From the Associated Press:

Clinton said a more even discussion of politics could come from Internet sites and Web blogs. He cited the tendency of blogs to scrutinize one or two subjects rather than a full plate of issues.

“They can do research and get the facts and don’t have to bad-mouth people. Sometimes they do, but they don’t have to,” Clinton said. “I think all these blog sites are creating a whole new opportunity for public debate that may revitalize our politics in an old fashioned way.”

Clinton and (Former President) Bush lauded the role telecommunications and technology can play in improving healthcare, spreading individual freedoms and eradicating poverty.

And as for personal technology, the former presidents said they were dedicated to using cell phones or wireless devices.

“The hour I’m here is about the longest I can be away from my Blackberry,” Bush said.

Just to add my own thoughts I am glad to see President Clinton have such a positive thought about blogs & the Internet. Especially since during his years The Drudge Report & sites like it played such a pivotal role in releasing information about his personal indiscretions. Meanwhile it is really cool to see elder Bush is a Blackberry user. Somehow I just wouldn’t have pictured it on my own.

In an interview for ABC’s 20/20 Republican Presidential Candidate Rudy Giuliani made remarks about the role of his wife in his administration that has resulted in some minor waves. He told interviewer Barbara Walters that if elected president he could see his wife attending cabinet meetings.

The role of the First Lady has regularly been under scrutiny in the history of the country. Tradition more than any established or constitutional rule created the position and each First Lady has made the role her own. Since the White House is both the office and residence of the Chief Executive someone has always been responsible for making it a home. With the attitudes of the nation being what they were in our past this often meant the wife of the president, when there was a wife, took on the role of keeping up the manor as well as attending to social functions.

It hasn’t always been the case though. Many First Ladies have shied away from being a socialite and several have shied away from running the home at all. Often these roles were given to children, nieces, cousins etc. Some First Ladies stayed away from the White House & Washington itself as much as possible.

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As the politics of ‘08 heat up the policy of ‘07 is starting to get in gear. So far the year has been marred with scandal and bad press for the administration leaving it with little in the way of policy under its belt. But it is reported today that a new deal on immigration might make its way into the Congress.

The provisions from the latest draft are being reported by CNN as follows:

1) Under the plan, undocumented workers could apply for three-year work visas, which the plan dubs “Z” visas. They would be renewable indefinitely but renewal would cost $3,500 each time.

2) The undocumented workers would have legal status with the visas, but to get a green card, making them legal permanent residents, they would have to return to their home country, apply at a U.S. embassy or consulate to re-enter legally and pay a $10,000 fine.

3) The plan also tries to make border security a priority by requiring 18,300 Border Patrol agents and 370 miles of physical fencing be in place, as well as electronic monitoring of the southern border ongoing before a temporary worker program could start.

This plan is MUCH more conservative then the one authored by Sen. John McCain & Sen. Edward Kennedy last year which was supported by the administration. It was recently reported that John McCain was surprised by the level of opposite this plan had in Iowa and the Senator was said to be reviewing his position. This bill also addresses the concerns of many conservative voters who expressed dismay over the issue and the Republican stance in the ‘06 elections believing the bill was equal to “amnesty”.

Immigration will undoubtedly remain a major issue for both sides and especially in some key swing states that have felt the economic burden of illegal immigration.

Think Progress has the story and video of more gaffes from John McCain who claimed Iraq is so safe:

General Petraeus goes out there almost every day in an unarmed humvee. I think you oughta catch up. You are giving the old line of three months ago. I understand it. We certainly don’t get it through the filter of some of the media.

While on CNN confronted with the news that General Petraeus spokesman said he never travels in an un-armored humvee in Iraq McCain denied that he had ever suggested it in the first place.

This Straight Talk Express tour has not been good to McCain.

I thought I would throw in some personal thoughts about the recent developments surrounding John Edwards candidacy and the disclosure that his wife’s cancer has returned.

First to the topic of a recent interview with Katie Couric on this weekends 60 Minutes program on CBS. Couric, whose husband died of cancer and left her with two children whose ages are similar to the Edwards children, asked very frank and difficult questions of both John & Elizabeth Edwards over whether their decision to continue the campaign was putting politics above family.

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