Down the stretch the candidates come

The race for the White House has entered the post-Labor Day stage of intensity, in which every move made by the candidates can make or break their dreams of moving into the White House in January 2009.

Over the past year, the 2008 race has provided a lot of material for policy wonks, political junkies and late-night talk shows.

{mosads}The Iowa caucus is still a couple of months away, but there are already three GOP candidates who have bowed out of the wide-open race: former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore, former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson and, more recently, Sen. Sam Brownback (Kan.).

Democrats have been more resilient, even though Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y) is the clear front-runner. Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, who was the first Democrat to enter the race formally, dropped out in February.

Here is a look back at the highlights of the last year:

2006

October

Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner (D) says he won’t run

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) indicates he may run

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) suggests he is considering a bid

November

Democrats win control of Congress

Former Iowa Gov. Vilsack (D) suggests he is running

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) hints at a run

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) bows out

Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson (R) forms exploratory committee

Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) is not running

Vilsack formally enters, becoming first Democrat to take the plunge

December

Adviser says Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) is mulling a run

Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) indicates he’s in

Former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) will not launch a bid, then backs Obama

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) is in

Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore (R) says he is considering a bid

Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) is out, later backs Clinton

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) plans to announce his intentions in the fall

Former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) is in

2007

January

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) files exploratory committee papers

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) announces on Don Imus’s show that he is running

Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) files papers to form an exploratory committee

Obama forms exploratory committee

Sen. Clinton says, “I’m in to win.”

Brownback announces bid

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) is in

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is out

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) says he’s running

Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.) announces bid amid gaffe of calling Obama “clean”

February

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani enters race

Obama announces he’s in

Romney is officially in

Vilsack drops out, subsequently endorses Clinton

Former Vice President Al Gore wins an Oscar for global warming film

March

McCain is running

Former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) indicates he may run

Elizabeth Edwards’s cancer returns; her husband’s campaign continues

April

First-quarter fundraising figures show that big winners include Clinton, Obama and Romney. McCain’s campaign, amid disappointing numbers, vows to revamp its operations.

Tommy Thompson and Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) enter race

Edwards widely mocked for his $400 campaign-funded haircuts

Democrats hold first debate as most candidates lay off each other and bash President Bush
May

First GOP debate shows candidates are split on social issues

Citing unidentified threats, Secret Service guards Obama

Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) reiterates possibility of an independent bid. New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg remains mum

During second GOP debate, Giuliani attracts applause for criticizing Paul’s rationale for the Sept. 11 attacks

In leaked memo, Clinton aide suggests she skip the Iowa caucus. Clinton distances herself from memo

June

Fred Thompson, all but a certainty to jump in, appears on “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno

Clinton financial disclosures trigger criticism from Obama camp. Obama called out for not abiding by his pledge to embrace new brand of political campaigning

Bloomberg leaves GOP, intensifying speculation he will launch bid as an independent

July

Obama rakes in more than Clinton during second quarter

McCain’s fundraising figures are abysmal; some of his top aides leave campaign

Gilmore drops out

Clinton and Edwards overheard in conversation saying they want to limit the number of candidates in debates

Obama calls Clinton “Bush-Cheney lite”

August

Iowa poll shows Clinton and Obama in dead heat as Clinton continues to lead nationally

Obama, Clinton spar over whether they would meet with foreign dictators

South Carolina seeks to move up primary, triggering concern that other states will move up their contests
Romney wins Iowa straw poll

Tommy Thompson bows out, subsequently endorses Giuliani

Bloomberg says, “Nobody’s going to elect me president.”

Democratic National Committee vows to punish Florida for moving primary up

Clinton gives controversial donations from Norman Hsu to charity

September

Thompson skips New Hampshire debate, and announces candidacy on “The Tonight Show”

Clinton gives more Hsu money away

Hagel says he will not run for president

Thompson’s roll-out panned by conservative columnists George Will and Bob Novak on the same day

Bush says he expects Clinton to win Democratic nomination

Clinton appears on all five Sunday talk shows

Gingrich opts against run

Obama’s wife, Michelle Obama, suggests her husband needs to triumph in Iowa to win nomination

Clinton holds tenuous lead in Iowa polls, winning New Hampshire handily as Romney leads the GOP field in both states and Giuliani leads in national polls

October

Conservatives vow third-party challenge if Giuliani wins nomination

Clinton out-raises Obama in third quarter as Giuliani is victor on GOP side

Gore wins Nobel Peace Prize, appears unlikely to launch White House bid

Brownback bows out

Sen. Mel Martinez (Fla.) steps aside as Republican National Committee (RNC) chairman

RNC threatens states not to move up their primary dates

Kristi Roberts contributed to this article.