Opinion

Until this year, all presidential nominees have accepted federal money and the restrictions that come with it.

Sara Gear Boyd has passed away from cancer. The former legislator had been the national committeewoman for the past 16 years. She had split her time between Vermont and Arizona. Yet every summer she was active on the campaign trail according to some GOP sources we spoke too.

And because you haven't seen it in a while, here's the infamous video of Howard Dean's scream:

Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean: Getty Images PhotoFormer Vermont Gov. Howard Dean will be staying on as chairman of the national Democratic Party. His 50-state grassroots organization plan is paying off and seems to have a believer in U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, who last week secured enough delegates to win the Democratic presidential nomination. Now Obama has decided to keep Dean on through at least Election Day in November, and, perhaps, beyond.

Kristina Althoff, fresh off traveling the country with the presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), has been named interim executive director of the Vermont Democratic Party. The announcement comes as Jill Krowinski moves to manage former state House Speaker Gaye Symington's gubernatorial campaign.

It is unclear if this is a long-term move. Althoff worked last cycle with the Vermont Democratic House campaign.  

It looks as Tayt Brooks is to become the new executive director of the Vermont Republican Party. Tayt, a long-time activist and lobbyist, will replace Alden Guptil.

Guptil has joined his former boss Jim Barnett on the presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). We will watch what responsibilities Tayt will carry.

Click more to view the pencil sketch of this cartoon. And don't forget to vote in this week's Cartoon caption contest.

Progressive Party gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina held a rally on Thursday, yet led most observers to believe that he was going to announce his challenge to Brian Dubie for lieutenant governor. Speculation on the morning news was that Pollina would bow out of the race for governor, giving former House Speaker Gaye Symington, a Democrat, a clear shot to unseat Republican Gov. Jim Douglas this fall. And the Progressives and Democrats would be again lining up their interests for the greater good.

But it was not to be ... Pollina announced to Vermont he was staying put and going to act the spoiler.

Democrats are likely watching their chances to take the governorship slip away.