Sen. Hillary Clinton wants your donation before Sunday's fundraising deadline - but she also wants you to monitor former President Clinton's eating behavior.

The campaign is using Bill to pull in small donations, giving supporters a chance to watch a Democratic debate with him. He sent a fundraising e-mail this week titled "You, me, a TV and a bowl of chips."

"Hillary's campaign will pick three people -- each invited with a guest to watch one of the upcoming presidential debates with me," Bill wrote. "We'll sit down in front of a big TV with a big bowl of chips, watch the debate, and talk about the race. If you enter before the Sunday midnight deadline, you and a guest could be the ones to sit down with me to watch a presidential debate."

But when the missus found out about that, she was none too happy - or at least, that's what her lighthearted campaign e-mail portrayed this morning.

"I hear you might be watching a debate with Bill -- can I ask you a favor?" Clinton (D-N.Y.) writes in the note. "Bill mentioned 'a big bowl of chips' in the email he sent you Tuesday. If you are one of the three people who get the chance to join him, can you make sure he eats carrots, not chips?"

...

"Chips or carrots aside, I know Bill is really excited about the chance to watch a debate with you. It's one of his favorite things to do: sit down with friends and talk politics. So I hope you'll enter today for the chance to bring a guest to watch an upcoming debate with him."

QUICK NOTE: I'm out of town for my mom's wedding - so I won't be blogging again until Monday. Have a great, safe weekend, and feel free to use the comments to weigh in on last night's Democratic debate. Go 49ers!

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

I'm not quite sure what to make of the Republican National Committee's "Democratic Debate Game." In anticipation of tonight's debate in New Hampshire on MSNBC, the RNC bought 39 online Web ads ads on 39 Web sites. If you click on the ad (also seen below), it takes you here, for the "Show of Hands" game.

The clip art images of the six major Democratic candidates raise their hands if you select them as your answer. It includes political trivia questions culled from public records, newspaper stories and previous debates.

Try one:

Q: Who Believes The War On Terror Is Nothing More Than A Bumper Sticker Slogan?

A: John Edwards

Most of the game's question and answers accurate, though some are a stretch.

For example, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) is the correct answer to this question, though she would probably argue with the interpretation: Who Voted "With Conviction" To Authorize The War In Iraq Then Pandered To The Left By Introducing Legislation To End Authorization For The Iraq War?

But one question that says Clinton "believes higher taxes are patriotic" -- mischaracterizes her June debate answer on taxes, when she outlined how uber-investor Warren Buffett says he feels about the tax system.

The game's animation has the candidates doing freaky eye-blinks from time to time, and it allows players to select more than one Democrat for a correct answer. (For example, all six Democrats "received a rating of 100% from the AFL-CIO and a grade of 'F' from the National Tax Payers Union.")

The game offers no love for longshot candidates Dennis Kucinich (Ohio) or Mike Gravel (Alaska).

In a release, the RNC says the ads will give voters "the opportunity to see the reality behind tonight’s Democrat debate." No television ad purchase, however, so only voters surfing instead of watching the debate will get to see them.

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

UPDATE: The original version of this entry contained an error. The RNC bought ads on 39 Web sites.

Or so says the Clinton campaign, which sent an e-mail to female supporters last night.

This tidbit was included in the latest "Hillgram":

ANY LITTLE GIRL CAN BE PRESIDENT!

To celebrate the historic moment of a woman running for the White House, Skirt! Magazine and the Center for Women are sponsoring a contest for girls in grades 5 through 8 about why they should be president and how they would make a difference in the world if they were elected.

The top entries from each grade level will appear in the January 2008 issue of Skirt!. Entries must be received no later than November 15, 2007 and must include name, address, phone number, age, grade level and school.

The monthly magazine is published mostly in the South, including these cities: Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Memphis, Richmond and Charleston, South Carolina. It also is published in Boston.

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) isn't pulling any punches, and took another stab at Sen. Hillary Clinton this afternoon.

The Dodd campaign, which has put out anti-Clinton statements on just about everything lately, seized on a quote from President Bush in a new book. Bush told reporter Bill Sammon (a former Washington Times reporter) he thinks Clinton will be the Democratic nominee.

"She's got a great national presence and this is becoming a national primary," Bush said in Sammon's book, "The Evangelical President."

"And therefore the person with the national presence, who has got the ability to raise enough money to sustain an effort in a multiplicity of sites, has got a good chance to be nominated," the president added.

When news of the book hit the Internet today, the Dodd campaign felt the need to weigh in. Dodd is in single digits in the polls and trailing Clinton in fundraising and name recognition.

"I can understand why the president would want Senator Clinton to be the nominee," said Dodd spokeswoman Colleen Flanagan.

No response yet from the Clinton camp.

Note: This original post contained an error - the statement was from the Dodd campaign, not the senator himself.

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

Big day for endorsements.

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) announced this afternoon she nabbed the endorsement of former presidential hopeful Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), who called her a "seasoned, experienced leader who will be ready to lead this country on day one."

He's a key senator -- and former governor -- from a red state who dropped his own bid last year. In his endorsement, he noted that he's traveled with Clinton to Iraq.

The Clinton campaign also has been endorsed by the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, after winning a poll of the union's nearly 100,000 members.

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) scored an endorsement on Clinton's home turf, picking up support from New York City's Correction Officers' Benevolent Association. The nod comes a few days before he holds a major rally in Manhattan.

Also in the Obama column today: former Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Gordon Fischer, who blogs on politics here.

Fischer told reporters on a conference call he sees Obama as the most electable of all the Dems, the candidate who is most likely to "break out of the gridlock that's paralyzed Washington" and said he would devote his time to calling Iowans and "making the pitch for Obama."

He also noted this poll, which shows Obama as Iowa Republicans' third choice, behind Republicans Mitt Romney (Mass.) and Rudy Giuliani (N.Y.).

Obama campaign manager David Plouffe outlined the importance of Iowa on the call, but said new television ads are going up for Obama in New Hampshire tomorrow.

UPDATE: Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) announced a few minutes ago he got another endorsement in Iowa. This one, from House Speaker Pro Tem Polly Bukta, follows earlier news of eight Iowa lawmakers supporting his presidential bid.

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

After I tracked down Edith Childs - the inspiration for Sen. Barack Obama's "fired up" stump story and pictured below - for my story this weekend a few of you asked to see some video.

There are several clips out there of Obama telling the story, but this one probably is the best sound quality:

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

It's here today, gone tomorrow for Norman Hsu, who as of yesterday afternoon was still listed as a top Hillary Clinton fundraiser despite the fact her campaign returned all the money he bundled on her behalf after learning he was a fugitive.

But after the "Hillraisers" link appeared on several blogs, including this one, yesterday, the Clinton campaign has removed Hsu's name from the list.

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

Former President Clinton last night said Congress would work better if members got more sleep. Promoting his new book on philanthropy, he also talked about how politics is about "getting," while, "giving is more fun and more rewarding."

In between such comedic banter with "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart, Clinton said his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) is the best qualified person running for president.

In one of the more bizarre exchanges, Stewart asked whether campaign fundraising corrupts politics, seemingly referring to Mrs. Clinton's problems with Norman Hsu.

Clinton responded members of Congress are "strained" by the system and are "chronically sleep deprived" because they must spend all their time raising money.

"If we could find a way for them and their challengers to run for election [without needing to do all that fundraising] I think America would work better," he said.

Asked how he would handle his wife disagreeing with him as president, he joked: "I may slit my throat," prompting Stewart to sputter: "What?!"

"Because this is her life now, this is what she does, there are several things that she actually knows more about than me now," Clinton explained.

Clinton said he'd give presidential advice - "If I'm asked." (Such as, "Honey, don't invade them," Stewart offered.)

"Most couples in the White House have given each other advice on everything under the sun," he said, adding: "My basic job will be to support her if she wins."

He lauded his foundation's international work fighting AIDS and malaria, and said 800,000 people are getting medicine thanks to the generosity of people who give to his cause. The new book, "Giving," focuses on working with non-governmental organizations and he got in another plug for his wife while talking about the book.

"Hillary was always really active in these kinds of groups," he said, touting her work with the Children's Defense Fund decades ago.

Here's the video in two parts. The first focuses on the book; the second includes 2008 talk.

Part 1

Part 2

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

Sen. Hillary Clinton has returned disgraced fundraiser Norman Hsu's money, along with the $850,000 he collected on her behalf, but his name still appears on her list of "Hillraisers," or folks who bundled donations to her campaign.

Federal authorities today charged Hsu with violating campaign finance laws to the tune of $60 million.

Hat tip: Wonkette

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) has racked up endorsements from here to Los Angeles, but here's one for the list of not-so-welcome endorsements.

This summer interview with O.J. Simpson saying Clinton is his preferred presidential candidate (about 30 seconds into the clip, after a commercial) has been out there for awhile, but the video is too good not to post here.

"She's got my vote," Simpson says, relaying old stories of his time with President Clinton on the golf course. "All she's ever done is try to help people."

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

As next Sunday's critical fundraising deadline looms, the candidates are scrambling to rake in last minute cash.

And many are playing the match game - you give $1, and so-and-so will put in $1. You get the idea.

"If you contribute by midnight Saturday, your donation will be matched by a group of my most dedicated supporters. That will mean that your contribution will do twice as much to reach Iowa and New Hampshire voters," New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson told supporters this morning in a matching e-mail tied to ending the war in Iraq.

"Contributing right now means your gift will be worth twice as much to our cause," he added. "I'll use your contribution to help in our efforts to communicate my Richardson Plan for ending the Iraq war and bringing all our troops home."

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is matching too.

"Somebody out there believes that you're ready to own a piece of this campaign. A fellow supporter has promised that if you make a donation right now, they will match what you give. Prove to them that they were right to put their faith in you," David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager, said in his appeal.

The Obama e-mail adds you will be matched up with a "real person" who will send you a personal note, the latest jab at Sen. Hillary Clinton's ties to "Washington lobbyists."

"Our movement is funded by actual people -- individuals who are moved to give whatever they can afford, whether it's five dollars or five hundred dollars," Plouffe writes.

"Most campaigns do not realize the value of contributions from ordinary people -- they are focused on the money that comes from Washington lobbyists and special interest groups," he says. "But we reject the notion that lobbyists and PACs represent 'real people,' and we've refused their money since this campaign began."

The fundraising e-mail comes with a nifty graphic, which looks good, but the faceless images seem to fly in the face of soliciting "real people."

Continuing the match theme, a DCCC e-mail from James Carville says a donation will "keep the Republicans on the run" and will be matched 2-to-1.

Also, just noticing:

When you sign up for former Sen. Mike Gravel's (D-Alaska) newsletter, you get this welcome note:

"I want to thank you for trusting me with your email and information. It will remain with me and not be shared.
...
We have an exciting campaign moving full steam now! Don't believe what the news tells you. Obama and Hillary do not have this race in the bag!"

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

It seemed to be Monday as Sen. Hillary Clinton addressed the Service Employees International Union.

Clinton (D-N.Y.), who has previously opened up about her sometimes-Southern accent, was in full twang, firing up the cheering crowd. Her critics have charged the accent comes out when she speaks to predominantly black audiences.

She may have just been in the moment, after all. Sen. Barack Obama gave a revival-like speech two hours earlier and had the crowd on its feet.

"If you ever need a little energy pick-up, all you need to do is come and see SEIU," Clinton said when opening her remarks.

About midway through her remarks, as the crowd got excited about Iraq, Clinton started "talkin' Southern," as she has put it previously, dropping the "g" in several words. Fighting became fightin,' and so on.

Listen to this clip.

In it, she gives her stump line that President Bush is misleading voters by saying he will withdraw some troops next summer.

"Those troops were comin' home anyway," she said, adding for Bush "to take credit for that is like him takin' credit for the sun rising in the mornin'."

Here's some video of the senator Sunday in Iowa for comparison. At one point she uses the word "doin'" instead of "doing" but later says "doing" and "talking" like normal.

Clinton threw out plenty of red meat at SEIU, too calling Bush a "radical who has conducted a dangerous experiment with extremism."

Several nurses and home care workers who make up SEIU's membership said the speech was so "hot" her accent didn't bother them, but staffers for rival campaigns noticed the change in her voice right away.

— Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

Former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) slammed Sen. Hillary Clinton this morning, charging she is too closely tied to Washington in the latest of a relentless stream of attacks against the Democratic presidential front-runner.

In a fundraising e-mail sent this morning and excerpted below, Edwards adviser Joe Trippi outlined his case. He also reminded supporters that his boss has been calling for the Democratic Party and all its candidates to reject lobbyist donations entirely.

Dear Friend,
If you want to know why we need change in Washington -- and I mean real change, not just trading corporate Republican insiders with corporate Democratic insiders -- then just look at Senator Clinton's schedule for today.
Today at noon, Hillary Clinton will be hosting a fundraiser in Washington, D.C. for a select group of lobbyists with an interest in homeland security.
Tickets for the Clinton fundraiser are $1,000 a ticket and $25,000 per bundler. And for that money you get more than a meal -- you get to attend one-hour breakout sessions in four different areas of homeland security that will include House Committee Chairs and members of Congress who sit on the very committees that will be voting on homeland security legislation.
The American people know that the system in Washington has become corroded and corrupt -- that the nation's capital is awash in campaign money from lobbyists seeking to gain influence to impact legislation.
Yet too many in office have fallen under the spell of campaign money at any cost -- and do not see that when they defend the system, they are protecting those that have rigged the game that puts corporate profits ahead of the interests of working Americans.
To truly end that game, it's going to take more than a change of heart from other candidates: it's going to take thousands of committed Americans like you who are willing to take on the powerful interests dollar for dollar to elect a president like John Edwards -- who has never taken a dime from any Washington lobbyist, and never will.
...
Today's Clinton fundraising event is a "poster child" for what is wrong with Washington and what should never happen again with a candidate running for the highest office in the land.
That no one in the Clinton campaign -- including the candidate -- found anything wrong with holding this fundraiser is an indication of just how bad things have gotten in Washington -- because there isn't an American outside of Washington who would not be sickened by it.
...
Thank you for all you do.
-- Joe Trippi
Senior Advisor, John Edwards for President
September 18, 2007

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

Sen. Barack Obama has a lot of fans here at the SEIU convention, and fired up the crowd a few minutes ago with red meat and some new applause lines.

Among his best:

"I will not be a perfect president," Obama said, prompting a purple t-shirt clad SEIU member to shout "Better than Bush!"

He laughed, adding: "That's a low bar being better than Bush. We've got to set our sights higher."

The crowd also loved him saying, "It's time we had a president who didn't choke saying union" and it's time "We had a Democratic nominee after the primary who doesn't choke saying the word union either. ... It won't kill you."

His supporters led a chant of "O-ba-ma" after he left.

Obama (D-Ill.) was the second of five candidates to speak here.

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) had a loud reception this morning, telling the SEIU members "We should be moving heaven and earth to make your jobs a little easier" and "Fighting's not enough. It's about time we started winning some of these battles."

Finally, he promised: "I'm going to be a union guy in the White House."

Next up: New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, followed by Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.). Former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) will give remarks last.

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

The six major Democratic presidential hopefuls will converge in Indianola, Iowa tomorrow for Sen. Tom Harkin's annual Steak Fry, always a must-attend political event, but key this year as they all scramble to woo Iowa voters in advance of the caucus.

Sen. Barack Obama's staff prepared for the event with a clever video on the campaign Web site.

The video features highlights from last year's Steak Fry, when Harkin introduced Obama and compared him to U2's Bono. It's probably no accident that Harkin's wife Ruth, who has endorsed Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), is featured sitting near the senator in the clip.

The video, with footage of a steak branded with Obama's 2008 logo, also includes some clips from Obama's Fourth of July swing through eastern Iowa.

Check it out:

The Steak Fry was a pivotal moment for Obama, whose "rock star" reception last year generated buzz he might consider running for president. Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner was also there last year, but Obama stole the show.

Speaking of the former governor, who abandoned his presidential bid last fall, I spotted several Obama supporters in the crowd this afternoon at Warner's annual pig roast. Warner, who is running for senate next year, hasn't endorsed a 2008 hopeful, but several of his former staffers are working for Clinton.

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

The anti-Hillary folks over at StopHerNow had some fun today with some recent embarrassing headlines about one of Sen. Hillary Clinton's top fundraisers.

Founder Richard Collins said he'd cough up $1,000 for information "leading to fugitives feeding the Clinton Fundraising Funnel," seizing on news that Norman Hsu was wanted by authorities but slipped through the finance committee's screening process.

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

Now that President Bush's speech is over there is no embargo on the text of John Edwards' 2-minute response ad, coming up on MSNBC.

Edwards: This week -- as we will forever -- we remember those lost on September 11th. And this week, Washington refocuses on Iraq. But the question of Iraq is separate from September 11th -- as it has always been, whatever George Bush would have us believe.

Likewise, supporting our troops and pursuing a failed war are not the same things -- whatever George Bush would have us believe.

All Americans honor the incredible sacrifice of our troops. They've done everything asked of them with courage and resolve. Now we should bring them home.

They are policing a civil war, and the only way to end that civil war is for both sides, Sunni and Shia, to take responsibility to end it by agreeing to a political solution. And the only way to force them to take responsibility is to withdraw our troops -- starting now.

Unfortunately, the president is pressing on with the only strategy he's ever had -- more time, more troops, and more war.

In January, after years of evidence that military actions cannot force a political solution, the president announced a military surge to force a political solution. In May, he vetoed a plan to end the war, demanded more time to show the surge could work, and Congress gave it to him.

Now, after General Petraeus reports the surge has produced no progress toward a political solution, what does the president want? More time for the surge to work, when all of us know it won't.

Our troops are stuck between a president without a plan to succeed and a Congress without the courage to bring them home.

But Congress must answer to the American people. Tell Congress you know the truth -- they have the power to end this war and you expect them to use it. When the president asks for more money and more time, Congress needs to tell him he only gets one choice: a firm timeline for withdrawal.

No timeline, no funding. No excuses.

It is time to end this war.

Meanwhile, Sen. Barack Obama said on Larry King the president seems "bound to this same failed course."

The Illinois Democrat said Bush is pulling some troops out of Iraq because "we have run out of troops, we can't sustain the surge."

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

Former Sen. John Edwards wants everyone to know he's bought 2 minutes of air time tonight to counter President Bush's Iraq speech. His Web site features a handy countdown clock to his ad, which based on the excerpts provided by the campaign includes little new material.

Edwards (D-N.C.) also wants voters to know the spot, pre-taped for MSNBC, was expensive.

Asked whether Edwards was stealing Senate Democrats' thunder since they planned a live response following the Bush speech, Majority Leader Harry Reid's spokesman Jim Manley laughed heartily.

"The last thing I want to do is get into the middle of presidential politics," he added.

Other Democrats sniffed privately that perhaps Edwards was trying to remain relevant to the process.

Stay tuned. It airs in 1 hour, 53 minutes and 57 seconds ... 56 seconds ... 55 seconds.

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) today crosses the Pacific, taking a campaign swing through Hawaii with wife Elizabeth in tow.

The four-day, four-island visit is "the first this year by any candidate of either major party," the peace candidate boasts in a press release.

"I love Hawaii, and I'm looking forward to presenting my platform to the citizens of a state that other candidates are ignoring," he said. "The issues of peace and war and environmental protection and health care touch every citizen of the United States, not just those on the mainland."

In 2004, Kucinich placed second in the state's presidential caucus, with nearly one third of the vote. His chances this cycle are less clear, since Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) grew up in Hawaii.

Among the campaign stops for Kucinich are an AFL-CIO lunch in Honolulu, a Maui Democrats keynote speech and a q-and-a with Progressive Democrats of Hawai'i at the University of Hawaii's School of Architecture.

No luaus on the schedule -- the congressman is a vegan and isn't likely to dine on roasted pig.

The news comes on the heels of former Sen. Mike Gravel's announcement last month he would bring his "growing presidential campaign" to Alaska.

Gravel, who was Alaska's senator from 1969 to 1981, now lives in Virginia.

Like Kucinich, he was the "first presidential candidate to visit" the state. But that wasn't much of a surprise, since he promised at the Yearly Kos convention last month he would campaign in all 50 states.

Gravel said in a release he would address these issues during his visit.

* The Trans Alaska Gas Pipeline Project and how it fits into the National Energy Policy
* Alaska's role in global warming and renewable energy
* Ways to restore the people's faith in our government and ensure we have ethical, accountable leaders elected

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

Bill Richardson is aiming to cash in on President Bush's assertion the United States is "kicking ass" in Iraq.

Richardson (D-N.M.) sent a fundraising e-mail today with the subject line: "While the President jokes, 28 more Americans die."

Here are some excerpts from the governor's e-mail:

Dear Friend,

We cannot allow the shame that is America's involvement in Iraq to continue any longer.
3,600 American soldiers have given their lives in this botched and misguided war -- Americans, with families, whose deaths are inestimable losses for those who love them.
Meanwhile, last week President Bush told the Australian Prime Minister that America is "kicking ass" in Iraq.
"Kicking ass?"
What does our President think this is, a high school football game? Where is his leadership? Where is his sense of proportion? Where is his compassion?
As President Bush bantered about Iraq as though it were a game, another 28 American soldiers died this week.
This cannot continue. Congress must act to end the war. And with all the force I can muster, I am urging Congress to act now.
...
Iraq is not the disease -- it is a symptom. The disease is arrogance.
28 more American servicemembers died this week, in the service of our President's ego -- his fear of failure, his reluctance to change course, his attention to political considerations over the lives of American men and women in uniform.
The President has abdicated his responsibility, and Congress has a duty to act. And our Congress is failing us.
...
Clinton, Obama and Edwards all share the inside-the-Beltway thinking that a complete withdrawal of all American forces would be "irresponsible." But the facts suggest that a rapid, complete withdrawal--not a drawn-out, Vietnam-like process--would be the most responsible and effective course of action. Those who think we need to keep troops in Iraq misunderstand the Middle East.
...
My plan is clear and consistent, and you can read it here. Congress must vote to de-authorize the war -- and set a timetable to bring every one of our troops home now.
I'm the only major Democratic Presidential candidate who's insisting on action now.
...
Sincerely,
Governor Bill Richardson

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

All of the major Democratic presidential hopefuls today have September 11 references on their campaign sites, while most of the Republican candidates don't mention the anniversary of the attacks.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, dubbed "America's Mayor" for his role after the terrorist attacks six years ago, has turned his entire site into a memorial. Even archived pages now direct to a simple page with this message:

September 11, 2001
We will not forget
"This massive attack was intended to break our spirit. It has not done that. It has made us stronger, more determined and more resolved.”
- Rudy Giuliani, Address to the United Nations
October 1, 2001
Click here to visit the National September 11 Memorial & Museum website.

Giuliani also has closed his offices today, but his MySpace page is still up and running.

The Democrats seemed to favor placing a small black, blue or gray box on their home pages with a 9/11 message. Here's a sampling:

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's site features a slideshow of two photos -- one promoting a support the troops bumper sticker and the other with the message "Remembering September 11, 2001" over a photo of the Republican standing at a memorial site.

Republican Fred Thompson (Tenn.) doesn't mention the anniversary on his home page, nor do Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Sam Brownback (R-Kansas), Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) or Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.).

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) has been calling for months for the candidates to participate in a 90-minute debate focused solely on Iraq policy.

None of the other Democratic hopefuls have agreed, and it's unlikely to happen given Sen. Barack Obama's recent announcement he would participate in only DNC-sanctioned debates.

But is the idea worth considering?

The candidates have met on stages to court very specific voting groups - gays, labor union members, Latinos and even cancer survivors. (Though Obama (Ill.) didn't attend the LiveStrong cancer forum with Lance Armstrong.)

Critics dismiss the specialty forums as pandering, but even attendees gathered here in Miami for the Univision debate last night said they wanted more substance.

Latino voters told reporters after the forum they heard few distinguishing policy plans from the candidates. The Democrats mostly agreed on vague concepts about immigration and the war but gave few specifics because they were instead asked about whether to make Spanish the "second national language" and why it was important for them to appeal to Hispanics.

At the Human Rights Campaign, most of the candidates' time was dominated by lesbian singer Melissa Etheridge talking about her own struggle and a long discussion on why all but two of the candidates favor traditional marriage, a topic that is deeply important to that audience but revealed nothing new for voters hoping to make up their minds.

As I hear all over the country, gay voters, labor voters and Hispanic voters care deeply about the war, and I'm sure cancer survivors rank Iraq as a top issue. The Democrats are telling voters they are the best qualified to lead the United States, and they all want to end the war. Most of the candidates say they would do it differently from the other guy (or girl), but the debates have rarely allowed them to engage each other or answer key questions.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's is asking the others just how many troops would remain in Iraq once the majority are withdrawn under their plans. Biden says the others aren't being honest about how long it will take to get troops out safely.

Maybe an Iraq forum would get those questions answered.

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) wasted no time declaring himself the winner of the Univision debate tonight.
"DODD DISPLAYS DEPTH OF UNDERSTANDING AND EXPERIENCE AT UNIVISION FORUM. Presidential Candidate Connects with Latino Community, Highlights Mastery of Issues," a release blared at 9:41 p.m.

Seven minutes later, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson chimed in, with his campaign asserting: "Bill Richardson Winner of Univision Democratic Presidential Forum. Richardson challenges the other candidates on Iraq and vows to reform immigration policy."

It's the first time in awhile Hillary Clinton's camp didn't send out a long e-mail praising the senator's debate performance, and nothing hit my inbox from former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), who gave a head-scratching answer to a debate question on immigration.

Here are portions of that exchange:

Q: The same question, we're going to ask, about immigration to all the candidates. Would you commit during your first year of the presidency, to immigration reform? ... Senator Edwards, now [is] your time to respond.

MR. EDWARDS: The answer's yes, I would commit to do it, not just in my first year, but at the beginning of the Edwards administration. ...

You know, it's interesting to me. When you walk into a Blockbuster to -- to rent a movie, you don't see anybody, but you hear a voice saying, "Welcome to Blockbuster." We can figure out when somebody's walking into a Blockbuster. It seems to me we can figure out when somebody's coming into the United States of America, and especially if we use the technology that's available to us. And I think that's what the focus should be on -- more Border Patrol, better use of technology, as absolutely a path to -- to earn citizenship for those who are living here and who are undocumented.

Some Spanish-speaking University of Miami staffers loudly ridiculed the answer following the forum, and it sparked several Netflix jokes.

As I noted earlier, the forum was heavy on technical difficulties and light on news. Here's my story that will appear in the paper in the morning.

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

"Are we going to have audio?"
"Vamos a tener audio?"

Reporters who didn't speak Spanish were already anxious about the translation devices that didn't quite fit in our ears. (Porque soy de California, yo hablo un poquito Espanol.)

But 90 seconds before the forum began tonight, the Media Room had no sound - not in Spanish, English or French. Nada.

Spanish- and English-speaking reporters in the room erupted in a panic, sending University of Miami staff scrambling to try and fix the feed. What most reporters heard for the first 16 minutes of the debate was static - both from the closed television feed and from the translation device.

Even Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) seemed to have trouble, yanking the earpiece from his ear mid-way through his answer to a question on Iraq.

Spanish-speaking reporters (and there are many here) heard only English once the audio feed was adjusted, and everyone is complaining of a headache from the static.

"I should just drive home so I can actually do my job," a local reporter whined.

As if everyone's blood pressure was not high enough, the video signal from the stadium down the hallway from the Media Room kept failing.

"This is totally ridiculous," a Miami Herald scribe complained.

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - University student stand-ins are doubling for "Senadors" Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama as they do a test-run for tonight's 7 p.m. debate.

The picture below is as far as they will let reporters go into the Bank United Center before the candidates take the stage, but we're getting a little preview of the set-up on a video screen in the Media Room. The "bowl" is filled with Floridians and students, most in bright orange Hurricanes t-shirts.

Turnout among the Washington press corps is much lighter than at previous debates, but Arianna Huffington is here.

The questions will be asked in Spanish and then translated through earpieces for the candidates. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Sen. Chris Dodd (CT) are fluent Spanish speakers but are forbidden from answering the questions in that tongue. Instead they must answer in English and their answers will be interpreted for the stadium audience and the Univision viewers watching at home.

Based on my quick survey of the stadium, it seems the questions and answers will be displayed on these jumbo screens, currently loaded up with fake questions.

There's already some buzz from the candidates - Dodd announced yesterday he would lift the Cuban trade embargo if he is elected, and former Sen. John Edwards (N.C.) this morning said he would strengthen the nation's schools to make sure they help Latino students achieve the American dream.

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

The Democrats are getting ready for Sunday's Univision presidential debate in Miami. The questions will be asked in Spanish and then translated to English for the hopefuls to answer in English.

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) this morning announced he has been endorsed by Federico Pena, a prominent Latino politician and former Clinton Administration official.

Pena, who served as both Clinton's transportation and energy secretary, will become Obama's national co-chair. He told reporters the easy thing would have been waiting for a candidate to emerge victorious after the Democratic primaries.

Instead, after "thinking very carefully," he chose Obama for having "the depth of judgment that our country needs to usher in a new era of global leadership," he said. "Judgment and wisdom are far more important than experience."

Pena said he thinks Obama has the ability to bring "diverse groups of people together" and has a special appeal to Hispanic voters. He added he believes the Hispanic vote will be "key" in both the primary election and the general election.

Asked why he didn't choose Sen. Hillary Clinton, the former first lady, he responded a person with "the best set of skills in doing two fundamental things – unifying our country ... and looking at international problems creatively and unencumbered by past political ideology ... would be the best president."

"You either have those skills or you don't have those skills," said Pena, who will attend Sunday's debate.

Obama also is urging supporters to show up with signs and spirit before the debate, to be held at the University of Miami in Coral Gables.

Clinton (D-NY) has encouraged her supporters to hold "America con Hillary" debate watch parties.

The two Spanish speakers of the Democratic field - Sen. Chris Dodd and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson - are trailing their rivals but hope to gain some momentum with their linguistic advantage.

Dodd (D-CT) tomorrow will offer a new and "bold" Cuba policy, the campaign announced, saying the senator "has led the fight to reform our approach to Cuba to better serve the cause of democracy and American interests."

Richardson, who grew up in Mexico City, sent out a release today saying he has "shown a lifetime commitment to our nation's Latino community."

As my colleague Stephen Dinan reported this morning, Democrats have reached out to the Hispanic community on many issues.

Immigration - a topic dominating Republican debates - has been one of the least talked about issues of the Democratic campaign. Expect that to change Sunday night.

-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times