Monday Morning Must-Reads
Clinton Solidifies Edge as Rivals Take a Tougher Line [NYT] Obama and Edwards are the first to take note, says the NYT: Clinton is only getting stronger. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has consolidated her early lead in the Democratic presidential contest, showing steady strength as the candidates head toward the first voting early next year. So John and Barack have new plans: more delegates, more votes. Full story.U.N. Secretary General Too Soft on USA? [WaPo] Since becoming U.N. chief in January, Ban has demonstrated a rare ability to nudge the White House, on issues such as increased U.S. funds for U.N. peacekeeping, action against Sudan and climate change. In turn, Ban has repaid the favor, opposing calls for a swift U.S. withdrawal from Iraq and committing to a beefed-up U.N. presence in Baghdad. This mutually beneficial relationship has made Ban one of the most pro-American secretaries general in the United Nations' 62-year history, in the eyes of many observers. Such close ties to Washington have triggered some unease; many U.N. member states opposed the war in Iraq and resent U.S. influence. Full story.
WH Wants $200 Billion Increase for War [CBS/AP] He may fault the Democratic hopefulls for building social service plans with big price tags and no steady source of funding, but Bush knows what they don't... money grows on trees. Spending to cover the costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan next year will total nearly $200 billion, according to a budget request the White House will take to Congress next week, making 2008 the most expensive year of those conflicts to date. Full Story.
Romney Offers Bush the Cold Shoulder [LAT] With Giuliani and Thompson happily ensconced at the front of the race, Romney is taking a new path to what he hopes might be a Romney bid. Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney stepped further down a treacherous path Sunday -- distancing himself from a Republican president who, while generally unpopular, retains the overwhelming support of most of those who will vote in the party's primaries. Will he pull the centrists and the Ron Paul supporters? Full story.
MoveOn Paying Up for Betray Us Ad [Caucus] On the issue of an issue that just hasn’t moved on, the liberal activist group MoveOn.org announced this afternoon that, in light of today’s column by The Times’s public editor, Clark Hoyt, it would pay the full advertisement rate of $142,083 for its controversial “General Betray Us?” spot in the A-section of the newspaper nearly two weeks ago. Full story.
