Today's installment of campaign-related news items that won't necessarily generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:
* I imagine this was an interesting conversation: "Hillary Rodham Clinton held a private, one-on-one meeting with Senator Elizabeth Warren in December at Mrs. Clinton's Washington home, a move by the Democrats' leading contender in 2016 to cultivate the increasingly influential senator and leader of the party's economic populist movement."
* Asked this week about his controversial father, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) "bristled" at the question. "I think that would be a good question if I were 18 maybe, or something. I mean, I've been an adult and on my own for 30-some odd years," the likely presidential candidate told the AP. What Paul neglected to mention is that he's spent much of those adult years urging people to support his father's wacky beliefs and bizarre agenda.
* Though the Mississippi Republican establishment would probably prefer he go away, failed U.S. Senate candidate Chris McDaniel (R) is apparently moving closer to launching a primary campaign against incumbent Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves (R). Note, Mississippi is one of three states holding statewide elections this year.
* At this stage, Democratic insiders, hoping to retake the Senate majority next year, are focusing on candidate recruitment. Among those whose phones are ringing are former Gov. Ted Strickland in Ohio, Rep. Tammy Duckworth in Illinois, Gov. Maggie Hassan in New Hampshire, former Sen. Russell Feingold in Wisconsin, and former Sen. Kay Hagan in North Carolina.
* Former Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) has been laying the groundwork for a presidential campaign, but he conceded the other day that he isn't sure whether he can "put together the type of money" he needs to launch a competitive bid. Whether this was a hint he doesn't intend to run, or a subtle plea for cash, is unclear.
* In a surprise, Rep. Tim Ryan (D) announced late last week that he will seek re-election to the House and will not take on Sen. Rob Portman (R) in Ohio next year. When Ryan recently announced that he'd changed his mind about abortion rights, and he's now pro-choice, it was seen as possible evidence of a statewide campaign in 2016.
* And speaking of congressmen who are skipping 2016 Senate races, Rep. Raúl Labrador (R) also said late last week that he doesn't plan to take on Sen. Mike Crapo (R) in an Idaho primary next year.