A President's Day Nominee in 2008  The rushed 2008 presidential
race, already pedal to the metal earlier than ever before, is
starting to look as though it could produce likely nominees as
early as mid-February 2008. That's more than six months before
the actual nominating conventions. The reason: Big states, like
Florida and California, are tired of being overshadowed by New
Hampshire and Iowa and want to play a larger role in picking the
nominee. But now lots of states are following suit and plan
primaries and caucuses by mid-February. Seeing it coming, the
political parties are already making plans to have their
headquarters invaded by the probable nominee's aides. The
Republican National Committee, for example, has set aside 15
offices and cubicles for them. The Dems also have space "so
we'll be ready to accommodate our nominee whenever (s)he
arrives," an insider E-mails us.