Richardson set to send Obama second-choice support  —  [Exclusive] Gov. Bill Richardson's campaign is expected to direct its supporters to caucus for Sen. Barack Obama in the second round of voting at Thursday's caucuses in precincts where he is not viable.  Two sources familiar …

The Independents  —  John Judis and Ruy Teixeira take a look at the demographic and ideological characteristics of self-described independents and their potential role in the presidential election.  It's clear that the post-partisan rhetoric from Barack Obama that's annoyed a lot of bloggers …

Thompson may drop out, back McCain  —  DES MOINES, Iowa - Several Republican officials close to Fred Thompson's presidential campaign said they expect the candidate will drop out of the race within days if he finishes poorly in Thursday's Iowa caucus.  —  Thompson's campaign …

Rumor watch: GOP mudslinging in the works?  Update: The push polls?  —  Update: John Hawkins says it's the push poll story.  —  For the most part, the GOP presidential candidates have waged clean, substantive campaigns.  With a few notable exceptions, the office-seekers have attacked each other's records and eschewed ad hominems.

Karl Rove  —  A principal architect of the disastrous presidency of George W. Bush, Karl Rove, 57, has charted a long course from the internship he landed with the Republican Party in Utah almost four decades ago.  Here, the president's former deputy chief of staff reflects on his fear of going broke …

For Marine's sendoff, his car is keyed  —  Marine Sgt. Michael McNulty — now on his way to Iraq for his second tour of duty in the war — took meticulous care of his car.  —  It is a black two-door BMW, an expensive ride for a young Marine from Chicago, but then, McNulty didn't exactly join …

Candidates Offer Final Messages to Iowa Voters  —  DES MOINES — With an eye on the weather forecast and faith in their organizations, the presidential candidates wound down their Iowa caucus campaigns on Thursday and sought to manage their expectations as they nervously awaited a verdict …

COMING FLUFFTACULAR  —  I flagged this in today's TPMtv episode and posted a reader email on it yesterday, but if I had my choice, John McCain would not be the candidate I'd want the Democratic candidate to face in November.  He's got lots of liabilities, on a whole number of fronts.

Snow Falling on Pundits  —  Given that the Iowa caucus is basically a media-generated phenomenon that wouldn't matter at all if not for the hype, it's a little strange that it's in Iowa in January.  All one hears this week as a journalists are complaints from colleagues in Des Moines or Nashua about how cold it is.

Seven Questions: Gen. David Petraeus on Winding down the Surge  —  By the end of July, 25 percent of American combat troops are due to withdraw from Iraq.  FP sat down with Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, to find out how he plans to draw down without leaving chaos behind.

Flashman author George MacDonald Fraser dies aged 82 after cancer battle  —  George MacDonald Fraser, author of the hugely entertaining Flashman novels, has died aged 82.  —  Fraser - whose fans included P G Wodehouse and Kingsley Amis - died after a battle with cancer.

Survey Methodology [Iowa Caucus Poll] 12/30/07 thru 1/2/08  —  The target sample is [905] interviews with approximately [31] questions asked.  Samples are randomly drawn from telephone cd's of national listed sample.  Zogby International surveys employ sampling strategies in which selection probabilities …

Iowa predictions  —  Ok, I know I said the caucuses are too close to call.  But I just can't help myself.  So here are my predictions for tonight's battle in the heartland.  —  Republicans

Romney to Huck's Camp: 'Don't Touch the Hair'  —  ABC News' Matt Stuart and Teddy Davis Report: Mitt Romney made a tongue-in-cheek plea Thursday for Ed Rollins, the Huckabee campaign chairman who recently said that he wanted to knock Romney's teeth out, to keep his hands off his well-quaffed hair.