[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2008/images/01/17/art.huckabee0117.ap.jpg caption="Huckabee told South Carolina voters they were the only ones who should make decisions on the flag."]
MYRTLE BEACH, South Carolina (CNN) - Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee told South Carolina voters Thursday that the government had no business making decisions over the Confederate flag.
"You don't like people from outside the state coming in and telling you what to do with your flag," Huckabee said at a Myrtle Beach campaign event. "In fact, if somebody came to Arkansas and told us what to do with our flag, we'd tell them what to do with the pole, that's what we'd do."
Later, in Florence, he repeated the remarks. "I know what would happen if somebody comes to my state in Arkansas and tells us what to do, it doesn't matter what it is, tell us how to run our schools, tell us how to raise our kids, tell us what to do with our flag - you want to come tell us what to do with the flag, we'd tell them what to do with the pole."
The Confederate flag has long been the third rail of South Carolina presidential politics - offensive to some, a symbol of Southern heritage to others. The flag is currently displayed on state capitol grounds.
Huckabee is currently barnstorming South Carolina with former Gov. David Beasley, who has called for the flag’s removal.
–CNN Senior Producer Eric Fiegel
(CNN) - In the latest edition of America Votes 2008, all eyes and ears are on the campaign trail as the candidates work to rally votes in Nevada and South Carolina.
Related: Listen to CNN’s Bill Caiaccio and Emory University professor of politics Merle Black analyze the uncertainty in the GOP race.
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2008/images/01/17/art.bush0117.ap.jpg caption="Bush and Hill Democrats are discussing a stimulus package."]WASHINGTON (CNN) - Some congressional Democrats are criticizing President Bush for his decision to deliver remarks Friday outlining his principles regarding a stimulus package, saying the president should wait until lawmakers and the White House reach a compromise on what will be in the package before anything is unveiled.
One source went so far as to say a conference call between congressional leaders and the White House Thursday afternoon on the stimulus “didn’t go well” because of the president’s insistence on delivering the speech despite direct pleas from Democratic leaders to hold off.
Bush’s decision to go forward is unlikely to stall talks on the bill, one source said, but does detract from the bipartisan spirit that has marked talks this week on the proposal.
Shortly after the call, White House officials called back to congressional participants to ensure them the president’s remarks Friday would be general, according to two sources, including a Democratic leadership source.
The conference call was light on specifics of what should be in an economic stimulus package but “there seems to continue to be a consensus to try and do something together and that we should do it quickly,” the Democratic leadership source said.
Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson mentioned accelerating depreciation and the concept of rebates and said “there seems to be an agreement on rebates” the source said.
The White House did not push the notion of extending the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts which the Democratic leadership source described as “hugely helpful.”
"Americans are revved up... and ready to vote."
That's according to a front page story in "USA Today." We saw it with record turnouts in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary... and now this: by a 2-to-1 margin, Americans are pumped up for the upcoming election.
A new USA Today-Gallup poll shows that compared to previous elections, 62% of those surveyed say they're "more enthusiastic" about voting this time around.
So what's getting people so fueled up for this election? The reasons are many… including opposition to the war in Iraq, anxiety about a possible recession, dissatisfaction with President Bush and disgust with gridlock in Washington.
To read more and contribute to the Cafferty File discussion click here
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2008/images/01/17/art.lasvegas.gi.jpg caption="Caucus sites can be held on the Las Vegas strip, a judge rule."] LAS VEGAS (CNN) - The Democratic Party can go ahead with a plan to let casino workers take part in Saturday's Nevada caucuses in "at-large" precincts set up in their workplaces, a federal judge ruled Thursday.
The state teacher's union went to court to challenge the plan, arguing that the casino caucus sites Saturday night will give the roughly 200,000 workers on the Las Vegas strip an unfair advantage over other voters who have to work that night. But U.S. District Judge James Mahan rejected that argument after a Thursday morning hearing.
The lawsuit sparked a battle between the 28,000-member Nevada State Education Association and the state's biggest labor organization, the 60,000-member Nevada Culinary Workers Union, which supports the casino caucuses. The culinary workers endorsed Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois in Saturday's contest and accused the teachers union of trying to tilt the race in favor of his leading rival, senator and former first lady Hillary Clinton of New York.
Recent published polls show Clinton and Obama in a statistical dead heat going into the Nevada contest. Saturday's results could give the winner the upper hand going into the first contest in the South, the January 26 primary in South Carolina.
"When you're trying to change the rules a week before that were approved 10 months before, that's just not right, and I think people see through it as just crass politics," D. Taylor, secretary-treasurer of the Nevada Culinary Workers Union, said Wednesday.
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2008/images/01/16/art.romneygop.ap.jpg caption="The Romney campaign is downplaying expectations for Saturday's vote in South Carolina."]
COLUMBIA, South Carolina (CNN) – South Carolina GOP chairman Katon Dawson said Thursday that Mitt Romney's decision to downplay expectations in the state and look ahead to other primaries may be a mistake.
"If you can't win that Southern firewall, and any states bleed off of you in the general election, then you're going to have a Democrat president," Dawson said in a phone interview.
"The base of the Republican party is the Southern firewall," he continued. "Every president who has won the nomination has won a solid bloc of the South."
Romney is leaving South Carolina for Nevada tonight, and will spend Saturday evening in Florida as polls close here.
Dawson said that's a curious shift, considering how long and hard Romney's team has worked to win over South Carolina voters.
"I think certain campaigns are setting expectation levels that are different than what they were doing a month ago," Dawson said.
Over the last year, the Romney campaign has spent vast sums on their organization and media strategy in the state, only to pull their TV ads last week following Romney's disappointing second-place finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire.
At one point, before Mike Huckabee's spectacular rise, some polls had Romney in a tie for first place.
Now, said Romney spokesman Will Holley: "According to the polls, we're in a dogfight for third or sitting in fourth, so anything higher than that is icing on the cake."
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2008/images/01/17/art.romneygiulianiad.cnn.jpg caption=" Giuliani's new Florida ad includes a quote from Romney."]
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Republican Mitt Romney launched a new ad in Florida Thursday that showcases the former Massachusetts governor's newly-embraced change theme.
Rudy Giuliani also put up a new ad in the state Thursday that touts praise from several conservatives on his tax record. The 30-second spot, “Quotes”, even includes a line from Romney praising the former New York City mayor: "Mayor Giuliani has a great record on cutting taxes."
In Romney’s new 30-second spot, “Chairs”, he tells viewers that "I keep hearing the same thing, that Washington is broken."
"If you send the same people back to Washington just to sit in different chairs, nothing will happen," he continues. "I will change Washington. I will take it apart and put it back together. I know how to bring change."
The new ad is a clear sign Romney plans to fight for Florida - a state where rival Giuliani has focused most of his campaign resources. In an interview over the weekend, the former mayor said a win in the state was critical to his presidential chances.
Although Giuliani has staked his White House bid almost entirely on Florida's January 29 primary, Romney has significantly outspent him in television advertising there.
According to an analysis from TNS Media Intelligence/CMAG, CNN's consultant on television campaign advertising, Romney has spent close to $3 million on 3,500 spots in Florida while Giuliani has spent roughly $2 million on 2,100 spots. No other candidate has gone up with advertising there.
Recent polls out of Florida suggest a tight four-way battle for the top spot between Giuliani, Romney, Mike Huckabee, and John McCain.
- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
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