The following are excerpts from 'The Party Line,' The Eagle-Tribune's new blog about the 2008 presidential election. To check out the blog, go to http://blogs.eagletribune.com/preselection/

Obama who?

Um, about that slip of the tongue Tuesday when Mitt Romney mixed up Democratic candidate Barack Obama's name with Osama bin Laden during an appearance in South Carolina, Romney chalked the error up to "the ravages of turning 60."

Romney, who turned 60 earlier this year, said Thursday in an Eagle-Tribune editorial board meeting that it was an innocent mistake and he doubts the voters will hold it against him

"I do that with my own kids, the ravages of turning 60 years old," the former Massachusetts governor said. "I had no idea until afterward, when someone told me I switched the names. ... To err is human; to err frequently suggests you've passed 60."

- Margo Sullivan

Betting on the presidency

Tom Tancredo appears to be a gambling man.

Prior to Game 1 of the World Series on Wednesday, Tancredo issued a challenge to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney over the outcome of the fall classic: If Tancredo's hometown Colorado Rockies beat Romney's Boston Red Sox, Romney would have to bow out of the presidential race. If Romney's Sox win, Tancredo would concede his candidacy.

But Romney didn't take the bait, reportedly rejecting the proposal. A report in the Rocky Mountain Times said Romney's campaign said the former governor was "in the race to win the race."

This is the second time Tancredo has tried to challenge Romney with the golden egg of any potential bet being that the loser would drop out of the presidential race. The first time came a week ago, according to a press release from the Tancredo campaign, which stated that Tancredo tried to challenge Romney to a trap-shooting competition. Romney didn't bite on that one either.

- Bryan Deyermond

McCain bonds with soldier's mom

GOP presidential candidate John McCain hugged Gold Star mother Denise Gionet at a meet-and-greet event outside Hillside Country Store in Pelham Monday.

Gionet, whose son, Army Sgt. Daniel Gionet, 23, was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq, feels a bond with the Arizona senator, though she has not decided whom to support in the New Hampshire primary.

Gionet came to Monday's event to ask McCain a question: What does he think of the military's designation of Duty Station Unknown for those referred to in previous conflicts as MIA/POWs?

McCain's answer was straightforward.

"It should be MIA/POW," he said, encircled by mothers, children, veterans and others who came to see him.

Gionet said she was happy to hear the senator's response. She worries that the new designation is unclear, while "POW/MIA" is a term that tells people the status of missing soldiers such as Army Spec. Alex Jimenez of Lawrence, Mass.

About 50 or 60 visitors joined police and the media at the McCain Straight Talk Express stop.

Among those in the crowd was Pelham High School senior Will English, 18. The undecided voter came "to see what (McCain's) all about." The student wants soldiers out of Iraq.

There was also Bob Smith of Pelham. He has two things of note on his mind: tax reform and bringing home the troops after seeing Iraq stabilized.

McCain pressed flesh and joked.

Given his druthers, he said, he probably would have preferred to have watched the Red Sox play Sunday night. But there was a GOP presidential debate going on.

- Terry Date

McCain takes selectman for a ride

Pelham Selectman Doug Viger said McCain took him for a ride last week - to Concord. Viger told the other Pelham selectmen he rode to the state capital Monday beside McCain in the senator's van following the Pelham campaign stop, and used the opportunity to ask McCain "some tough questions."

Viger said he asked McCain how he shouldered his responsibilities in Congress while running for president.

"Who's taking care of Arizona while you're running around the country?" he said.

McCain told Viger he relied on his advisers to let him know when an important vote was coming up. He's gone back to Washington and voted when it counted. Viger said he was going to check McCain's voting record to make sure.

He raises an important issue. Most of the candidates are already sworn to serve in Congress - such as McCain, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Ron Paul, Dennis Kucinich, Duncan Hunter, Chris Dodd and Joe Biden. Bill Richardson is a sitting governor.

- Margo Sullivan