The Democratic National Committee moved over the weekend to penalize Florida for moving up its primary date to Jan. 29 -- a violation of DNC rules that prohibit states from holding nominating polls before Feb. 5.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., once considered the favorite for the Republican nominee for president in 2008, has fallen behind in recent polls and in fund-raising totals. Analysts discuss the ups and downs of his campaign and the impacts of his…