson plans to follow the model of Democrat Hillary Clinton by launching his campaign with a video, followed by a fly-around to several cities."

Thompson is expected to announce his campaign just after Labor Day.

- "If Iowa pushes its presidential caucus into December of this year, could candidates tap old money veins all over again? The payoff could be millions of dollars of new, unanticipated cash," reports the AP. "The possibility is sending campaign finance teams to the law books. A wrinkle in federal law could open a tempting new money cycle for 2007 that would allow candidates to solicit donors who have already given the maximum."

"Under federal law, candidates can raise up to $2,300 from donors for primary elections and another $2,300 for the general election. Because the presidential nominating process requires numerous state primaries and caucuses, federal law states: 'All elections held in any calendar year for the office of the president of the United States (except for the general election for such office) shall be considered to be one election.'"

"In short, a strict reading of the law means the contribution limits apply only to primaries and caucuses held in 2008. If a state moves its primary or caucus to 2007, it could mean a whole new cycle."

- According to the Boston Globe, academics have funneled more cash to campaigns this year than workers in oil, pharmaceutical, and computer industries.

Democrats have received the bulk of this support with Obama coming in first with almost $1.5 million, Hillary in second at almost $1 million, and republican Mitt Romney following in third with about $500,000. Harvard tops the list of donations with almost $280,000 in contributions so far this year.

- Gallup reports that 77% of Democrats recently surveyed were familiar with all three frontrunners for the 2008 presidential nomination. The findings: 94% are familiar enough with Clinton to rate her, 85% with Edwards and 84% with Obama. This could be good news for Clinton, who has managed to keep her wide national lead despite other candidates becoming better known.

For Republicans a different pattern emerges. Among the four frontrunners only two -- Giuliani and McCain -- have high name recognition at 91% and 87% respectively, while Romney has 64% recognition and undeclared Thompson has 56% recognition. Only 46% of republicans know all four candidates well enough to rate them. This disparity leaves room for significant fluctuation in the leaderboard.

- The Washington Post: "With the exception of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), none of the front-running White House contenders served in the military. Unless McCain rebounds from his political collapse, it looks as if next year's presidential election will be the first since World War II in which neither of the major-party nominees is a veteran."

- Sen. Barack Obama's decision "to opt out of all but a handful of appearances with his opponents this fall means an influential Iowa audience will lose the chance to judge him alongside his rivals next month," the Des Moines Register reports.

"Obama plans to skip AARP's Sept. 20 forum in Davenport, where New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson will address about 2,400 Iowa seniors and a national public television audience. The decision to not attend the AARP event, aimed at issues important to people 50 and older, could nag at the Illinois senator, some Democrat activists and political observers said."

- James Pindell found a peculiar result to a question in a new poll of likely primary and caucus voter in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida and Nevada. Likely GOP voters were asked how familiar they were the healthcare plans of all their candidates, "even including non-candidate Fred Thompson."

"The results? In Nevada 29% said they were familiar with Thompson's healthcare plan. In New Hampshire it was 15%, in Iowa 18%, in Florida it was 22% and in South Carolina had 24% with some idea about his plan."

The problem? Thompson hasn't even discussed a healthcare plan yet.

- The AP sums up a new Pew Research survey on the 2008 presidential race: "Rudy Giuliani's support is broad. Hillary Clinton's is intense."

"Sen. Hillary Clinton is by far the most popular presidential candidate among her own party's voters, but has among the lowest overall favorable ratings of the leading candidates. In sharp contrast, the front-running Republican candidate, Rudy Giuliani, evokes relatively modest enthusiasm from the GOP base, but is as broadly popular with all voters as any candidate in either party."

- Michigan State Senate Minority Leader Mark Schauer said he will seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) in the 2008 election after declining earlier overtures to enter the race, reports the AP.

Meanwhile, Michigan Liberal notes a DCCC poll shows Schauer beating Walberg in a head-to-head match-up by 3 points.

- A Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll shows Sen. Hillary Clinton leads the Democratic presidential race with 38% support, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 25% and John Edwards at 8%.

Among Republicans, Rudy Giuliani is in front with 29%, followed by Fred Thompson at 14%, Mitt Romney at 11%, Sen. John McCain at 7% and Newt Gingrich at 5%.

President Bush's approval rating is stuck at 33%.

- With Bil Clinton easing back into the spotlight next month and John Edwards taking aim, Rick Klein of ABC News provides some great analysis.

"Clinton is his wife's not-so-secret weapon -- the single most popular Democrat on the planet, a campaigner who ranks with the all-time greats, and one of the best political minds in the country."

"But, as Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) is learning every week, his legacy can be a mixed blessing -- a reminder of peace, prosperity and Democratic victories, but also of scandal, gridlock and 'triangulation' that frustrated many liberals."

- Former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-NE) "stepped to the brink of a possible 2008 Senate bid," the Lincoln Journal-Star reports.
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