Yahoo has a political dashboard I have been playing around with. You can find out who is leading in state and national polls, how many people are eligible to vote in each state which is also broken down by race and check out who won in the last few elections for each state and nationally.

It is pretty slick looking app.

Saying that America needs “competence” and a “readiness to lead” the Des Moines Register endorsed Senators John McCain on the Republican side and Hillary Clinton on the Democratic side for president today.

On Clinton:

“Readiness to lead sets her apart from a constellation of possible stars in her party, particularly Barack Obama, who also demonstrates the potential to be a fine president,” the newspaper’s endorsement editorial concludes. “When Obama speaks before a crowd, he can be more inspirational than Clinton. Yet, with his relative inexperience, it’s hard to feel as confident he could accomplish the daunting agenda that lies ahead.”

On McCain:

“Time after time, McCain has stuck to his beliefs in the face of opposition from other elected leaders and the public. He has criticized crop and ethanol subsidies during two presidential campaigns in Iowa. He bucked his party and president by opposing the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts. A year ago, in the face of growing criticism, he staunchly supported President Bush’s decision to increase troop strength in Iraq.”

Chris Dodd who did not file to be on the ballot in New York State joined Joe Biden & Mike Gravel in not registering to be on the ballot in Virginia. This was despite the fact that the state party actually went out and gathered the necessary signatures for them to get onto the ballot.

Meanwhile Republicans Duncan Hunter, Tom Tancredo and Alan Keyes did not file, though they were left to find signatures without the help of the state party.

Is this a sign, especially for Chris Dodd, that we will see some quick departures early in the year? I think it is pretty safe to speculate.

Instead of live blogging I thought I would use this opportunity to point out my observations in the form of a drinking game.

Here goes, Take a Drink

- Every time Hillary Clinton says “Fiscal Responsibility”

- Every time Obama says “business as usual” when referring to politics or Washington

- Every time you feel yourself nodding off when the moderator talks

- Every time Edwards blames all of America’s problems on corporations

- Every time you wonder “Why am I not voting for Joe Biden again?”

- Every time you remember why you are not voting for Joe Biden

- Every time Edwards reminds you he was really poor before he was really rich

- Every time you think “didn’t I hear this question and answer during like, the last fifty-eight debates this year?

- Every time someone says “Apollo program” in associated with Energy policy

- Every time Chris Dodd says shrill

Very little newsworthy came out of today’s much-hyped Republican debate. Silly candidates, all they did was talk about their positions on issues, what were they thinking?

The big news today was that Alan Keyes was on the dais in Iowa for the very last Republican debate before the Caucus and tomorrow for the last Democratic debate Dennis Kucinich will be denied from appearing. Oddly enough it has been reported Keyes only has one campaign worker while Kucinich was denied for his field director working out of his house instead of an office.