Internet Heavy Hitters to Host First-Ever Online-Only Presidential Debates
Yahoo!, The Huffington Post, and Slate Magazine announced via press release that they will host a pair of online debates on their websites. The first debate will occur after Labor Day, featuring the Democratic candidates, and give viewers the chance to ask the candidates questions in real time. PBS' Charlie Rose will moderate, with an opening statement by DNC Chair Howard Dean. — Kate Redburn

Hillary: Allow Gays To Serve Openly In The Military
The Des Moines Register reports that Hillary Clinton said that gays should be able to serve openly in the military. At an Iowa campaign stop, Clinton broke from the early-90's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" compromise policy institued during her husband's administration: "Right now, we are discharging soldiers — at a time when we don't have enough people to do the missions we need around the world — because they're gay. Not because they've done anything, but just because they're gay."

Campaigns Frustrated By Debates
The New York Times on frustration from some campaigns that there are calls for too many debates, and too many candidates for them to be useful. An aide to the Edwards campaign said the debates "end up not being an exchange of ideas, but just an exchange of sound bites," and a McCain staffer complained, "If you actually ended up saying yes to every debate, you’d have a debate a week until the Iowa caucuses." At the other end of the spectrum, Bill Richardson said there should be as many debates as possible: "This is one way there is equity in this presidential process because there are several candidates with alarmingly more money and resources than everyone else."

McCain To Call For Emissions Cap
The New York Times reports that John McCain will call today for caps on greenhouse gas emissions, putting him on the most progressive end of the Republican candidates when it comes to global warming. "The problem isn’t a Hollywood invention nor is doing something about it a vanity of Cassandra-like hysterics," McCain will say, according to prepared remarks. "It is a serious and urgent economic, environmental and national security challenge."

Top Dems Tout Carbon Emissions Plans At Iowa Earth Day Events
The Associated Press reports that Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards held separate Iowa campaign events on Earth Day yesterday, discussing their plans to reduce carbon emissions and to even run environmentally efficient Presidential campaigns themselves.

Rudy The First Republican To File In South Carolina
The Associated Press reports that Rudy Giuliani became the first Republican candidate to file to run in the South Carolina primary, delivering $25,000 to the state GOP. (In South Carolina, state parties pay for the cost of holding the primary, so the candidates file and pay a fee to run.)

Richardson Slow To Pick Up House Support
Roll Call reports that Bill Richardson has not been able to pick up much support in the House, despite his past 15 years of service there, while members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus have either endorsed other candidates or are still waiting to decide who they support. "I think we all wish him well, but we have made a commitment," said Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) who has already endorsed John Edwards.

D.C. Voting Bill Has Long Way To Go
Roll Call reports that the bill to add voting representation in the House for the District of Columbia, passed by the House last week, faces a long road in the Senate. A complication in the plan has come with the Senate Parliamentarian sending the bill to the Senate Finance Committee, chaired by the uncommitted Max Baucus, instead of the expected Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, chaired by vocal bill proponent Joe Lieberman. Roll Call estimates that 46 Senators are in favor, with 28 uncommitted. The bill would also have to face a potential veto from the White House and an expected court challenge in case of passage. The Republican Natioanl Committee is already attacking Democratic House members who voted for the bill.

Millender-McDonald Dies
Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA), who chaired the House Administration Committee, has died at age 68, of cancer. The Los Angeles Times has a detailed retrospective on her life.