I have been thinking about what we are going to need to do for the Jan. 4th paper, when we will run the results of the Iowa caucuses. So I went back to look at the paper from Jan. 4, 2008, to look at what we did then. (This is a lot of how we get started in our thinking; looking at what we did last time. The trap, of couse, is that this isn't the best way to innovate. But anyway.)

I was reminded that four years ago, if Barack Obama wasn't in the race, John Edwards would have probably won the Democratic Iowa caucuses, and with that momentum, he might have gone on to win the nomination over Hilary Clinton. Obama got 38 percent in Iowa, Edwards 30 percent and Clinton 29 percent. 

In the Rob Christensen/Jim Morrill story about Edwards' 2nd place finish, we quoted an ECU political science prof as saying "Edwards is in big trouble."

Little did we know.

On the Republican side four years ago, Mike Huckabee won Iowa with 34 percent, followed by Mitt Romney, with 25 percent.  The eventual GOP nominee, John McCain, got 13 percent.

On our Jan. 4, 2008 front page, we ran mugs of the top vote-getters across the top of 1A. McCain's showing was so feeble that he didn't get a picture. He was listed as an also-ran with Fred Thompson, who also got 13 percent. You know, Fred Thompson of  Law and Order fame.

This year, the focus will just be on the Republicans, and it is worth remembering that the Iowa caucuses can be predictive except when they're not. Jimmy Carter put them on the map and Ron Paul may take them off.

And at the end of next month, four years to the day after Edwards quit the presidential race, jury selection is scheduled to start in his trial in federal court in Greensboro.

Are The New York Times and local Republicans overstating the role that Obama for America played in this fall's Wake County election results?

The Sunday Times Review analysis piece cites the Raleigh and Charlotte mayoral races and the Wake school board races as examples of how successful the Obama campaign was locally. The article goes on to quote local Republicans to buttress the assertions in the piece about a mass Obama for America organizing effort in Wake.

“It was very scary,” said Chris Sinclair, a strategist for Billie Redmond, the Republican candidate for mayor in Raleigh. “You don’t know what’s going on until you wake up after Election Day and go, ‘Oh my gosh, what happened?’ ”

In Performance: Country Music at the White House (8pm, UNC-TV) - President and Mrs. Obama host a tribute to country music in which contemporary artists pay homage to the genre's inconic figures. Performers include The Band Perry, Dierks Bentley, Lauren Alaina, Alison Krauss, Kris Kristofferson, Lyle Lovett, Darius Rucker, and James Taylor (right). The concert was taped Monday night in the East Room at the White House. 

The Middle (8pm, ABC) - Frankie and her sister (Molly Shannon) clash over their opposing parenting styles while spending Thanksgiving with their folks (Marsha Mason and Jerry Van Dyke). "Suburgatory" and "Modern Family" also have Thanksgiving-themed episodes tonight.

X-Factor (8pm, Fox) - One of the remaining 9 contestants is eliminated and Kelly Clarkson performs.

The Biggest Loser: Where are They Now? (9pm, NBC) - Updates on past contestants along with bloopers and behind-the-scenes footage. Also, the trainers offer their thoughts on the current season.

American Horror Story (10pm, FX) - A lot of reveals tonight, not the least of which is the identity of Rubber Man! This is a seriously jam-packed episode, folks.

Revenge (10pm, ABC) - Emily seeks guidance from her mentor after losing her most trusted ally. Meanwhile, Victoria finds herself all alone and Tyler continues to cause damage.

Local Democrats are pulling out all the stops to help Wake County school board member Kevin Hill defeat Heather Losurdo in the runoff election.

As noted in today's article, you've got groups like Common Sense Matters hiring The Strategy Group, a Washington political consulting firm, to develop mailers attacking Losurdo. Past clients for this firm include President Barack Obama, former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and current Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

You've also got the Wake County Democratic Party mounting, for them, an unprecedented field operation in an off-year election.

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan is calling the recent Wake County school board election results that could put Democrats back in control "very positive" and saying he's "very, very closely" watching the runoff election.

Duncan was in Raleigh today to tout President Barack Obama's jobs bill. While at a press conference at Wake Tech, Duncan was asked about Wake's newly adopted student assignment plan.

"I don't know the details of the plan," Duncan said. "I do know that there was a recent school board election in Wake County. It was very positive. I know, I think there's one more seat up in a runoff and it's something I'm watching very, very closely.

Wake County Republican Party Chairwoman Susan Bryant is attributing last week's school board election results to "President Obama’s national organization" while also trying to rally people around Heather Losurdo's runoff efforts.

In the first post-election issue of the Elephant Express, Bryant writes today that "President Obama, Governor Perdue, and Reverend Barber won last week." She charges that the various Democratic-leaning groups that sent out mailers attacking Losurdo and school board chairman Ron Margiotta are linked to Obama.

"Make no mistake!" Bryant writes. "President Obama’s national organization was very much involved in the recent elections, with particular emphasis on Ron Margiotta’s and Heather Losurdo’s campaigns. They hired 'volunteers' and spent tens of thousands on mailers cleverly disguised as coming from non-related groups.

Will you children be hearing President Obama's speech to students today?

It's going to depend on your child's principal if you're in the Wake County school system. Greg Thomas, Wake's director of communications, sent an e-mail to principals on Tuesday saying the speech is considered to be "an optional instructional activity."

The e-mail says "Should individual schools choose to participate, they are asked to follow our practice for any additional enrichment activity.

Progress North Carolina, a liberal advocacy group, is going after Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo.

Progress NC Action has launched this website in which they call Losurdo "the queen of extreme" for various remarks she's posted on Facebook. The group accuses Losurdo's remarks of showing she has "extremist ideas," "anti-public school views" and "hate speech."

One remark they highlight is a Facebook post from Losurdo in which she  uses the acronym "LMAO!!!," for "laughing my a-- off," in response to a 2010 post by her husband, Craig Losurdo: "The skunk has replaced the Eagle as the new symbol of the American Presidency. It is half black, half white, and everything it does stinks!"

CLARIFICATION

The website was created by Progress NC Action, the group formed by the parent organization to allow it to be involved in political races.

Wake County Democratic Party Chairman Mack Paul is accusing the GOP of trying to "deceive" voters by saying President Barack Obama's campaign is involved in the school board races.

In a press release today, Paul says statements made this week by Wake County Republican Party Chairwoman Susan Bryant about the involvement of Obama and other "national forces" in school board elections is false. He calls it "an attempt to distract voters from the real issues and the record of the Ron Margiotta-led Majority."

"Clearly, Wake County Republican Chair Susan Bryant is dead-set on running a campaign that has nothing to do with the actual issues facing our schools," Paul said in the release. "The Wake Republicans, and their special interest allies, continue to mislead the voters of Wake County by sending them mailers filled with wild claims because they understand how unpopular their Tea Party agenda has become."

What do Tuesday's national Republican congressional wins and today's visit to the Triangle by President Barack Obama have in common?

How about the Wake County school board? That's the connection that Wake County Republican Party Chairwoman Susan Bryant points to today in this week's issue of the Elephant Express.

"The twin wins for the GOP mean the Republican resurgence which began right here in Wake County two years ago is alive and well and still gaining momentum nationally," Bryant writes. "Yes. We started it."