Monday's Musing on the News

Eric Hogue, Radio Talk Host and Syndicated Columnist

1. POLLS SHOW FAVORABLE TRENDS FOR OBAMA, MCCAIN, AND ROMNEY According to a McClatchy/MSNBC poll released Sunday, in Michigan Romney polls at 30%, McCain at 22%, and Huckabee at 17%. From the story: “Mitt Romney leads John McCain days before a potentially pivotal Republican primary in Michigan, with Romney's business experience and home-state ties apparently helping in a state where the economy is taking center stage.” [McClatchy] A Detroit News/WXYZ poll has McCain beating Romney by 1 point. [Detroit News] According to the latest nationwide ABC News/Washington Post poll GOP voters, in a big shift, appear to favor McCain over his rivals. [NY Times] The same ABC News/Washington Post poll shows a significant shift to Obama. [ABC News]

2. HILLARY ATTACKS OBAMA, DEFENDS HER RACE REMARKS Sen. Hillary Clinton said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday that the presidential campaign of Sen. Barack Obama was “deliberately distorting” remarks she had made about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. [Politico] And when asked if the “vast right wing conspiracy” was still around, Hillary cackled and said she didn't know. There are signs that Hillary’s comments about Obama are turning off black voters in South Carolina. [The state] Meanwhile, Bill Clinton is taking some heat for his Obama comments. [Politico]

3. BUSH CALLS ON ALLIES TO “CONFRONT THE DANGER” OF IRAN President Bush said Sunday that Iran is threatening the security of the world, and that the United States and Arab allies must join together to confront the danger "before it's too late." [Associated Press] Meanwhile, evidence suggests that Iranian hardliners bent on confrontation with the West are presenting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran with a serious challenge to his authority. [Telegraph]