The beginning of six months of primaries is just 10 days away - and the candidates are working harder than ever on the ground, attending church services and shaking hands and appearing on the Sunday talk shows.

Here’s a few things of interest that happened in the last few days:

Anyone But Romney

New Hampshire paper the Concord Monitor spent 13 paragraphs saying that they’d endorse any Republican but Romney, who they say seems like a Republican built from a kit. On its own, the Monitor might not have much sway - those who know say that it isn’t influential with Republican voters in the state. But in a week of slow news, the anti-endorsement has gotten so much play from other publications that it might sway those in NH and elsewhere who are on the fence about Romney.

Latest poll numbers and other news bits after the jump

Yet Romney - and Obama - are ahead in NH

The latest from Pollster.com says that a survey before the anti-endorsement had Romney just squeaking by McCain, plus a two-way race for Dems:

• Among 420 likely Democratic primary voters, Sen. Barack Obama runs at 30% and Sen. Hillary Clinton at 28% in a statewide primary; former Sen. John Edwards trails at 14%, Gov. Bill Richardson at 7%.

• Among 405 likely Republican primary voters, former Gov. Mitt Romney runs at 28%, Sen. John McCain at 25% in a statewide primary; former Mayor Rudy Giuliani trails at 14%, former Gov. Mike Huckabee at 10%, Rep. Ron Paul at 8%.

• All other candidates receive less than five percent each. The margin of sampling error is 4.9% for both subgroups.

Obama and Huckabee on Face the Nation

Yesterday, Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee were back-to-back on CBS News’ Face the Nation.

Obama said he was the most electable candidate because he brings people together, where Hillary Clinton is a divisive force, because of the battles of the ’90s. In fact, the entire interview was basically Obama’s opinions on Hillary’s campaign. It’s no fault of Obama’s, since that’s where the questions went, but in these crucial final days its important that the candidates draw finer distinctions between their policies and their rivals instead of evaluating how a rival’s campaign is playing in Iowa.

Huckabee did better, focusing on why he’s a good Republican and agreeing with Bob Schieffer that he’s more of a populist than the typical Republican (although that doesn’t make a lot of sense to me - what were Reagan and George W. if not populists?)

Ron Paul Questioned on Fiscal Policies

Tim Russert pointed out that if we eliminated the income tax, as Paul suggests, the government would lose three trillion dollars. And then he pointed out that Ron Paul’s district received $4 billion in earmarks from the federal government in the first nine months of 2006. Paul’s response? He put the earmarks in the bills and then voted against them. So he’s against federal spending…..unless the money goes into his district…but he’s going to pretend he’s against the spending by voting against words he himself added in.

Edwards Is Aiming for the Gut

John Edwards and Barack Obama started getting into it for the first time, with both trying to position themselves “as the reform candidate,” according to a Boston Globe story about Edwards. The Globe says:

“In a primary fight that many have cast as a choice between Clinton’s appeals to the party’s head and Obama’s to its heart, Edwards is aiming for the gut. “

Edwards is now calling Obama too “analytical” and “academic” (Obama is saying Edwards panders to special interests.) But when did SMART become a drawback for the presidency??! Maybe when W. was voted into office….