SNEAK PEEK: With F.O.B.'s Like These

December 3, 2007— -- One Month Until the Iowa Caucuses

The Democratic '08ers -- minus Bill Richardson -- take part Tuesday in an audio-only debate sponsored by NPR and Iowa Public Radio.

Tuesday's debate, which gets underway at 2:00 pm ET in Des Moines, will be the first debate since slight changes in the Iowa horse race altered coverage in Barack Obama's favor.

It will also be Obama's first encounter with Hillary Clinton since his kindergarten years – and his character – have come under new scrutiny from Camp Clinton.

On Monday, Clinton criticized Obama for voting present, rather than "yes" or "no," on a number of contentious votes as a member of the Illinois state senate.

"A president can't vote 'present,'" said Clinton. ". . . instead of looking for political cover or taking a pass, we need a president who will take a stand. And stand there and do whatever is necessary for their country."

(Side Note: When Obama took a pass on a handful of controversial abortion votes, he did so with the explicit support of the president and CEO of Illinois Planned Parenthood. Pam Sutherland is now backing his presidential bid.)

If Clinton opens up on Obama's health care or Social Security proposals on Tuesday, look for him to invoke former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich.

Reich, a well-known F.O.B. from his days with Bill Clinton at Oxford and Yale, came to Obama's defense Monday in a blog posting entitled, "Why is HRC Stooping So Low?" http://robertreich.blogspot.com/

As for the Republicans on Tuesday, be sure to catch Mike Huckabee on Don Imus' new program and Ron Paul on "The View."

TiVo alert:

On Monday night, be sure to tune into Nightline. ABC's John Donvan spent the day on the trail with Mike Huckabee.

As for the Democrats. . .

HILLARY CLINTON

--2:00 pm ET: Participates in the NPR/Iowa Public Radio Debate, Des Moines, Ia.

PRESIDENT CLINTON

--10:00 am ET: Attends Keene State University Organizing for Change Event, Keene, NH.

--12:00 pm ET: Attends Claremont Organizing for Change Event, Claremont, NH.

--3:30 pm ET: President Clinton Attends Lebanon Organizing for Change Event, Lebanon, NH.

BARACK OBAMA

-- 2:00 pm ET: Participates in the NPR/Iowa Public Radio Debate, Des Moines, Ia.

-- 7:30 pm ET: Attends a rally, Grinnell, Ia.

-- 10:00 pm ET: Attends a rally, Iowa City, Ia.

MICHELLE OBAMA

--2:30 pm ET: Attends a Roundtable with Working Women in Portsmouth, NH.

JOHN EDWARDS

-- 2:00 pm ET: Participates in the NPR/Iowa Public Radio Debate, Des Moines Ia.