Punching Bag: [Michael D. Shear, The Washington Post]: "Earlier this year, the senator from New York was the subject of an occasional laugh line from former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani. Now, the trickle has become a torrent as the leading GOP candidates seek to one-up one another in a Clinton-bashing contest aimed at energizing their party faithful."

Heir of Regan: [Josh Getlin, Los Angeles Times]: "Former publisher Judith Regan filed a $100-million defamation lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. and other defendants Tuesday, alleging she was asked by company officials to lie to federal investigators in order to protect Rudolph W. Giuliani's presidential bid."

History Lessons: [Marcella Bombardieri, The Boston Globe]: "In the past week, the Democratic nomination fight has become more of a referendum on the Clinton years and whether Bill Clinton brought the good life to middle-class Americans or squandered eight years in compromise and scandal."

Keeping Mum: [Thomas Beaumont, The DesMoines Register]: "Sen. Charles Grassley, an Iowa Republican, said Tuesday he does not expect to endorse a candidate before the 2008 caucuses in part because no GOP candidate has emerged as a clear favorite to beat Hillary Clinton, if she captures the Democratic nomination."

Going Negative: [Jonathan Martin, Politico]: "Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign has television ads and mailings on standby to attack Rudy Giuliani but so far has not used them because of an internal dispute about the risks of a backlash in going negative on the Republican front-runner, according to numerous sources in and close to the Romney campaign"

--Ben Crair