Stealing First [Thomas Beaumont, Des Moines Register]: "Iowa Republicans have scheduled the party's presidential caucuses for Jan. 3, arguing the date would preserve the state's coveted leadoff status but avoid starting the nominating process in 2007." Holy Roller [John McCormick, Chicago Tribune]: "In what is perhaps the most obvious effort yet by Sen. Barack Obama to invoke religion in his Democratic presidential bid, his campaign said this afternoon that it is launching an 'Embrace the Change' gospel tour later this month." Ranger Disloyalty [Chris Cillizza and Matthew Mosk, Washington Post]: "Scores of Bush [donor] Pioneers and Rangers are not working for any Republican candidate, citing discontent with the war in Iraq, anger at the performance of Republicans in Congress and a general lack of enthusiasm. More than two dozen have actually made contributions to Democrats." They're Baaaack [Jay Solomon, Wall Street Journal]: "Despite the Bush administration's troubles in Iraq, Mr. Giuliani's campaign is recruiting from neoconservative think tanks and publications that lobbied the White House to launch the 2003 invasion." Time Out [Patrick Healy, New York Times]: "Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday proposed giving $1 billion in grants to states that enact paid family leave laws and said that she would support requiring employers to provide workers seven days' annual paid sick leave." --Dayo Olopade