On The HUSTINGS

GIULIANI FOUND HEALTHY; HEADACHE UNEXPLAINED

Mayor Giuliani's campaign released a letter from his personal doctor asserting that the GOP presidential hopeful is in "very good health" following an abrupt visit to a St. Louis hospital last week. Dr. Valentin Fuster of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York said Mr. Giuliani underwent a brain scan, an ultrasound of his carotid arteries, and a check of his spinal fluid.

After returning to New York, Mr. Giuliani had a transesophageal cardiogram. All the tests came back normal, Dr. Fuster said. Mr. Giuliani, who has said he was cured of prostate cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 2000, also had a "negligible or undetectable" result of a prostate-specific antigen test within the past month, Dr. Fuster reported.

He did not offer an explanation or diagnosis for the splitting headache that prompted Mr. Giuliani's campaign plane to turn around and the cancellation of several campaign events.

ROMNEY HITS McCAIN ON IMMIGRATION

With Senator McCain gaining ground in New Hampshire, Mitt Romney is stepping up his criticism of the Arizona Republican's record on immigration, accusing him of supporting "amnesty" for illegal immigrants.

Mr. Romney's campaign sent out a press release quoting Mr. McCain as telling the Tucson Citizen in 2003 that amnesty "has to be an important part" of immigration reform.

The immigration issue has become a flashpoint in the GOP presidential race, and though Mr. McCain supported efforts to offer legal status to the nation's illegal immigrants earlier this year, he has said he is opposed to giving them amnesty and that the bill he backed did not do so. In a statement, he said Mr. Romney's attacks amounted to desperation. "I know something about tailspins, and it's pretty clear Mitt Romney is in one," he said. "It's disappointing that he would launch desperate, flailing and false attacks in an attempt to maintain relevance."

Though it may be an exaggeration to say Mr. Romney is in a tailspin, his once double-digit lead in New Hampshire has narrowed, with two recent polls showing Mr. McCain tied or within three points of the lead.

ROMNEY TOUTS DOLE CRITICISM OF HUCKABEE

Mr. Romney is also going after Michael Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor who has overtaken him in Iowa.

The Romney campaign sent around a letter that a former Senate majority leader and Republican presidential nominee, Robert Dole, sent to Mr. Huckabee criticizing him for "bashing" President Bush's foreign policy.

Mr. Huckabee had called the president's policy "arrogant" in a recent article in Foreign Affairs. "Why have you joined the 'Bush bashers?'" Mr. Dole wrote. "I know Iowans fairly well and doubt those attending Republican caucuses will appreciate your critical comments."

Mr. Dole, the GOP nominee in 1996, makes clear in the letter that he has not endorsed any candidate. The letter was reported by the Des Moines Register last week.

STUDY: FOX POLITICAL NEWS MORE BALANCED THAN BIG NETWORKS

A study of political coverage on television found Fox News more balanced than ABC, CBS, and NBC.

The Center for Media and Public Affairs said reporter, analyst, and voter comments in news stories about presidential candidates since October were about 50% negative and 50% positive on Fox's evening newscast, while the flagship programs for the broadcast networks were 53% negative toward Democratic candidates and 60% negative toward Republicans. Senator Clinton got the toughest coverage on the Democratic side and Mr. McCain was most pilloried among the Republicans.

The study excluded the opinion-heavy second half of Fox's nightly "Special Report" program.

MAILWATCH

A political committee funded by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees is taking its mail campaign against Senator Obama to New Hampshire.

Afscme People reported in a federal filing Sunday that it spent nearly $41,000 on a mailing to Granite State voters that criticizes the Illinois senator and Democratic presidential candidate.

Complaints from backers at Afscme's Illinois council apparently failed to sway the national labor group, which earlier sent Iowa voters a similar mailing denigrating Mr. Obama's health care plan.