Did you miss me?

Well, I've pretty much moved everything from my laptop now to the new laptop. It was certainly a pain and I may just get an external hard drive for the next time that I have to move a large amount of files between computers.

Senator Tom Daschle's supporters want to see him stay involved. I'm certain he will. As to whether or not it's with Sen. Obama, I don't know.

Now that the small mystery about his presidential aspirations is settled, there still is the matter of Daschle's future role in politics.

Daschle loyalists still would like to see him stay pictured in the national scene, even if it is accepting a vice presidential slot on the 2008 Democratic Party ticket.

Whether that is appealing to him is doubtful. He can enjoy a lobbying career and still keep tabs on the national political scene. Or he could assume the role of ambassador in a Democrat-run administration.

Supporters think Daschle isn't a bad choice for a national candidate looking to improve his or her chances. He is energetic and articulate, is well-grounded on national and international affairs through his jobs as majority leader and minority leader, and knows international leaders.

Tom Vilsack was introduced to The Daily Show audience.

“Jon Stewart has had a good couple laughs with my name and I thought it was just terrific humor,” Vilsack told reporters in a conference call after the show’s taping. “We decided we’d go one step further and we provided Mr. Stewart with a little gift.”

Vilsack gave Stewart a stuffed toy duck wearing a Vilsack campaign pin, a nod to Stewart’s lampoon of Vilsack’s name weeks earlier.

Shortly after Vilsack announced his candidacy, Stewart likened Vilsack’s name to the low-cost insurer Aflac. He parodied it with a take-off on the company’s television ads, complete with a duck screeching the governor’s name.

Vilsack and Stewart also discussed Iraq and the governor’s support for the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group published this month.

If Sen. Edwards wants to win, he'll have to succeed first.

North Carolina’s former senator is expected to kick off his second run for the presidency in New Orleans next week, then hit early caucus and primary states, including Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

Edwards has his work cut out for him. The Democratic field for 2008 could include Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, and Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack. That makes the big question for political observers how Edwards will make himself stand out this time around.

He's looking to build on his working-family message from 2004. He has more knowledge of how to campaign, however.

“I think he's much more accomplished. I think he's more polished,” conceded Republican strategist Marc Rotterman, a political critic of Edwards.

News & Observer political columnist Rob Christensen pointed out that Edwards is no longer the dark horse in the nation's first caucuses, which puts more eyes on him and more demands on his skills early on.

“The downside to that is that he's no longer the fresh face,” Christensen said. The former senator led by 20 points in recent Iowa polls. He needs to keep it up in Christensen's view. "John Edwards clearly has to win Iowa," he said.

Edwards keeps honing his message, concentrating more on poverty and labor unions. Once a supporter of the war in Iraq, he now opposes it.

“In a lot of ways, he's moved to the political left. He doesn't say that, but that's essentially what's happened. And he's now moving to the left of Hillary Clinton,” Christensen told WRAL.

Rotterman believes Edwards’ message is limited.

“I don't think that Edwards is doing anything really to reach out to the middle class or the average guy in this country. I think that's going to be a problem,” Rotterman said.

This email arrived in my inbox the other day dealing with the new DCCC chairman.

I am pleased to announce that Congressman Chris Van Hollen of Maryland will be taking over as Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for the 2008 election cycle. Chris came to Congress in 2002 by upsetting one of the most entrenched House Republicans in one of the most Republican election years in memory, defeating Connie Morella in the Washington, D.C. suburbs.

Coming in the same class as Chris, it was clear to me from his hard-fought primary victory and even tougher general election win that he had an acute political capacity rarely found in Washington. And, throughout this election, I sought his advice and counsel in every critical decision I had to make. There is no one better prepared to take the reins of the DCCC than Congressman Van Hollen.

Chris joined me at the DCCC in his second term as one of my top lieutenants, heading up our candidate recruiting. In this role, he emphasized the big tent of the Democratic Party, saying, "If you believe in the basic gut principles of the Democratic Party -- opportunity, fairness for all -- we're not going to hold people to a litmus test." He also co-chaired the DCCC's "Red to Blue" program, which gave dozens of winning candidates the resources and support they needed to succeed.

You'll be hearing much more about and from Chris in the coming weeks. I will be serving as Chair of the Democratic Caucus, where we will get to work fulfilling the compact we made with the American people during this campaign. I hope you will support Chris in the 2008 elections with the same energy and dedication you showed me in these historic 2006 elections.

Thank you so much for all you have done to help our Democratic candidates. 2006 is a year neither history nor I will ever forget and it was the passion of committed Democrats like you who made it possible.

Sincerely,

Representative Rahm Emanuel
Illinois' Fifth Congressional District

Facebook has helped change Jewish life on campus.

Could this help Bayh get the VP nod?

You can spin the dreidel with Chairman Howard Dean.

"Today marks the start of Hanukkah, often called the festival of lights. Over the next eight nights, Jews all over the world will join together in lighting the Hanukkah menorah symbolizing the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem and the survival of the Jewish religion.

"During this time, we reaffirm our faith and rededicate ourselves to creating peace in the world through our actions. We also mark this season by expressing our deep gratitude to the brave men and women of all faiths in uniform, their families and our veterans for the sacrifices that they make on our behalf.

"Tonight, as my family and I light the first candle of the menorah, we ask for a renewed sense of purpose and strength. We wish all a meaningful holiday season and a happy Hanukkah."

Mona Charen is the latest to go after Jimmy Carter.

This is a shame:

2. This Is Our Country, John Mellencamp: Until this year, I didn't have a problem with this guy. His John Cougar days were fun, he is a big-time supporter of the American farmer, his music can be very powerful (I still like Rain on the Scarecrow). And this song might not be so bad, had it not been beaten into the ground by all those Chevrolet ads. Come ON!! We get it! Sheesh!!

Mindy Myers will be the chief of staff to Senator-elect Sheldon Whitehouse.

Jim Gilmore is looking at a run for President.

That's all for now...three people fighting over the same computer!