Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:
* In case there was any doubt about the status of the scheduled debate co-hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Institute and Fox News, Hillary Clinton joined John Edwards and Barack Obama in skipping the event. Clinton didn’t repudiate the Republican network specifically, but her campaign did say that she would limit her appearances to DNC-sanctioned debates, and Howard Dean has already rejected the notion of sanctioning a Fox News event.
* Obama, appearing on David Letterman’s talk show last night, rejected the notion that he’d consider the VP slot. “You don’t run for second. I don’t believe in that,” Obama said. When Letterman said a Clinton-Obama ticket would be “powerful,” Obama responded, “Which order are we talking?”
* New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) said yesterday that he’s satisfied with his underdog role in the presidential race, concluding, “I’m perfectly content to be the only candidate in the second tier.”
* Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) apparently shouldn’t be too concerned about his re-election bid next year. The Des Moines Register’s David Yepsin talked to Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) yesterday, and the lawmaker couldn’t even think of a GOP candidate willing to take Harkin on. Yespin added that current House Republicans probably shouldn’t bother — Harkin has “defeated more sitting Republican members of Congress than any Democrat in the history of the Senate.”
* As if Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) didn’t have enough to worry about with a tough re-election fight next year, there are rumors that Smith, who has been trying to move to the middle, might have to endure a primary challenge from the right.
* And don’t forget that MoveOn.org is hosting a virtual town hall forum tonight with all seven of the Democratic presidential contenders. The discussion will focus exclusively on the war in Iraq, and questions will come from MoveOn members.