SANTORUM WON'T RUN, AND OTHER FRIDAY NOTES

Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, defeated for re-election last week, told a radio interviewer he has no intention of running for president in '08.

Quoted in the Philadelphia Inquirer today, Santorum told radio host Michael Smerconish he's not interested in a bid this time around.

"Absolutely, positively not. Absolutely not," Santorum said . "My wife would throw me out of the house if I do anything in '08."

THOUGHTS FROM DOWN UNDER

Proving that U.S. presidential politics can be widely entertaining, The Sydney (Australia) Morning Tribune is already handicapping Hillary Clinton's chances of winning a presidential race she has not yet officially entered.

RUDY GETTING FINANCIAL BACKERS IN PLACE

Having already taken steps to form an exploratory committee, formerNew York mayor Rudy Giuliani has also been busy rounding up financial support for a presidential bid, courting some deep-pockets at New York's "21" earlier this week, The (NY) Daily News Reports.

ROMNEY HAS BUSY WEEKEND PLANNED

Massechusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is bringing together leading supporters and advisors for a political retreat this weekend. Sure to be discussed is Romney's anticpated bid for the GOP presidential nomination in '08, according to the Boston Globe.

The Associated Press is reporting Romney will also attend a rally Sunday to demand the state legislature take up a measure which would allow voters to decide the fate of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts.