You know the competition for being first in 2008 is out of hand when a state that's never held an early contest before insists on hosting the first meeting of the candidates.

Last Friday, CNN announced a plan with the New Hampshire Union-Leader and WMUR-TV plans to hold the first debates of the campaign during the second week in April.

  Not to be outdone, Nevada Democratic Party officials and heads of key labor unions declared a day later that state will hold a series of five meetings of candidates before the scheduled caucuses next Jan. 19, the first to come on Feb. 23 in Carson city.

  The first Nevada session won't be a debate but a “forum'' for whatever that's worth. A second forum focused upon health care in that state is set for March 24 at a place to be named later. The first Nevada debate will be in August.

  At the moment at least, there's no move on the Republican side from any other state to hold a debate earlier than the planned April 5 contest here.

  This comes from a state whose major media have noted that with less than a year before the event candidates have yet to open campaign offices or hire staff.

  Conversely, several campaigns from both parties in this state have already brought on board New Hampshire politicos to assist them. Republican hopeful Mitt Romney hired GOP National Committeeman Tom Rath as a political adviser last summer and since brought on Rich Killion as political director. Likewise, 2000 primary winner John McCain had Michael Dennehy on the campaign payroll for months here before making him national political director. McCain has since brought on Jim Martin, a 2000 campaign alumnus, to serve as campaign manager for the 2008 run.

  Put simply, it's pretty brazen for a state with little experience in running high-profile elections to try and pull off the first and much anticipated meeting of candidates.

  Here's another ticklish question. Does such an early date mean some likely candidates will not show up because they aren't willing to become “official'' and face the media scrutiny? New York Democratic Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton comes first to mind as someone who sure would like to put off the date for when she's running and there's no turning back.