Um…forgot this debate was happening until a quarter to ten. I hear there’s been a lot of rough stuff out there so far. The two minutes I’ve watched thus far involve Barack Obama seeming fairly cogent.

UPDATE: I don’t like John Edwards’ defeatism talking about taking on John McCain. Don’t give up hope for Mitt Romney!

UPDATE II: Glad to see Barack Obama taking HRC on on her claim that her record of backing catastrophic invasions of Iraq makes her uniquely qualified to battle Republicans on national security issues.

UPDATE III: I think Wolf Blitzer’s question about who Martin Luther King would endorse if he were alive today is possibly a new low for inane debate questions. It almost makes me feel bad I ever spoke ill of Tim Russert.

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has released a new Spanish-language campaign ad in Florida entitled Mi Padre (My Father), featuring Romney’s son, Craig. Craig encourages voters to “get to know my father, Mitt Romney.” Romney himself then chimes in with: Soy Mitt Romney y apruebo este mensaje (I’m Mitt Romney and I approved this message). Watch it:

It’s interesting that Romney is so interested in reaching out to Latino voters in Spanish. In the past, he has been stridently English-only:

“English needs to be the language that is spoken in America. We cannot be a bilingual nation like Canada.” [3/07]

“You strengthen the American people by securing our borders and by insisting that the children who come legally to this land are taught in English.” [3/2/07]

In September, the Spanish-language television network Univision had to cancel a GOP presidential debate when only Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) agreed to attend.

But with the important Florida presidential primary — and its large number of Latino voters — approaching, the candidates are going all-out to pander for votes. Earlier this month, Giuliani also released a campaign ad en espa±ol on at least three Spanish-language television stations in Miami, despite his vocal support for English-only policies.

The Crypt reports:

The Iraq Study Group might get a second go-round. Legislation pushed by Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.), which is now law, directs the U.S. Institute of Peace to support a second version of the commission that would send former Rep. Lee Hamilton and former Secretary of State James Baker III and two other commissioners to Iraq to assess the situation. Hamilton has told the Institute that he is prepared to go, according to Hamilton and an Institute spokesman.

“I think they could really be an asset,” said Wolf. “They ought to do it sooner and not later.” The Iraq Study Group initially recommended negotiations with neighboring countries and a gradual troop withdrawal. A second report, however, is waiting on Baker.

I think the fact that John McCain is very old and very much looks his age is probably going to be a problem for him in electoral terms. Still, there’s a question in my mind of why one could raise this issue in a reasonable way. Chuck Norris seems a bit crude here:

I didn’t pick John to support because I’m just afraid that the vice president would wind up taking over his job in that four-year presidency.

Naturally enough, Mike Huckabee just wound up needing to distance himself from those sentiments. The issue here is probably that Norris is too closely identified with Huckabee at this point. You want the issue raised by by people who aren’t just seen as part of your campaign.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech on “Why I Am Opposed to the War In Vietnam“:

This is pretty neat. According to Howard Wolfson, pointing out that Bill Clinton is lying is a “right-wing talking point” and thus all good liberals have a duty to grant Clinton a blanket license to fib. So when Clinton said he opposed the Iraq War, that must have been true, because I’m a liberal. And when Clinton said Barack Obama didn’t oppose the Iraq War, that must have been true too, because I’m a liberal.

Look, obviously Bill’s in an odd position because we’ve never had an ex-president’s wife run for president before. But if he wants to be treated as an elder statesman figure for fellow progressives, he needs to act like one. If he wants to be Hillary Clinton’s attack dog in a primary campaign, then he’s going to be treated as one. Certainly he’s not above criticism.