SNEAK PEEK: The Gifts That Keep on Giving

December 20, 2007— -- 13 Days Until the Iowa Caucuses

Seizing on the spirit of the season, the 2008 presidential candidates are taking some time off the trail early next week. But first they will squeeze in as many events as they can over the next 72 hours while they still have the attention of voters in Iowa and New Hampshire.

We have heard from several of the presidential candidates on what they are hoping to find under their tree this holiday season but what they have not revealed is what they are getting their Campaign Secret Santa. Yes, the 08ers crossed party lines and agreed to do an unprecedented gift swap.

Ron Paul decided that Barack Obama has enough "presents" already (nearly 130 of them) – so he didn't get him anything. LINK

Obama is giving the Texas Republican a boring sweater, because he figures Paul's Internet supporters already have given him everything he needs and if not they can quickly mobilize and raise enough cash to afford something from the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book (do they sell blimps?)

Sportsfan Rudy Giuliani wanted to give Hillary Clinton a lump of coal but thought a better (and more snarky) gift would be Yankees, Mets and Cubs hats. Clinton is thinking along the same lines and is giving Rudy season tickets to the Red Sox (and a map to Fenway Park).

Mitt Romney and John Edwards went the easy route, giving each other gift certificates to Andre Chreky Salon for top-shelf hair products or a $400 haircut

Jinx! Fred Thompson and Chris Dodd gave each other the same thing – a gift card for a special rate on diaper service for AARP members. (Dodd also slipped Thompson a fundraising solicitation letter as Thompson gave him a signed copy of "The Hunt for Red October" DVD).

Mike Huckabee is riding high in the polls and loving life. He wanted to give Joe Biden some divine advice on how to successfully bust out of that second-tier in Iowa, something the Delaware Senator is definitely wishing for, but instead is going to give him a copy of the Bible, with a caution to not quote it too "liberally." Biden plans to return the favor with a copy of his book, "Promises to Keep: On Life and Politics"

Kucinich is going to give McCain a copy of "The Little Engine That Could" and words of encouragement for the New Hampshire primary – and possibly some wheat grass. McCain thinks that Kucinich could improve his standing in the polls if he improved his image so he will give him a leather bomber jacket and a pair of aviator shades.

Duncan Hunter is giving Bill Richardson his business card to remind another person he is still in the race and no, he is not that guy who dropped out this afternoon, and Richardson is giving the California Congressman a Spanish-English dictionary.

As for what's happening on the trail, Romney won the backing of Tom Tancredo, who dropped out of the race on Thursday. Maybe Tancredo's support will provide Romney with a boost among the most hardline of the hardliners on immigration. Tancredo is the fourth GOPer to exit the race. He follows Sam Brownback, Tommy Thompson and Jim Gilmore.

Judith Giuliani told the world Thursday that her husband was in good health after he overnighted at a Missouri hospital with flu-like symptoms. The former mayor hits the trail this weekend in New Hampshire with another national poll showing him in trouble. A new Fox News national polls has Giuliani at 20% support with Huckabee and McCain right on his heels at 19 %.

Team Clinton continued to raise questions about Obama's decision to vote 'present' 130 times on bills during his career in the Illinois legislature. The Clinton campaign's attack Thursday on a conference call hit Obama on one of his core campaign messages - that his judgment has prepared him for the presidency.

Why did he come down in the "vague center" of "I can't decide", the Clinton surrogates wondered. It shows a lack of leadership, they said, while Clinton has taken the tough votes and you know where she stands, they added.

Obama's assertion that voting present is "common practice" in Illinois will probably become examined in the days to come. But the story here is this continued aggressiveness with Obama, proving that the Clinton folks know he's a threat.

On the Campaign Trail. . .

RUDY GIULIANI

-- 1:15 pm ET: Holds town hall with voters, Merrimack, NH

MIKE HUCKABEE

-- 10:00 am ET: Speaks to voters at event, Davenport, IA

-- 1:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Muscatine, IA

-- 4:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Coralville, IA

-- 6:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Dubuque, IA

MITT ROMNEY

-- 1:30 pm ET: Meets with voters, Nashua, NH

-- 6:00 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Rochester, NH

JOHN MCCAIN

-- 9:00 am ET: Attends event with voters, Baton Rouge, LA

-- 1:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Shreveport, LA

-- 6:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Phoenix, AZ

-- 7:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Phoenix, AZ

FRED THOMPSON

-- 10:00 am ET: Meets with voters, Sioux City, IA

-- 12:35 pm ET: Participates in radio town hall Sioux City, IA

-- 2:45 pm ET: Tours downtown Sheldon, Sheldon, IA

-- 4:15 pm ET: Tours downtown Spencer, Spencer, IA

-- 8:00 pm ET: Meets with voters, Fort Dodge, IA

DUNCAN HUNTER

-- 9:00 am ET: Meets with voters, Madison Heights, MI

-- 10:30 am ET: Meets with voters, Livonia, MI

As for the Democrats. . . .

HILLARY CLINTON

-- 1:45 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Concord, NH

-- 4:30 pm ET: Visits downtown Portsmouth, Portsmouth, NH

-- 6:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Stratham, NH

BARACK OBAMA

-- 11:45 am ET: Attends town hall with voters, Davenport, IA

-- 2:30 pm ET: Attends town hall with voters, Coralville, IA

-- 5:15 pm ET: Meets with voters, Washington, IA

JOHN EDWARDS

-- 11:15 am ET: Appears on Iowa Public Television's Iowa Press Show, Johnston, IA

-- 1:15 am ET: Speaks to voters at event, Des Moines, IA

-- 6:00 pm ET: Participates in roundtable discussion with voters, Nevada, IA

-- 8:15 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Tama, IA

JOE BIDEN

-- 9:00 am ET: Speaks with voters at event, Vinton, IA

-- 11:30 am ET: Speaks with voters at event, Anamosa, IA

-- 2:30 pm ET: Speaks with voters at event, Bellevue, IA

-- 7:00 pm ET: Speaks with voters at event, Clinton, IA

CHRIS DODD

-- 1:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Cedar Rapids, IA

-- 4:30 pm ET: Attends community forum with voters, Manchester, IA

-- 8:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Iowa City, IA

BILL RICHARDSON-- 10:00 am ET: Attends event with voters, Cedar Rapids, IA

-- 3:15 pm ET: Speaks to voters at event, Newton, IA

-- 5:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Ankeny, IA

-- 7:30 pm ET: Speaks to voters at event, Cambridge, IA

ELIZABETH KUCINICH

-- 3:00 pm ET: Attends fundraiser with voters, Sebastopol, CA

-- 10:00 pm ET: Attends rally with voters, San Francisco, CA

At the White House

PRESIDENT BUSH AND LAURA BUSH

-- 11:00 am ET: Leave the White House for Camp David

Saturday, December 22, 2007

RUDY GIULIANI

-- 10:00 am ET: Attends event with voters, Manchester, NH

-- 11:45 am ET: Holds town hall with voters, Hopkinton, NH

-- 2:30 pm ET: Meets with voters, Meredith, NH

MIKE HUCKABEE

-- 9:30 am ET: Attends event with voters, Council Bluffs, IA

-- 1:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Sioux City, IA

-- 3:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Orange City, IA

-- 5:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Sheldon, IA

MITT ROMNEY

-- 8:00 am ET: Meets with voters, Conway, NH

-- 9:30 am ET: Hold event with voters, North Conway, NH

-- 1:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Tuftonboro, NH

-- 3:45 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Londonderry, NH

FRED THOMPSON

-- 11:00 am ET: Meets with voters, Mason City, IA

-- 2:00 pm ET: Meets with voters, Ames, IA

-- 4:30 pm ET: Tours downtown Marshalltown, Marshalltown, IA

-- 6:10 pm ET: Meets with voters, Urbandale, IA

As for the Democrats. . . .

HILLARY CLINTON

-- 9:00 am ET: Attends event with voters, Manchester, NH

-- 11:30 am ET: Visits Milford, Milford, NH

-- 2:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Keene, NH

-- 5:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Lebanon, NH

BARACK OBAMA

-- 10:00 am ET: Meets with voters, Oskaloosa, IA

-- 1:00 pm ET: Attends town hall with voters, Indianola, IA

-- 4:00 pm ET: Meets with voters, Winterset, IA

-- 6:15 pm ET: Attends rally with voters, Waukee, IA

-- 8:30 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Urbandale, IA

JOHN EDWARDS

-- 12:30 pm ET: Participates in roundtable discussion with voters, Lisbon, IA

-- 2:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Coralville, IA

-- 6:45 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Clinton, IA

JOE BIDEN

-- 10:00 am ET: Speaks with voters at event, Eldridge, IA

-- 1:00 pm ET: Speaks with voters at event, Davenport, IA

CHRIS DODD

-- 2:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Coralville, IA

-- 3:30 pm ET: Attends book-signing event, Muscatine, IA

-- 5:30 pm ET: Attends community forum with voters, Anamosa, IA

-- 8:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Waterloo, IA

BILL RICHARDSON

-- Spends the day in Iowa

DENNIS KUCINICH AND ELIZABETH KUCINICH

-- 10:30 am ET: Attend event with voters, Oakland, CA

-- 11:50 am ET: Attend event with voters, Oakland, CA

-- 6:20 pm ET: Attend event with voters, San Luis Obispo, CA

-- 7:00 pm ET: Attend rally with voters, San Luis Obispo, CA

-- 8:00 pm ET: Attend fundraiser with voters, San Luis Obispo, CA

Sunday December 23, 2007

RUDY GIULIANI

-- 10:00 am ET: Attends event with voters, Hampton, NH

-- 11:15 am ET: Attends event with voters, Exeter, NH

-- 2:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Hampstead, NH

MIKE HUCKABEE

-- Appears CBS' "Face the Nation" with host Bob Schieffer

MITT ROMNEY

-- 12:45 pm ET: Meets with voters, Milford, NH

-- 2:15 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Peterborough, NH

-- 4:15 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Hillsborough, NH

RON PAUL

-- Appears on NBC's "Meet the Press" with host Tim Russert

As for the Democrats. . . .

BARACK OBAMA

-- 12:00 pm ET: Meets with voters, Greenfield, IA

-- 3:30 pm ET: Meets with voters, Harlan, IA

-- 6:15 pm ET: Attends rally with voters, Council Bluffs, IA

CHRIS DODD

-- 12:00 am ET: Attends community forum with voters, Riverside, IA

-- 6:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Burlington, IA

-- 8:30 pm ET: Attends community forum with voters, Fairfield, IA

BILL RICHARDSON

-- Spends the day in Iowa

DENNIS KUCINICH AND ELIZABETH KUCINICH

-- 9:45 am ET: Attend event with voters, San Luis Obispo, CA

-- 3:30 pm ET: Attend rally with voters, Los Angeles, CA

POLITICAL NEWS STORIES ON ABCNEWS.COM

ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Clinton Launches Obama Attack Web Sites LINK

ABC News' Jennifer Parker and Jan Simmonds Report: Rudy Giuliani Released From Hospital LINK

ABC News' Kate Snow Reports: Clinton Camp Piles on Obama's 'Presents' LINK

ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf Reports: Tancredo Drops White House Bid, Endorses Romney LINK

ABC News' Eloise Harper reports: Clinton's Foreign Policy Argument LINK

ABC News' Teddy Davis Reports: Pro-Clinton Group Uses Edwards to Hit Obama LINK

ABC News' John Berman Reports: One Day in the Metrics of Mitt LINK

ABC's Sunlen Miller Reports: Obama Says He'd Consider Arnold for His Cabinet LINK

ABC News' Kate Snow and Jennifer Duck Report: Bush: Clinton Will Be Lonely on Global Tour LINK

ABC News' Brian Wheeler Reports: Biden's 'January Night' in Iowa LINK

ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Dropping Oppo, Part 6 LINK

ABC News' Eloise Harper reports: Hollbrooke on Clinton LINK

POLITICAL VIDEO ON ABCNEWS.COM

Rudy Giuliani 'In Very Good Health'The presidential candidate's wife addresses the media about his health. LINK

Obama Overcomes HurdlesAs Christmas approaches, Obama is the frontrunner here in Iowa. LINK

Bush Laughs Off Idea of Bush 41/Clinton TourPresident Bush: "Sounds like it's going to be a one-man trip!" LINK

Bush Not Satisfied with Iraq ProgressBush addresses the status of war on terror during his 43rd WH press conference. LINK

Huckabee's Rise Related to Religion?Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee gets used to the frontrunner mantle. LINK

Candidates Deliver Christmas Greetings Not wanting to lose voters attention, '08 hopefuls run Christmas ads. LINK

Can Barack Obama Stay Ahead?The senator from Illinois holds a slim lead in the Iowa polls. LINK

Inside the CampaignFollow Sen. Hillary Clinton on the trail in Iowa. LINK

Fire Damages VP's OfficeDick Cheney's suite in the Old Executive Building suffers water damage. LINK

GOP Candidates Face Iowa and NHHow Huckabee and McCain are preparing for the voting onslaught. LINK

The GOP Race for Iowa and NHRomney, Giuliani, Huckabee and McCain duke it out. LINK

Fred Thompson Faces Iowa and NHHow the former Law & Order star is faring in the GOP presidential race. LINK

Dem. Candidates Face Iowa and NHClinton, Obama and Edwards on the trail. LINK

Issues Facing Dem. Presidential CandidatesHow Clinton, Obama, and Edwards are preparing for the voting onslaught. LINK

Is the DOJ Protecting Halliburton?Members of Congress claim that unprosecuted rape cases are apart of a larger problem. LINK