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New York, NY (CBS) --
TO DEBATE, OR NOT TO DEBATE
Hillary Clinton would dearly love to debate Barack Obama between now and the May 6th primaries in Indiana and North Carolina. She keeps saying "Let’s do it".
"We could even do it on the back of a flat-bed truck. Doesn't even have to be in some fancy studio somewhere," said Hillary Clinton, Democrat of New York.
Just the two of us, she says.
"No moderators. Just the two of us on a stage for 90 minutes. Asking each other questions. Talking about whatever is on our minds," said Clinton.
But Obama says, "let’s not".
"I'm not ducking one. We've had 21 (laughs)," Barack Obama, Democrat of Illinois
Barack Obama isn't saying he'll never debate Hillary Clinton again. But on Fox News Sunday he said in effect has more important people to be with between now and next Tuesday.
"What we've said is with two weeks, two big states, we want to make sure that we're talking to as many folks as possible, on the ground. Taking questions from voters," said Obama.
Its almost as if he'd like to go back to scrambling for votes the way he did when he was thought of as the underdog.
"I've got to be knocking on more doors. I've got to be hitting more events. We've got to work harder because although it's flipped a little bit, we've always been the underdog in this race," said Obama.
But he's not the underdog, says Larry Sabato, Director, Center for Politics, University of Virginia.
"He's the front runner. He's likely to be nominated. He has far more money to buy advertising and media time. He doesn't need the free time. And at this point the last thing he wants is to give her another opportunity to vault ahead of him in a key state, in this case Indiana," said Sabato.
Sabato continues:
"A debate at this point benefits Hillary Clinton enormously. She doesn't have as much money as Barack Obama. She could use the free time and exposure," said Sabato.
THE REVEREND WRIGHT FACTOR IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL RACE
The annual NAACP's $150 dollar-a-plate Fight For Freedom Fund dinner in Detroit is billed as the largest sit down dinner in America. Former President Clinton, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have all been speakers. But last night, the speaker was described by Reverend Wendell Anthony, President of the Detroit NAACP, as "the hottest brother in America right now outside of Barack Obama." Reverend Jeremiah Wright, once Obama's pastor at the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.
"I am not here for political reasons. I am not a politician," said Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Pastor, Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.
Reverend Jeremiah Wright said he was not speaking last night to endorse any presidential candidate.
"If I were pushing one particular candidate, I would say, 'Yes We Can’," said Reverend Wright.
Although he did mention Obama in passing.
"Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Hussein Obama. There are Arabic speaking Christians, Arabic speaking Jews, Arabic speaking Muslims and Arabic speaking atheists. Arabic is a language, its not a religion," said Reverend Wright.
More than one critic has called Wright one of the most divisive voices racially.
"I am not one of the most divisive. Tell him the word is 'descriptive. "I describe the conditions in this country. Conditions divide, not my descriptions," said Reverend Wright.
Wright, who is retiring from his Chicago ministry, is also speaking in Washington this morning.
"The over-arching issue with Reverend Wright's speech is that he made it at all. He continues to be a weight around Barack Obama's neck," said Juan Williams, NPR and Fox News Political Analyst.
"Barack Obama cannot get away from this controversy so long as Reverend Wright continues to add fuel to the fire. Whether it be in Dallas, Detroit, or Washington D.C. Monday morning," said Reverend Wright.
THE MILLENNIALS VOICES WILL BE HEARD
Every forty years or so, according to the book "Millennial Makeover: MySpace, YouTube and the Future of American Politics," there is a generational makeover in this country, and new civic era begins. And we're at that point right now according to co-authors Morley Winograd and Michael Hais.
"The Millennials' attitudes will change the tone of American politics, which will have to be more about building the country than tearing your opponent down," said Morley Winograd, co-author of "Millennial Makeover".
"We are moving into a different era --- where there will be different, more basic, economic and foreign policy concerns --- and much less concern with social issues of one kind or another," said Michael Hais, co-author of "Millennial Makeover".
Politics has become the Gordian knot that effectively prevents either Democrats or Republicans from doing very much about anything important. It's become politically impossible to deal with immigration problems or social security or environmental or terrorist threats, real as these and other threats may be.
"The Millennials are very much like those GI Generation Voters. They're a Civic Generation, oriented to fixing the political institutions of the country --- to addressing the country's fundamental economic and foreign policy issues --- and very uninterested in the social issues that divided the Baby Boomer Generation, and therefore the country's politics, for the last forty years,” said Winograd.
And in this, the major political parties as we now know them may be irrelevant.
"Civic Era realignments are not necessarily Republican or Democratic. They occur, and both parties have to react to them,” said Winograd.
Get used to it, says Michael Hais.
"A way a generation begins to vote and the rate at which it votes early on is pretty much the way it will vote through its entirety. Civic generations tend to vote at high numbers when they're young --- and tend to keep that trend and pattern all the way through their lives," said Hais.
SEASONAL BUSINESSES HANG OUT HELP WANTED SIGNS
Because of Congress, the Crown and Anchor resort in Provincetown on Cape Cod won't be serving breakfast this summer. Because of Congress, restaurants across the country may have fewer tables and longer wait times. Because of Congress, hotel check in times are likely to be delayed.
Now to be fair, Congress didn't outlaw breakfast anywhere, or mandate fewer tables or waiting times. But employers around the country who thrive on seasonal business have had to do these things because thousands of foreign workers they've hired in the past won't be allowed back into the country this year.
And that Congress did do. Our lawmakers are not immune from the law of unintended consequences.
Congress, in its comprehensive immigration reform debate, did not renew the returning worker exemption for H-2B visas; the kind foreign workers are issued. Many seasonal workers had held the same jobs for years, jobs like housekeepers that most college kids are not interested in.
Rick Farrick, who owns five inns in Newport, Rhode Island, says he's willing to offer more money, but that won't solve the problem of losing the experienced workers who've come back, often from Jamaica or Eastern Europe, to help out in the season. He says, "If someone's been here for three years and they've done the same job, you just tell them to go do it, and they do it." Slower housekeeping translates into longer waits until rooms are ready.
There are efforts in Congress to let returning workers in. But by the time they get around to it, it may be too late for this year. Ski resorts had the problem this winter, and its certainly too late for them now. And members will be a bit preoccupied this summer with getting themselves re-elected.
If they are not re-elected, it may be an unintended consequence of all the little things they did, or mostly didn't do, for, or to the voters.
Breakfast anybody?
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