Um, yeah. Enter the Doubletalk Waltz.

It's pretty clear that Senator Clinton wants to be President, and that she's wanted that for quite some time.

What's unclear, to me at least, is why. What's the big idea, the vision that only Hillary is fighting for? Other than, of course, that she really wants to be President? I suspect I'm not alone in not seeing the reason why here. However, merely wanting the job for its own sake really isn't enough.

On the web: John Edwards for President

I am going to get a lot of hell for this one, but honestly, it's just too good to pass up. Here's a clip put together by the John Edwards camapaign, capitalizing on Hillary Clinton's fumbling on last Tuesday's primary debate.

Wow. It's the one debate I chose not to watch because it had Tim Russert as the moderator ... and I just hate his Botoxed eyes.

Who knew it would be "the debate" to watch?!?

Contrary to what you may have heard, your consent as a voter is actually required before the coronation of President Hillary Clinton; not just once, but twice, first in a primary election scheduled for February 5th.

See, betcha you didn't know that.

With that in mind, please join John Edwards for a conference call this Sunday. RSVP here.

Or, if you prefer to embrace New York's Tory lineage, dynastic rule after all being inscribed in our very name, you're also free to join Councilman Bill de Blasio, Congressman Rangel and both Presidents Clinton this Saturday at Abyssinian Baptist Church for what is being billed, with no apparent sense of irony, as Hillary's Homecoming. It's a rare chance to get at least in the same room with Hillary without forking over cash, so by all means, avail yourself of this rare opportunity.

Many people have been latching onto the second to last line in Edwards' rebuttal: "No timeline, no funding. No excuses."

It is a good line. But I prefer the definitive simplicity of the last line:

"It is time to end this war."

Here is John Edwards's statement on Iraq:

Today I was able to make Senator John Edwards' policy speech on fighting terrorism at Pace University. This is my first time hearing Edwards in person and I will say I liked him. Again, I remain undecided among Edwards, Richardson and Obama, and remain happy with all the Dem candidates. But hearing Edwards today did boost my estimation of him.

Edwards' speech started just a tad flat and unconvincing. A few lines of it made me think he needed new speech writers. However, he rapidly moved into some real solid material. The first part struck two main themes: BOLD and smart.

BOLD as in a bold, new strategy to fight terrorism, breaking away from the out-dated, failed flailing of Bush.

Bold was the most repeated theme, with smart coming in second. As a combination it is a powerful shift from the current Bush failures which are neither bold, merely bullying, and about as far from smart as anyone can get.

The speech ended with a Kennedy-esque call to service, an "ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country" moment calling on the young students of Pace to join in and face the challenges that the 21st century have thrown at us.

John Edwards is in town, to garner, it seems, endorsements from every union in the City and, probably, to raise some money from the ever-generous ATM that is Manhattan.

He's also going to give what's being billed as a major policy address tomorrow, and this has the potential to be even more interesting than his locking up of union support.

New York, New York – On Friday, September 7th, 2007, Senator John Edwards will visit Pace University to deliver a major policy address on counterterrorism in which he will outline his plan to make America safer.

That would be this Pace University:

That's intriguing to say the least.

Unfair fare?How much of the costs of building and operating mass transit should NYC bus & subway riders bear? More, it appears, but without any debate of the policy alternatives the MTA tells us via Newsday. MTA staff proposes a 6.5% fare increase Why not an increase in state/city funding instead?

Economic Integration?The hostility of the Supreme Court to racial integration has stirred enthusiasm for an alternative: economic integration – now advocated by John Edwards builds on the work of The Century Fund’s Rick Kahlenberg .

Breslin’s Best Ever I think all this impeachment talk is a waste of time. Progressives have the smallest of edges in Congress (non-existent in the Senate). But, if you want to read the best case ever for impeaching President Bush, read Jimmy Breslin’s column here

Phantom Voters? In NY State, incarcerated prisoners (who, pre-prison, largely resided in NYC)

Governor Cuomo had the great hall of Cooper Union in stitches yesterday with one of his famous extemporaneous speeches, prompted by the fact that the evening's featured speaker, John Edwards, was delayed by traffic.

Mario Cuomo at the Lincoln Lectern

As is the way of such things, the audience got an earful, including a polished critique of the Reagan years; a wonderful human being himself, the man, with some accomplishments, but also the cause of much that is wrong in America today, and the initiator of not one, but seven, one two three four five six seven, tax hikes. Mario Cuomo, as an aside, seems to be coming into his own as the elder statesman of New York Democrats; it's not an overstatement to say that waves of affection spilled over that stage.

The real meat, however, was in Cuomo's remarks on the Presidential race.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg used his first public appearance since announcing switching from the Republican Party to being an independent, a press conference celebrating the alleged success of his 311 program, to showcase his policy creativity to the media.

Bloomberg’s aware that his leaving the Republican Party would confirm to the media, his current constituents and potential presidential voters, that he’s pursuing an independent Presidential candidacy, despite saying wink, wink, I’m not running, and knew the world be watching his first appearance after making public his official political independence. This is why Bloomberg is using a press conference honoring 311, a program that he is particularly but unjustifiably proud of, as the location of his personal Presidential Debutante Ball.

Bloomberg hoped touting 311 success would perpetuate the myth that he’s a non-partisan problem solver. But the emperor has no clothes. 311 is useless.