The candidates are scrambling for ways to differentiate themselves. Oprah and Streisand (and maybe even Powell) are just the beginning. With the national field wide open among Republicans and tight in Iowa for Democrats, all that's left to talk about are (1) each other (see Mark's post below), and (2) trivia.

So, this is where it gets exciting, folks! That is, if you’re into personal attacks that attempt not to sound negative, or even better, nuanced (for modern presidential campaigns) policy back and forths!

Actually, all jokes aside, perhaps this is the point where we start to hear real discussion of policy. Biden was off to the races yesterday with his comments on Iraq:

Yesterday's attempt by John McCain and Rudy Giuliani to defend the Bush-Cheney troop surge in Iraq totally misses the point , and is misleading to the American people. Security in Iraq is better, thanks in no small measure to our troops. But there is no evidence , none , that the surge is succeeding in achieving its stated objective: to allow Iraqis to come together politically.

Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Chris Dodd oppose the notion of permanent bases in Iraq (see earlier post for Senator Dodd's comments). (hat tip: Oxblog)

Clinton wants an investigation into contracts awarded at the Department of Homeland Security:

to expand an investigation of federal contracting practices to investigate the practice of award fees by DHS, especially when it comes to no-bid contracts.

There's negativity in the Republican race as well, though mostly between the Iowa front-runner Mitt Romney and the national front-runner Rudy Giuliani. Perhaps they will get down to basics during their CNN/You Tube debate tonight.