Gov. Bill Richardson & Senator Chris Dodd have agreed to the first Spanish language Presidential debate.

The debate will be hosted by and broadcast on Univision Communications Inc. the nations largest Spanish broadcaster.

This does always bring me back to a frequent question in my head. Why can I watch English television with Spanish subtitles but not have the ability to watch Spanish television in English? As a non-Spanish speaker I won’t be able to watch the debate

Can reporters do me a personal favor and NOT ask the candidates what their thoughts on Paris Hilton are? Granted I cannot stop watching the news coverage & the pictures below are fascinating:

but I don’t really care what Tom Tancredo’s position on this is. Someone asked John Edwards and SMARTLY he declined to comment. He did try and turn it into a point about his “two America’s” slogan, but he did try and avoid and I give him credit for that.

I actually think Klein is hitting on something bigger and I am actually currently writing about it and will have posted either here or somewhere else soon. The Internet has given a huge voice to those who have surrounded themselves around a cause. At the same time it has turned those around these causes very nasty and very radicalized and not prone to allowing others into their domain. (I use the McLuhan idea of retribalism, ok enough, more on that in the future).

Cindy Sheehan became a very big example of this to me and right now it seems to be hitting its height in the “liberal” side of the Internet in the same way it took in the conservative talk radio/attack book side of the media in the 90’s. Basically these organizations have formed a “you are with us or against us” attitude.

Both sides right now are playing to their bases, it’s primary season, but the left base seems really intent on attacking their own. I understand they felt snubbed after 2000 & 2004 but its definitely overcompensation time now.

Anyone who even hints at having an agenda slightly different then these groups is attacked and ripped to shreds. There are examples, such as immigration on the other side, but its a loose confederation as opposed to the highly Internet organized left.

The reality is governing demands moderation & compromise. These groups increasingly take any compromise as a sign of weakness and turning on the base. Those two things run counter to one another and should make for a messy future. Which to be honest as an outside observer, I kind of like.

The straw poll in Ames, Iowa will be missing two candidates this year as the Giuliani & McCain camps say they will skip the event. Incase you are wondering a straw poll is an informal type of opinion poll, it is not binding but the Iowa ritual has been a staple for Republicans every four years (except in the case of an incumbent President) since 1979.

The event is seen as an early “test of strength” in Iowa and is usually covered as an overall test of strength of candidates by the media.

The Giuliani campaign cited the expense (estimated at around $3 million +) and the movement of primaries in large states as the reason the candidate won’t participate.

To win the straw poll candidates must purchase the tickets of those who attend. Essentially a campaign buys a $30 ticket for someone in Iowa to attend and in return they receive a vote. Hence the cost. But in addition the campaigns also pay for transportation and then pamper these individuals. It is used as a fundraiser for the Iowa caucuses to be held in January of 2008.

From the article:

“The straw poll actually could in fact take away Iowa’s significance, if we’re not careful,” Mr. Nussle (former Iowa Representative) told reporters. “It’s not a serious event in the grand scheme of picking a nominee. And at this time in our history, with the war on terror and economic challenges facing our country, we need to have a serious conversation about our nominee and not just have, you know, these kind of fund-raising straw polls.”

Right now if you visit the Huffington Post you will see the following:

Clinton is maxed out on big donations, cannot keep up with small donations, a supposed insider reports.

MEANWHILE

If you goto Drudge you find this:

Clinton is scoring big with lobbyists and individual campaign donations according to a “secret spreadsheet” smuggled out of the campaign.

So which one is it?

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