Here’s a compelling synopsis of several recently released books focused on the people of Iraq in the midst of the current conflict. From the New York Review of Books.

much of the 2008 group is back.  If I recall, David Axlerod worked with Edwards in 2004.  I’ve seen him classified as an advisor for Senator Obama.  Axlerod is from Illinois.  Here’s the list.

Here’s a look at Edwards’s Inner Circle:

* David Bonior: Bonior is a former congressman from Michigan who served stints as House majority and minority whip. Bonior, who enjoys strong ties with liberals in the party as well as organized labor, will serve as campaign manager.

* Julius Chambers: A former chancellor at North Carolina Central University, Chambers served as treasurer of Edwards’s 2004 effort and will do so again in 2008. Chambers, who is black, is a well-known civil rights attorney.

* Harrison Hickman: Hickman has been Edwards’s pollster since 1997, helping to guide the candidate to a win over Sen. Lauch Faircloth (R) in 1998 and playing a critical role in Edwards’s 2004 presidential run. Hickman polled for Rep. Ben Cardin’s (D-Md.) successful candidacy for Senate in 2006.

* Jennifer Swanson: Swanson has been the chief fundraiser for Edwards since 2004. She served in that position at his One America Committee and she’ll do the same in 2008.

* Nick Baldick: A longtime party operative who ran New Hampshire for Al Gore in 2000, Baldick was Edwards’s campaign manager in 2004. This time around he’ll be focused almost exclusively on the four early voting states: Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina. It’s a role similar to the one Michael Whouley played for Kerry during the 2004 nomination fight.

* Jonathan Prince: Prince, too, is back for Edwards’s second run and will again be tasked with moving the candidate’s message, serving in a senior communications role. Prince was one of several Edwards insiders who helped organize and raise money for Citizens for a Strong Senate, an independent group that spent millions to influence the 2004 elections.

* David Ginsberg: Like Prince, Ginsberg will playing a senior communications/messaging role, though for the first six months (or so) of the campaign he will be based in D.C., not Raleigh. Ginsberg currently works at Penn Schoen & Berland Associates, a Democratic polling firm.

* Jennifer Palmieri: Palmieri will be working with Prince and Ginsburg on the communications front and also will be involved with the group charged with handling Elizabeth Edwards, the candidate’s wife, who is expected to play a prominent role in the campaign. Palmieri is a past press secretary at the Democratic National Committee and now works as a spokeswoman for the liberal Center for American Progress.

* Miles Lackey: A North Carolina native, Lackey served as Edwards’s chief of staff in the Senate and as a senior adviser to the candidate in 2004, a role he will reprise in 2008.

* Matthew Gross: Gross made his name in 2004 as Internet Director in former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean’s upstart presidential bid, which relied heavily on the Web for grassroots organizing and fundraising. Gross has been working for Edwards’s One America Committee.

* David Madina: Madina will be political director for the presidential effort, a position he has held for the last two years at One America.

* Christina Reynolds: Reynolds is an extremely well-regarded research operative. She handled that critical task for Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D) in 2002 and then joined Edwards’s 2004 campaign in a similar capacity. After serving as research director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2006, she’s agreed to rejoin Edwards for 2008.

* Peter Scher: Scher ran Edwards’s vice presidential campaign in 2004 and has stayed actively involved in the planning for a second bid.

* Ed Turlington: The chairman of the 2004 campaign, Turlington will be back in an as yet unspecified role. A lawyer from Raleigh, Turlington served on the Democratic Party’s Commission on Presidential Timing and Scheduling — the panel that recommended the addition of Nevada and Michigan to the early voting process.

* John Moylan: Another lawyer, Moylan is based in Columbia, S.C., and headed up Edwards’s successful effort in that state’s 2004 primary. Expect him to play a similar role with duties expanding outside of the Palmetto State this time around.

Make up for what you’re missing.

by the FDA.  Yummy.

In a rare move, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley endorsed Senator Barack Obama, that is if he decides to run. This is an odd move. The Daley family has ties to the Clintons. Richard’s brother Bill Daley served a Secretary of Commerce and Bill’s son Billy served in various capacities in the Clinton Administration. Chicago lended a lot of talent to Clinton’s run for the White House in 1992, notably Congressman Rahm Emanuel, campaign chairman David Wilhelm, and former Bally Fitness CEO and Daley aide Paul Toback.

Here’s the Chicago Sun Times story. This marks only the second time in 17 years that Daley has endorsed a candidate for President. The last was Al Gore. Bill Daley became Gore’s campaign chairman later.

According to Fox News, it’s coming. Obama has been filmed for the past few months by freelance cinematographer Amy Rice. Here’s the story.

If so, here’s a link to his upcoming events.

The American Research Group just released new polls from early states in the 2008 nominating process.

Among Democrats:

Iowa: Clinton 31%, Edwards 20%, Vilsack 17%, Obama 10%
Nevada: Clinton 37%, Obama 12%
South Carolina: Clinton 34%, Edwards 31%, Obama 10%
New Hampshire: Clinton 27%, Obama 21%, Edwards 18%

Among Reublicans:

Iowa: Giuliani 28%, McCain 26%, Gingrich 18%
Nevada: Giuliani 31%, McCain 25%, Gingrich 22%
South Carolina: McCain 35%, Giuliani 28%, Gingrich 15%
New Hampshire: McCain 29%, Giuliani 25%, Gingirch 14%

Here’s a profile of Congressman Rahm Emanuel by Ryan Lizza in GQ.

It appears that way. According to the L.A. Times, “Southern Methodist University has all but won the competition to host the George W. Bush presidential library, with officials announcing this week that the school will be the “sole focus” of talks next month.”

SMU is Laura Bush’s alma mater.

Asks the L.A. Times. Whatever it is, it appears to be working.

Here’s profile on Ford from the Washington Post.

in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Here’s a transcript of his speech.

Several potential candidates for President will re-release of public new books in 2007. Here’s a list.