Vice President Vilsack?

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Senator and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is about to get former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack’s endorsement. This is pretty big news and strengthens Clinton’s position in Iowa significantly. Vilsack — while a second tier presidential contender — is nonetheless an important part of a credible heartland strategy.

It’s Fun to Poke Tom DeLay

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Chris Matthews and Tom DeLay had a tug back and forth on whether DeLay had called Dick Armey “drunk” or “blind” with ambition. DeLay kept insisting through the show that his new book cites Armey as “blind with ambition” but Matthews pointed out to him that the book reads “drunk with ambition.

AIPAC and Foreign Agent Status?

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(Israeli Ambassador to Italy and former Foreign Ministry Deputy Director General for Public Affairs Gideon Meir: AIPAC can help so much it hurts) Even the best informed of us can be just real dumb on Friday mornings. I never knew that AIPAC was NOT compelled to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Chances of Iran-U.S. War Just Increased

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The details are fuzzy, but news agencies are reporting that the Iranian Navy has just detained 15 British troops in Iraqi waters. After some negotiation and diplomatic sizzle, these troops will no doubt be released. But this is more evidence that America and Iran are poking each other through proxies.

Morning Reading

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My New America Foundation colleague Daniel Levy scores a great article in Ha’aretz suggesting that Condoleezza Rice is now a believer in and delivering on construction of “a horizon” for Palestinian-Israeli negotiated peace. George Soros’s piece, if you have not yet read it, on “Israel, America and AIPAC,” deserves another read by this blogger.

Bill Richardson: Is Attorney General the Peoples’ Lawyer or Just a Political Flack?

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I think Warren Olney’s show, “To the Point,” airs in the Washington, DC area again tonight at 10 p.m. It aired earlier today at 2 p.m. Eastern and 11 a.m. Pacific. Bill Richardson is on for the last 10 minutes — and Richardson is just superb.

Rep. Dan Burton to Support End to Cuba Travel Ban

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Sarah Stephens, Executive Director of the Center for Democracy in the Americas, has reported that Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN) will support legislation allowing family-related travel to Cuba, “The Cuban-American Family Rights Restoration Act,” sponsored by Congressman Bill Delahunt (D-MA). According to a press release, Congressman Burton made the commitment to Sarah Stephens and Sgt.