Pre-debate connectivity problems

I just spent about 15 minutes trying to log on to the Internet. Yes, I know it's partly my fault: I'm still using an old-fashioned dialup modem instead of something sexier and more expensive like DSL; I'm still using AOL as my service provider; I'm still using a 1999 Compaq Presario. Yes, yes, and yes. But I haven't had a problem like this in a long time.

Maybe a lot of people are clamoring to get online so they can be the first to blog about tonight's Vice-Presidential debate, which has yet to start from when I'm writing this. Blogs certainly played a significant role in the post-game analysis of last week's debate. But a part of me is wondering if there's something sinister afoot.

Banana Republicans reports extensively on GOP efforts at voter suppression in Chapter 6: Block the Vote, including successful efforts to jam get-out-the-vote phone lines in New Hampshire in 2002. I wouldn't put it past their Dirty Tricks squads to try to block bloggers by tying up access lines for dialup connections. There are a lot more sophisticated ways of going about this, though. I wonder if some major Blog hosts will experience difficulties tonight?

Twelve minutes to the debate. There should really be a warm-up act...