News of an upcoming New York fundraiser (featuring Jon Bon Jovi) to help pay off Hillary Clinton’s campaign debt peaked my curiosity.

After doing stories last summer about Indiana vendors left holding the bag following Clinton events in Indiana prior to the May primary, I decided to relearn my FEC database searching skills.  What I found was a surprisingly short list of creditors.  Most of those still owed money are corporate vendors and more than $5 million of the $6.3 million dollar debt is owed to one political consulting firm (Penn and Schoen.)

No one from Indiana is still on the list.

-I just got the word that we are in a recession that began last year.  What should I do about my weekend holiday purchases?

-I’m impressed by the large number of Obama signs still in yards around Indianapolis.  When they disappear, will that be a sign the honeymoon is over?

-Now that Hillary Clinton is in the Cabinet, does John Edwards have a shot?  Don’t everyone respond at once, please.

-My Marion County property tax bill arrived, as promised, today.  The tax relief delivered by the General Assembly is not only obvious, it means that I will pay less than I did last year.  Maybe I can affort that weekend shopping, afterall.

Indiana Democrats gather in French Lick this weekend for the first time since 2005 as the Indiana Democratic Editorial Association returns to its traditional meeting site.

The weekend full of events is always capped by a Saturday night keynote address and this year it will come from Joe Hogsett.  Hogsett was a co-chair of the Hillary Clinton campaign in Indiana but will represent the Barack Obama campaign on Saturday night.

As Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama appear together on stage in Unity, New Hampshire it may be worth one last visit to the Jill Long Thompson/Jim Schellinger split here in Indiana.

A Schellinger public endorsement is probably out of the question now because the State Democratic Convention last week was the best opportunity to stage one.  So who’s to blame?

Both Schellinger and Long Thompson contributed to the differences that stand in the way of a unity display.  I’m told they talked on the telephone a few weeks back and Schellinger asked for a face-to-face meeting.  Long Thompson agreed and instructed him to set it up with her campaign manager.

When Schellinger’s representative called about a meeting, he was told there was no longer any interest in the Long Thompson camp.  Campaign manager Travis Lowe says Schellinger wanted to go back through the primary campaign and spell out grievances and, he said, its time to move forward.

But isn’t Long Thompson the one in need of an endorsement?

Jonathan Swain will be the Obama for America communications director in Indiana starting next week.

Swain is an interesting choice because he has media relations experience in both Indiana and Washington, yet he was on the other side in the Democratic nomination fight.

Swain served in a similar capacity for the Hillary Clinton campaign during the May primary.  Then, he was on leave from Senator Evan Bayh’s staff. 

Now, he is leaving Bayh’s employ to help Barack Obama with the Senator’s blessing.

Hillary Clinton’s unpaid bills to Indiana University and others are likely to make news again early next month when she files a new report to the Federal Election Commission listing debts that will cover the weeks immediately leading up to the Indiana primary.  (Her last report covered only debts listed as overdue on April 30.)

In the meantime, a local attorney friend points out that Sen. Clinton is personally liable for the debts incurred here in Indiana.  A 1984 appeals court case involving former U. S. Senator Vance Hartke and Moore-Langen Printing and Publishing set the precedent.

The bills go away only if the people owed the money agree to consider them a campaign contribution.

I interviewed Hillary Clinton in driver Sarah Fisher’s garage at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this morning.  “Guarded” is the best way to describe the Clinton responses and expectations.

Meantime, the Fisher race team went to considerable trouble to decorate the side pods of her car with “Hillary for President” stickers.   They couldn’t be used.

Members of the race team said that concerns over a possible illegal contribution prevented display of the partisan car part.  As the team tore the stickers off, one of them said, “That’s okay, I’ve been in gray areas before.  I used to work for Foyt!” 

“And Menards,” said another.

Joe Andrew’s switch from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama caught Indiana politicians off guard but his behavior fits a pattern.

Andrew loves the spotlight and never misses an opportunity to make a headline.  He may be acting out of conscience but its hard to find people who know him who believe that.

I can’t remember a time when so many party leaders went off the record to call someone profane names. 

We will have new numbers on the Hillary Clinton/Barack Obama duel from a new WISH-TV Indiana Poll on 24 Hour News 8 at 6.

**Update: Here’s the link to the Indiana Poll Results
(WISHTV.com Admin)

The Democratic Presidential nomination battle is focused in Pennsylvania at the moment.  Hillary Clinton announced plans last week to resume Indiana campaigning on Thursday.  (Update at 5:29 pm:  Hillary’s planned Thursday visit to Indianapolis is now a Wednesday visit.) 

Plans are underway for Barack Obama to be here Tuesday evening.  He will react to the Pennsylvania results in Evansville, according to word coming from Pennsylvania. 

The Obama campaign won’t confirm those plans.

Evansville, by the way, is the home of Brad Ellsworth, Congressman and uncommitted super delegate.