Simi Valley, CA—

The Romney campaign has not bought ad space in any of the February 5th states. A potential sign that Romney is not willing to put more of his personal fortune into the campaign. The camp would not comment if they intend to buy ad space before next week’s Super Tuesday contests. 

Romney will campaign in California and Colorado this week and then break to attend the funeral of Mormon president, Gordon B. Hinckley in Salt Lake City on Saturday.

Sen Clinton knows the best way to a reporters heart is through his (or her) stomach. She passed out candy canes to reporters in New Hampshire, and today she walked the aisles of her campaign plane spooning out heaps of southern peach cobbler from her former home town of Little Rock, Arkansas. The dessert was delicious, but may have had the opposite of its intended effect with one of my colleagues; he says the cobbler gave him horrible heartburn, and only Rolaids’ relief kept him from rolling around in the aisles.

On Romney Air—

Ron Kaufman that is. . After what will forever be known as the potted plant incident we didn’t think we would see Ron again. But, there he was walking onto the Romney plane announcing, “The potted plant is here!” Kaufman is a senior advisor to the campaign and lobbyist extraordinaire, not to mention a constant source of entertainment. And he just couldn’t stay away from his beloved press corps and of course the Romney campaign.

He let me know what he was doing when he wasn’t on the campaign trail and what he thought of the testy back and forth saying it’s, “Part of the game. It didn’t bother me in the least.”

Kaufman said the campaign is looking forward to the 22 contests coming up on Super Tuesday. He said that the loss last night had a lot to do with the Mel Martinez and Charlie Crist endorsements along with McCain accusing Romney of calling for a timetable for troop withdrawal in Iraq. He said in the short term that hurt Romney even though the governor denied it and the media has been proven it to be an unfair claim. In the long term, Kaufman thinks the claim could hurt McCain.

Click here to see the return of Ron!

Burbank, CA — Rudy Giuliani announced that he will be withdrawing from the presidential race and will be endorsing Sen. John McCain during a media availability on his plane this afternoon. He landed in Burbank, California at about 1:45 pm,Pacific Time and is headed to the Reagan Library to make the formal announcement at 3pm.

Some highlights:

“I called some of our strong supporters and thanked them earlier today and also told them what I think you all now know, which is I am gonna endorse John McCain. It’s disappointing to lose a race for president because you believe you’re the best candidate, but I had made it clear before I had to make this decision who I thought the other best candidate was. I think I made it clear during a debate that if I had not been running, I would be supporting John McCain. So I’m not running, and I’m supporting John McCain and he is far away the best person to be the commander in chief of the United States.”

Any quid pro quo/VP slot?

“There is absolutely no understanding on any position in government. I am not seeking any position in government. I am going to be a very enthusiastic and active supporter of John McCain. I have offered, anything he or his campaign believe I can do, I will do for them……I’ve also called a lot of my people, as many as I could in this short period of time, and asked them to support Sen. McCain and so far no one has said that they wouldn’t. Some have said yes, some are thinking about it…….I’m not seeking the vice president nomination. It’s way too premature for anybody to be speculating about vice presidential candidates. I’m not seeking a position in government.”

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In his Denver speech Wednesday, Barack Obama told the crowd that Democrats need someone who held a different position on the War in Iraq with  John McCain, the Republican with the momentum at the moment. In other words, Hillary Clinton voted with John McCain to authorize the war and Democrats need a “clear contrast” with the Republicans. “It’s not enough to say you’ll be ready from Day One - you have to be right from Day One,” Obama said.

Check out his McCain remarks here:

Senator John Edwards phoned Senator Barack Obama yesterday when Obama was in El Dorado, Kansas. According to Obama staffers, Edwards told Obama he was likely to drop out of the race, but had not yet made a decision. They two also talked about poverty, an issue for which Edwards has championed during his campaign for the presidency.

Staffers confirmed that Edwards phoned Obama again this morning prior to the candidate’s Denver rally to inform him that he was, in fact, dropping out. The two did not discuss an endorsement, but staffers say obviously Obama would like Edwards’ support going forward.

“I congratulated him on a great race and what a gracious way to end by going back to New Orleans,” Obama said to a reporter before talking to an overflow crowd at his Denver rally. When asked what impact Edwards’ departure would have on the race, Obama answered, “I don’t know.”

Here’s what Obama said about Edwards to a crowd of about 9,000 in Denver:

Clinton Campaign Statement on John Edwards withdrawal from the Democratic Race:

“John Edwards ended his campaign today in the same way he started it - by standing with the people who are too often left behind and nearly always left out of our national debate.

John ran with compassion and conviction and lifted this campaign with his deep concern for the daily lives of the American people. That is what this election is about - it’s about our people. And John is one of the greatest champions the American people could ask for.

I wish John and Elizabeth all the best. They have my great personal respect and gratitude. And I know they will continue to fight passionately for the country and the people they love so deeply.”

Edwards called Clinton yesterday to say that dropping out of the race today was a possibility. He called again this morning to break the news officially, and she promised to keep his core issue of poverty in America at the forefront of the campaign.

Listen to what she had to say to reporters about Edwards here:

Fox News has learned that Rudy Giuliani will be dropping out of the race and will be endorsing GOP frontrunner John McCain. According to a long time senior insider with John McCain, Rudy Giuliani will endorse John McCain, as early as today.” We are still working out the details,” The staffer said. Read Carl Cameron’s Report and McCain Embed Producer,  Malini Bawa’s Report on this breaking news.

Fox News has learned that former Senator , and Democratic contender for the White House, John Edwards will announce today in New Orleans that he is dropping out of the race. Edwards press staffers say that he will “not endorse anyone at the moment.” 

While Republicans fought out a Florida contest with unquestioned significance, much of election day for Democrats was spent battling over just how much the Sunshine State really matters. On a conference call with reporters, top Clinton advisers made it clear they think Florida’s results are a big deal — even though the state awards zero delegates because it violated DNC rules by moving its primary into January.

Citing record turnout among Democrats (more than 1.7 million voted, more than IA, NH, NV and SC combined) despite a complete lack of campaigning in the state, Clinton communications director Howard Wolfson said “we don’t envision a circumstance in which the Democratic National Convention doesn’t seat delegates from Michigan and Florida.”

The Obama campaign responded with a conference call of its own featuring John Kerry, who warned the media not to believe the hype. “It is not a legitimate race, it should not become a spin race,” he said — just the kind of politics Obama rejects, though it’s unclear how calling the votes of more than a million Democrats illegitimate jibes with a new politics of unity and inclusion.

Clinton showed how much she thinks Florida’s results matter by holding a victory rally in Davie as the polls closed. “I could not come here to ask in person for your votes, but I am here to thank you for your votes today,” she said. “This has been a record turnout because Floridians wanted their voices to be heard on the great issues that affect our country and the world. I am thrilled to have had this vote of confidence that you have given me today, and I promise you I will do everything I can to make sure not only are Florida’s Democratic delegates seated, but Florida is in the winning column for the Democrats in 2008.”

Obama’s campaign wants the media to see this as strictly a delegate fight — mitigating the positive news coverage and momentum for Clinton coming out of what was always expected to be a big win for her. Clinton’s camp, meanwhile, would love for the Florida victory to have some legs and staunch the bleeding from the drubbing she took in South Carolina. Either way, the dramatic GOP headlines will probably suck up most of the oxygen on the front pages tomorrow.

Check out the Clinton campaign memo on the Florida results after the jump. (more…)