After Hillary Clinton's started airing a commercial in Wisconsin questioning why Barack Obama declined to appear in another debate, Obama came back with his own ad. The voiceover says:After eighteen debates, with two more coming, Hillary says Barack Obama is ducking debates? It's the same old politics, the phony charges, and false attacks. On health care, even Bill Clinton's own labor secretary [Robert Reich] even says Obama covers "more people" than Hillary and does......

The NYPD decided not to appeal a judge's decision that the NYPD should declassify its surveillance documents from the 2004 RNC, so it has set up a special NYPD RNC Documents website with the documents. Of course, you have to scroll down to the very bottom for a zip file of the 600 pages of documents. And what's above the documents is the NYPD's rather thorough explanation/ defense justifying why it did such extensive......

The search for the man who mugged two elderly women continues, as the police and politicians expand their efforts. The police have increased the reward for tips that lead to the mugger's capture to $12,000, City Councilman James Gennaro is offering $5,000, City Councilman Thomas White Jr. is offering $1,000, and the 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care is offering $1,000. A lot of money given that the mugger stole $65, plus two rings.......

Fighting words from Senator Hillary Clinton. At the Democratic National Committee Winter Meetings, she passionately proclaimed, "If we in Congress don't end this war before January 2009, as president, I will." She also said that had she been President in October 2002, "I would not have started this war." Yes - the Daily News predicts that'll be Clinton's "flip-flop" soundbite. Clinton supports a bipartisan Senate non-binding resolution that disapproves of the the President's troop......

NYC is a two time loser now! After the Republican party decided to have its 2008 convention in the Twin Cities, the city hoped to win the Democratic convention. But now the Democratic National Committee has announced the 2008 convention will be in Denver. Here's DNC Chairman Howard Dean's statement:The recent Democratic gains in the West exemplify the principle that when we show up and ask for people's votes and talk about what we......

Ooh - the Observer looks at how New York City will convince the Democratic National Committee to hold the 2008 Convention here. We pieced together their itinerary from the article, and clearly, the mayor misses having the International Olympic Committee to woo. :Today - Check into Ritz Carlton (Central Park South, we assume) tongiht - Hansom cab ride through Central Park - Dinner at Mayor Bloomberg's townhouse Thursday - Breakfast at Gracie Mansion - Tour......

Mayor Bloomberg is pulling out all the stops to appeal to the minorities, and today's rumor that he's hired Brian Ellner to join his campaign proves that he wants to show he's a Democrat in Republican's clothing. And suddenly, the Mayor's Republican supporters reach for their Zantac. But this could be the start of a brilliant new ad: Mayor Bloomberg stepping out with his girlfriend Diana Taylor and Ellner with his partner Simon. In other......

Elizabeth Shapiro, Founder of Politipunk...

An interesting juxtaposition of convention news today: The Times reports that Wall Street firms are going to be wining and dining Republican politicians and delegates in town for the Republican National Convention (august 30-September 2), while Newsday says end of August street fairs will be banned because police need to concentrate their efforts on convention security. There had been 14 street fairs scheduled during the time of the convention, but they have now been reschedule.......

The Republican National Committee gave the media a preview of their plans for next year's convention at Madison Square Garden, and it looks like the nation will see President Bush on a rotating stage at the center of room, sort of like a human Marriott Marquis rotating restaurant. (Gothamist suggests the GOP watch out with the number of rotations per minute, because we have a feeling the President might feel a little woozy, although seeing......

Another twist in the WTC redesign: The redesigned WTC will get the 1,776 spire, but, as the Post and Times report, now Larry Silverstein's architect, David Childs, is the "design architect and project manager" and selected WTC redesign plan architect Daniel Libeskind will have a more limited role as "collaborating architect during the concept and schematic design phases." David Childs had been working with developer Silverstein, and is a partner at Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill;......