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John McCain is discussing his health care plan this week, saying he wants to put "individuals and families back in charge, and [force] companies to respond with better service at lower cost." His new ad spotlights his proposal for a $5,000 refundable tax credit for every family, "so that they can go out across state lines and get the insurance policy that suits them best." (For the full script, see Starting Gate.)

Here's McCain's ad, in which the candidate himself makes his case:



There's another ad out today about McCain's health care plan, though it offers a very different message. Just consider the way the Service Employees International Union bills the spot in a press release: "SEIU BEGINS NATIONAL TV ASSAULT ON MCCAIN’S TERRIBLE HEALTHCARE 'PLAN.'”

The spot, which is running in Ohio and the District of Columbia, features what appear to be medical professionals discussing their jobs. "Our next president has to get health care costs under control," says one. Cue an announcer: "Like President Bush, John McCain won't stop rising health care costs. McCain opposed common sense ideas like letting seniors buy prescriptions through Medicare. And he joined Bush to oppose health care for children."

Watch it:

As expected, Barack Obama has secured endorsements from the 60,000-member Culinary Workers Union in Nevada and the Nevada chapter of the Service Employees International Union, the Associated Press reports.

With Obama having won the Iowa caucuses and Hillary Clinton taking the New Hampshire primary, Nevada's caucuses take on an added importance. The Nevada SEIU claims to have 17,500 members, and the support of both unions could be a boost to Obama in the Jan. 19th caucuses.

"The culinary union, representing hotel, restaurant and laundry workers in Nevada's casino industry, is the largest and best organized labor group in the state," AP writes. "It has the ability to steer thousands of voters to the state's Jan. 19 caucus and turn an already competitive three-way scramble for supporters into an all-out ground-level frenzy."

In a statement, SEIU Executive Director Jane McAlevey said this:

"Nevada is a caucus state, and as Obama showed in Iowa, organization of every precinct is key to winning. SEIU Nevada members from Reno to Elko to Las Vegas are ready to make a difference in this state for our candidate."

The endorsement means that SEIU unions in other states are permitted to work with their Nevada counterpart on Obama's behalf in the state.

*This post has been updated with news of the Culinary Workers Union endorsement.

The biggest story out of today's Wall Street Journal/CNBC/MSNBC sponsored Republican forum, which airs at 4 pm on CNBC and focuses primarily on economic issues, is the debate debut of former Sen. Fred Thompson. Thompson has been widely criticized for being unprepared to handle questions on the campaign trail – he appeared unaware there was oil drilling in the Florida Everglades and refused to share an opinion on the Terri Schiavo case, stating that he doesn't "remember the details of it." Saturday Night Live has even joined in on the Thompson's-heart-isn't-in-it narrative: On this weekend's edition, a Thompson impersonator said, "How bad do I want to be your president? On a scale of one to ten, I'm about a six."

So the debate is a crucial opportunity for Thompson to show that he is a ready-for-prime-time-player. Thompson's decision to announce his candidacy on "The Tonight Show" on a night that the Republican candidates were debating drew strong criticism from his rivals. He has acknowledged being "a bit rusty" as a debater and says he hopes to “hang in there” with his more-practiced opponents.

It appears to be a classic chance for beating low expectations. The bar for judging his performance is as low as he’ll find from here on out. Even a marginally competent job in discussing the broad parameters of his economic policy this afternoon should result in some good pundit reviews for the newest candidate in the race.

But here’s why many GOP voters and commentators tuning in may end up seeing things differently: It’s getting late and the stakes are very high. Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mike Huckabee and the rest of the GOP field have had months to fine-tune their debate performances and, just as importantly, their political messages.

Republicans will want someone who they feel can compete with Hillary Clinton, who increasingly looks like the likely Democratic nominee. Clinton’s campaign up to this point has moved forward like a well-oiled and mistake-free operation and nervous Republicans may well be looking for someone to match that intensity, not a candidate who can just clear a low-setting bar. With just under three months before the Iowa caucuses begin, Thompson may need to do more than just survive his first debate if he wants to start catching fire among early GOP voters.

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Chalk it up to the law of unintended consequences or even simple self-destructive impulses. Whatever it is, Democrats are flirting with danger in the crucial electoral state of Florida – and now Republicans are starting to try and take advantage.

The bitter, intra-party fight flared up again over the weekend when the state Democratic Party announced it intended to go forward with a January 29th presidential primary, rebuffing threats from the DNC to strip the state of all its national convention delegates. Because the state’s moved-up primary violates party rules, the DNC has played a potential high-stakes game of chicken – either select delegates at a later date, or lose them for the convention.

Just about all the Democratic presidential candidates have pledged to boycott active participation in the state’s primary, although they still make frequent appearances in the state to raise money. The smart money may be on Florida Democrats eventually winning out and gaining admission for at least a large share of their delegation to the convention. But the abrasive nature of the dispute has Republicans looking at an opportunity come next November.

The Florida Republican party will send out a direct-mail piece this week, according to the AP, which seeks to lure Democrats out of their party over the issue. “The Democrats in Washington are out of touch,” reads the mailer. “Now - thanks to their egos and political in-fighting - you, as a Florida Democrat, may lose your vote.” Included in the mailing to targeted Democrats – a convenient form to change party registration.

The move may amount to little more than a stunt but underscores the potential danger for Democrats in a state they can’t afford to ignore in the general election. Why national party leaders have taken such a hard line in a state well within their reach is not easy to understand. The early primary also violates Republican Party rules and the RNC has threatened to strip the party of half of their delegation but has not insisted on a pledge for candidates to boycott campaigning there. Should 2008 come down to Florida, Florida, Florida, Democrats don’t want to end up asking themselves, why, why, why?

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CBS News’ Aaron Lewis attended Monday’s SEIU Political Action Conference in Washington, DC and files this report:

Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Barack Obama, Bill Richardson and Christopher Dodd each had a similar message for organized labor Monday: “Vote me into the White House, and I’ll restore the power of the labor union.”

The five Democratic presidential candidates each spoke for 30 to 45 minutes before an audience of nearly 2000 enthusiastic SEIU members, touching on labor issues, healthcare, and the war in Iraq. The event was a tryout of sorts to secure the endorsement of the union and its 1.9 million members.

“We have been absolutely clear with presidential candidates,” said SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger. “All we want to know is: Do they stand with working families?”

And the candidates answered the challenge. Clinton repeated her plan for universal healthcare, which she unveiled earlier in the day in Iowa. She also chastised President Bush for ignoring the needs of union workers and their families.

“He thinks unions have no place in America,” she said. “When he sees a union bug, he wants to call the exterminator.”

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