It’s a new year and Allen Raymond wants you to know he’s sorry. After he shut down the Democratic Party’s phone lines in New Hampshire in 2002, Raymond was shocked - shocked - to discover that his “old pals” at the RNC would throw him “under the bus” when they were found out. I’m sure that was hard to see coming around the bend since they were running such a scrupulous operation that everyone could be proud of. Allen served three months in prison and now he’s learned something from his mistakes. To err is human, right? That’s why he’s written a tell-all book! MORE »

This is the press room for the ABC News/Facebook debates (of which they’re only holding TWO back-to-back). Videographer Liz Glover and I have staked a spot here in the gymnasium of St. Anslem’s college, which looks less like a college than some asshole prep school Mittens attended. It’s actually called Saint Anselm college, and we know that because the school gave all press cards saying “DON’T” call it “St. Anslem’s college”. Like anyone gives a shit about this school? St. Anslem’s it will be alllll night.

More to come from St. Anslem’s Preparatory Middle School For Young Princes in the next hour or so. Debates — the Party of Mittens first — commence at seven! Liz went out to get our drinks.

Aww, George W. Bush is being a… wuzzitcalled… compassionate conservative? Was that the term that he once used to describe himself, before like the wars and the lying and stuff? ABC News’ Martha Raddatz spent a whole day with the president yesterday, and she got him to be all honest-like about that old alcohol addiction of his — another relic of makefunnery circa 1999-2000. Again, before all the wars and the lying and stuff. [ABC News]

Hillary Clinton is dying. Not literally, but on some sort of quasi-micro-day-to-day level, her campaign is completely ruined forever and eternally! Between a new Zogby poll that shows her losing to every major Republican candidate in hypothetical matchups and Obama calling her White House experience complete poppycock, Hillary is a saaaaad wittle panda today. MORE »

Goddamnit Fred Thompson is an idiot. Idiot idiot idiot dumbface! The latest example: Because Rudy Giuliani attended a NASCAR race Sunday, Thompson was probably worried that his redneck capital was being infringed upon. To recover lost hick points in Iowa on Tuesday, Thompson made a NASCAR simile about Democrats. Surely his NASCAR voter base appreciated the comparison. MORE »

In a new WaPo-ABC News Poll for Demrats in Iowa, Obama leads Clinton, 30 percent to 26. John “How Fast Can a Politician Die?” Edwards polls at 22 percent, and Fatpants Richardson garners 11. In other news: Mike Gravel is still running for president. [WP]

A hazy, unconfirmed source is claiming that ABC News’ Sam Donaldson’s number appears in the phone records of Deborah Jeane Palfrey, a.k.a. the DC Madam. If true, it appears Barbara Walters is officially tapped out. [Big Head DC via Radar]

UPDATE: Nevermind. Big Head DC just made shit up, so the universe is back in order. Watch Radar strip down its editor.

Hey everyone, only 365 days left (leap year!) until November 4, 2008, when we hold our massive election things! What a wonderful opportunity to listen to our candidates’ stump speeches and teevee bits a few more thousand times before making a lesser-of-sixteen-evils decision, and then regretting it and voting for other people two years later. MORE »

Although Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo is totally a shoe-in to become the next president, the nativist speedaholic is selflessly willing to put it all on the line with a World Series bet against Soxy colleague Mitt Romney. A spokesman for the Tancredo campaign (probably his dog or something) called ABC News this morning with a wager for Mitt Romney: If the Rockies lose the World Series then Tancredo will drop out, if the Red Sox lose then Romney will. It’s a charitable offer to Romney, whose pathetic campaigning has only landed him in first place in both Iowa and New Hampshire polls. The fool can’t recognize a good opportunity when it hits him square in the magic pajamas, and his campaign has rejected the offer. A deflated Tom Tancredo will resume betting on cockfights in the Mexico City underworld. MORE »

Continuing our day of paranoia and horror and terror, the ABC News Washington bureau has been evacuated because somebody found some OMFG NOT THE ANTHRAX CRAP AGAIN! MORE »

Who says Hussein had nothing to do with 9/11? An ABC News shocker says the Illinois senator used to be known as “Barry O’Bomber.” It allegedly referred to his basketball shot. MORE »