Win a Debate Date
With a Clinton

"You, Me, a TV and a bowl of chips"

Sound enticing?

How about if the man making the invitation were Bill Clinton?

The former president sent out a solicitation on Tuesday offering to spend an evening with three donors to his wife's presidential campaign. Expressing his delight over the race, Clinton gushed:

"So here's an idea: Why don't you and I share that excitement together during an upcoming debate."

Clinton's debate dates will be chosen from contributors who send in donations by this Sunday - the end of the third quarter. Clinton stressed the importance of increasing his wife's campaign coffer.

"We've passed Labor Day, which means more people are paying attention to the election," he wrote. "After Sunday, September 30, Hillary's fundraising numbers will be compared to those of her opponents, and every dollar you contribute between now and Sunday will make a huge difference."

In other celebrity endorsement news, Roger Staubach, former quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, sent out a fundraising letter for Sen. John McCain that left few sports metaphors unturned. "When the clock is running down and the game is on the line, the team huddle is one of the most important parts of the game for a quarterback. It's the last chance he has to pull his team together and inspire them to victory," Staubach, telling donors that in order to play well in the fourth quarter, they'll need a strong showing in the third.

--Anne E. Kornblut