I just want to open the topic of PM up for discussion--

--what are the OK and wrong ways to use PM?

Is [PM chatting on a blog] vs. [dialog back/forth in thread-space] detracting from the public dialog or not?

Or the same question expressed as: "Do private social spaces (maybe called "backdoors" or "pressure valves") benefit (or at least not constrain) public dialog and the construction of civil space online?

I'm not sure where I am on this one, all things considered~

any thoughts?

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Kucinich for President campaign late today filed an emergency complaint with the Federal Communications Commission claiming that the ABC television network “is violating its obligation to operate in the public interest” by excluding Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich from tomorrow night’s scheduled debate in Manchester, NH.

Further, the complaint charges, the televised event “is not a true presidential primary debate without including all credible candidates, but instead is effectively an endorsement of the candidates selected by ABC.” The filing also notes that ABC “is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walt Disney, Co., whose executives have contributed heavily to other Democratic presidential primary candidates, including Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, former Senator John Edwards, and Governor Bill Richardson.”
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Former U.S. Sen. George Turner was something of a political fluke of nature. He began as an obedient carpetbagger Stalwart Conkling-Arthur Republican Party hack in Alabama, and grew into becoming one of Washington State's great statesmen of his era as a Democrat. His opposition to the McKinley policy of imperialism is still worth heeding today. His run for Governor in 1904 was a Quixotic quest at best, but also in keeping with Turner's personality.

George Turner, according to a 1912 biography, "was born in Edina, Knox county, Missouri, February 25, 1850, a son of Grenville Davenport and Maria (Taylor) Turner. His parents in 1825 had removed from Kentucky to Missouri and had cast in their lot with the pioneer settlers of the latter state, where they maintained their residence until called to their final rest. The father, who was a cabinetmaker by trade, came of English and Dutch ancestry, while his wife, a daughter of George and Maria Taylor, was representative of a family of Scotch-Irish origin that had settled at an early period in the part of Virginia which is now West Virginia."

The Turners moved to Lebanon, Missouri in 1859, and shortly after were caught up in the Civil War. All the able bodied men in the family signed up to serve the Union. Young George became a telegraph operator. The War also interrupted his formal education, which totalled a mere 8 months for his whole life. The rest of his learning came from experience.

I preface this reprint of Barack Obama's victory speech in Iowa by saying, prior to hearing this speech live, I was straddling Obama/Clinton/Edwards.  Although I'm now sold on Obama, I will vote for the Democratic candidate for President in 2008.

That being said, here is the entire speech: