The Clinton School of Public Service released the first issue of FRANK a “thematic publication that reviews concepts and ideas in public service,” according to the news release. 

“Contributors to FRANK include students, faculty and staff of the Clinton School, along with participants in the Clinton School Speaker Series and others who agreed to write articles or be interviewed on topics related to public service. Topics reviewed in FRANK range from current events and social trends to politics and popular culture.”Edited by Clinton School director of public programs Patrick Kennedy, FRANK is produced in partnership with the Communications Department of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).”

Contributors to the first edition include David Eisenhower, Carlotta Walls Lanier, Karl Rove, Simon Cowell and others.

Distribution of FRANK is being done through direct mail to colleges and universities, members of the media, supporters of the Clinton School and other targeted individuals. To order a copy of FRANK, contact the Clinton School at 501-683-5200, or email frank@clintonschool.uasys.edu. 

Though two hours late due to weather delays, Former President Bill Clinton made it to Vince Insalaco’s North Little Rock for a Hillary Clinton fundraiser Sunday night.. Though several guests had already left, there was still a good crowd on hand to greet him.  The former President will be interviewed by Brian Lamb, CEO of C-Span, Monday at the Clinton Library for C-Span’s series on presidential libraries which will air November 30th.  He also is scheduled for a classroom session with students from the Clinton School of Public Service. Lamb met for question and answer session with the Clinton School students Sunday night.

It is widely rumored that this event was far more successful than the  event recently attended by Vice President Dick Cheney. Online fundraising reports suggest that Senator Clinton’s campaign has raised more money in Arkansas to-date than former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.

I hope you have a nice Thanksgiving.  Special thanks go out to my family, my colleagues (and especially the folks who made this blog possible), my dear, wonderful friends who put up with my nonsense, all Arkansans, including my childhood, college and law school pal Capt. Marc Zelnick, who are overseas at war and away from the people they love, the countless number of people, including First Lady Ginger Beebe, who are spending time serving those less fortunate this Thanksgiving, and my readers whomever and wherever you are.  Thank you.

Forbes ranks the 20 most valuable college teams.

1.  University of Notre Dame
2.  University of Texas
3.  University of Georgia
4.  University of Michigan
5.  University of Florida
6.  LSU
7.  University of Tennessee
8.  Auburn University
9.  University of Alabama
10.  The Ohio State University
The Arkansas Razorbacks crack the Top 20, but are still 8th among teams in the Southeastern Conference.  This certainly raises some questions about the amount of spending SEC schools dedicate to athletics as opposed to academics.

I received an e-mail this morning indicating that THEA Foundation website had been hacked.  According Mr. Leopolous, “I think it happened last evening and it is pretty bad.  We are working to get the basics on-line for our scholarship competition.”

The non-profit foundation was created in 2001 after the untimely death of Thea Leopolous, then a seventeen year old student at North Little Rock High School.

The scholarships Mr. Leopolous refers to are those given to Arkansas high school students for contributions to the visual and performing arts.  In the past, the scholarships have been matched by colleges and universities across the country.

Here’s a link to more information about the THEA Foundation.   Hopefully the website will be up and running again soon so that the foundation can continue it’s good work.

The Nature Boy Ric Flair has endorsed former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee for President.  I grew up watching him and the other members of the famed “IV Horsemen” on World Championship Wrestling.  It aired on TBS back in the day.

“The WWE wrestler is on board with Huckabee, and will co-host a campaign tailgate with the candidate at the South Carolina vs. Clemson football game on Saturday afternoon in Columbia, South Carolina,” reports CNN.

Huckabee’s celebrity endorsements now include Chuck Norris, Ted Nugent and The Nature Boy.  That’s the heart of American culture . . .fo shizzle.

Being from Arkansas it’s hard not to get engaged in Razorback athletics.  Being a law graduate of the University, and having spent 3 years in Fayetteville, I can appreciate the excitement and associated disappointment of Razorback sports.  But don’t get me started on the 2007 football season, which has been a bitter disappointment.  Still, #5 Darren McFadden is in the running for the Heisman Trophy.  Yesterday, McFadden was announced as a finalist for the Maxwell Award for college football best player and the Doak Walker Award for the nation’s best running back (an award he won in 2006 before finishing second in the 2006 Heisman voting).

ESPN.com has launched it’s own version of Heisman voting.  While it has no direct impact on the eventual winner, the opinion of the fans should have some impact on thoughtful Heisman voters.  Which is why you need to follow the link and vote for DMac.  It goes without question that he is the best player in college football, and perhaps the best player ever in the history of Razorback football.

Go DMac!

I’ve seen bad political ads, but this one really takes the cake.  Fresh off some incredibly encouraging poll numbers in Iowa, Mike Huckabee’s campaign launched a goofy endorsement ad featuring Chuck Norris, of all people.  I’m sorry, but when was the last time Chuck Norris was relevant in American politics (if ever), much less in American life?

At a time when Huckabee’s trying to present himself as a serious and viable “alternative” candidate, running a hokey ad with Walker, Texas Ranger certainly doesn’t help portray that image.

Mike Huckabee’s climbing in the Iowa polls.  Today, Outdoor Life Magazine named him one of the 25 people who’ve had the greatest impact on hunting a fishing.  They note Huckabee’s effort to pass Amendment 75 which game 1/8 of 1 percent of the state’s general sales tax to four agencies, including the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

“Security DeBrief is a new blog dedicated to homeland security, national security, intelligence and law enforcement that provides context to the debates, policies and politics that are playing out in Washington, D.C.,” according to the website.

The content providers are mostly folks who served in the Department of Homeland Security under President Bush. You can check out the bios here.

Security DeBrief is managed by Chris Battle, who leads Adfero Group’s Homeland Security Practice. For more information, please contact them at securitydebrief@adfero.com.

“During an interview with The Australian this week, [Rupert] Murdoch said he plans to do away with subscription fees on the WSJ Web site to attract more subscribers.   He told the News Corp. paper that subscription growth would drive up advertising revenue and help replace losses from dwindling subscriptions in the United States. Murdoch told The Australian that the elimination of subscription fees for online news could increase readership from about 1 million to about 20 million,” reports Australia’s iTNews. 

Last week, Kevin Sack of The New York Times was in Little Rock speaking at the Clinton School of Public Service and he spoke about the rise of free online content.  The Wall Street Journal is the largest publication to still charge for online access.  Murdoch’s comments about online advertising are interesting.  We’ll see if the market will support his numbers.

“Merrill Lynch & Co. has tapped New York Stock Exchange head John Thain to lead the world’s largest brokerage through the unfolding credit market turmoil that threatens Wall Street’s biggest investment houses,” reports The Associated Press.

It was too long ago that Delta Airlines was fending off a hostile takeover attempt by U.S. Airways.  Today, the Associated Press reports that discussions are ongoing between Delta and United, the nation’s No. 2 and 3 airline carriers to merge under the United brand.  “The exact financial details of the transaction being discussed are not clear. But the talks involve United being the name of the combined airlines, the headquarters staying in Chicago and Delta’s Atlanta hub being an operational center for the two carriers, the official said. One possible scenario involves Delta CEO Richard Anderson being the chief of the combined airline, the official said,” reports AP.

I know, you’re thinking, “No Way!” but in the world of American politics stranger things have happened, especially in Iowa where voters caucus, bargain, swap and vote several times over before the final numbers are tallied.  It’s a fascinating exercise in democracy, but wildly complicated.   Which is why the surge that former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is experiencing is tough to assess.  No one really knows what will happen some 7 weeks from now, but Taegan Goddard over at Politicalwire has a post today suggesting that new poll set to be released tomorrow show’s Huckabee with a real shot to win Iowa.

It’s hard to know what to make of Huckabee’s numbers.  Yes, they’re on the way up.  But will he have the infrastructure in place to get those caucus-goers out on caucus night?  Will there be enough at each location to make it past the early voting?  These are the issues that plagued Howard Dean and helped John Kerry in 2004.
The Politico has a story about the dissension it Mitt Romney’s campaign.   “The strategic quandary confronted by Romney’s campaign is playing out against another challenge: an increasingly awkward rivalry between his top media advisers.  The showdown is between Alex Castellanos, Romney’s original ad man, and Stuart Stevens and Russ Schriefer, the two media consultants brought on board this summer.  Numerous sources, none of whom agreed to speak on the record, describe fierce jockeying between Castellanos and Stevens — in particular over who will dominate ad production and message promotion for the campaign.”

Could the perfect storm be on the horizon?  Is Huckabee the primary beneficiary?  Or is it Rudy Giuliani?  Political Insider has some thoughts about that.