The Commission says the information has been requested by the Secret Service which wants the information to conduct background checks on applicants.

Secret Service spokesman Tom Mazur said racial information was among several "law enforcement identifiers used to facilitate national database searches" run through an FBI crime system. Other identifiers include name, date of birth and Social Security number.

But, remember this?

The race of journalists became a national issue more than a month ago when an Arizona Daily Star photographer, Mamta Popat, appeared to be singled out for additional scrutiny by the Bush campaign.Campaign officials called the woman's office the day before a rally featuring Vice President Dick Cheney in Tucson to ask about Popat's race. The paper's managing editor challenged the question's relevance and was told that Popat, who is of Indian descent, might be denied access to the event. The campaign later contacted the editor to say the photographer's credentials had been cleared.

A Bush-Cheney spokesman said Wednesday that it was not the campaign's policy to require racial information. A Kerry campaign spokesman said its campaign refers all security issues to the U.S. Secret Service.

About 2,500 members of the media are expected to attend the debate. They will be watching from "media center" rather than from the debate hall. The application is here, and it must be submitted by September 24.

It may be that the Commission won't credential bloggers, without a challenge.

Only full-time employees of news organizations are eligible, no stringers, freelancers, interns, students or family members will be credentialed.

What constitutes a "news organization?" What's the relevance of being a "full time" employee? The Commission must be expecting someone to sue, because the application requirements include this provision:

The applicant waives his or her right to dispute or appeal the denial or revocation of credentials.