Okay.  Obviously we have two diaries so far of people criticizing presidential candidates without actually sifting through ALL the information on the matter.  So here's a little update on the matter from TheHill.  

Link here: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/sena te-repudiates-moveon-ad-obama-misses-vot e-2007-09-20.html

The Senate voted on Thursday to repudiate an ad from MoveOn.org that referred to Gen. David Petraeus as "General Betray Us." Democratic presidential front-runner Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) opposed the measure, while her closest competitor, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), missed the vote.

So this morning, at 9 AM (8 AM for me and anyone in the central timezone) an e-mail went out to supporters of Mark Warner's (I'm still trying to find a copy of it somewhere).  

Here is the new website: http://www.markwarner2008.com/

It's already added onto my favorites.  The quote he has on the front page is:

Our challenges are great, but the potential of Americans to step up and meet those challenges is more than equal to the task. Six years ago, we brought a bipartisan agenda of change to Virginia. It's time to bring that same approach to Washington and our nation.
Gov. Mark Warner

He notes that he's going to wait till after the 2007 legislature elections before he REALLY starts campaigning, and will make a more formal announcement again, after the 2007 leglislative elections.  

Something I noticed while surfing here, is that very few blogs are picking up on Warner announcing.  So hopefully you guys got the memo :-P

So I have a question that went unaddressed by Todd Bennett in his little rant on defending areyouready

I've asked if the rules are going to go unenforced, and no response.  I'm starting to think that's the case, and if it is, I would like to know so we are all working with the same rulebook here.  

This would probably work best as a "Breaking Blue" link.  It was noted by Senate2008guru, here: http://senate2008guru.blogspot.com/2007/ 09/tuesday-rundown.html

Article he refers is here:
http://www.bluehampshire.com/showDiary.d o?diaryId=1801

"This comes as unconfirmed word that the Kennedy School of Government is now looking for a new director."

The Kennedy school of government is directed by Jeanne Shaheen.  Them needing a new Director would imply that she has resigned, and therefore would be entering the New Hampshire Senate race for 2008.  She is scheduled to speak to a woman's group within a month.  

*UPDATE*: actually, the language is confusing in the article. Shaheen is actually the director of Harvard Institute of Politics which is a part of Kennedy School of Government.

We all are expecting this to happen in Nebraska.  

Monday, September 10th, 2007: Chuck Hagel announces his retirement at the end of this term.  

Next 2-3 Months: Three Republican Senate candidates announce and fight each other over who gets to be the nominee.  (State AG Jon Buning, Former Governor Mike Johanns, Former Omaha Mayor Hal Daub).  
One Democrat Announces (Former Governor and Senator Bob Kerrey)

There is a lot of Arguing back and forth as to whether appreciate the candidacy of Bob Kerrey or not... And while looking up some information about Bob Kerrey, I came across a diary post by "kos" on Dailykos.  

Basically, if we take the context of how he's doing it; where he's making the announcement, fundraising, age; it looks like a retirement announcement to me.  It's been widely expected, but now we've been given a timetable for an answer.  A day's wait.  

I have personally thought he had been avoiding announcing his future plans so he can paint himself in a way so his apprentice/heir, whatever you want to call him, Davis, looks like the next "John Warner" for Virginia.  

Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) will announce tomorrow at the University of Virginia whether or not he intends to seek a sixth term, according to two top Virginia sources. Warner is planning a 2 p.m. news conference on the grounds of the Charlottesville, Va., school, where he took his law degree over 50 years ago. The Virginian will give his speech near the statue of Thomas Jefferson on the steps of the school's famous Rotunda, adding a fitting Warner flourish to the event.

Timeline for announcing plans, full article here: http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/0 807/Warner_to_announce_tomorrow_whether_ he_will_seek_reelection.html

Full Article Here: http://www.cqpolitics.com/2007/08/embatt led_gop_rep_renzi_to_ret.html

Basically this is one of the ethically challenged Republican Congressman who barely scathed by in 2006 and was a top target for 2008.  Well if things weren't looking easy enough...

Rick Renzi, a three-term Republican U.S. House member from Arizona, announced Thursday that he will retire at the end of the 110th Congress and will not seek re-election in 2008.

This is relevant because the only Democrat to announce retirement for 2008 so far, (that I know of) has "Flip flopped" on his decision, and plans to run for re-election in 2008.  

Full Article Here: http://www.cqpolitics.com/2007/08/rep_gu tierrez_scraps_plans_to.html

Gutierrez originally said in December 2005 that he would seek an eighth and final term in November 2006 and explore a run for Chicago mayor in February 2007. He won re-election with 86 percent of the vote last November, then decided against challenging longtime Democratic Mayor Richard M. Daley in a primary.

The decision was made prematurely to winning congress by about 11 months.