Didn't McCain refer early in the debate to 'calling for the Chairman of the SEC's resignation' and then launch into that windy (and apparently untrue) story about Eisenhower and the two letters? Didn't he actually say last week that the President should fire Cox, which he cannot do? Does anyone else see a difference? Isn't he trying to change history here?

OK guys, think about this. Up here in Canada we are raised on a constant diet of how freedom is so important in the US. Live free or die, etc. If you ask most people in the world what word they associate with the US the most, the answer is usually 'freedom'.

I lived in the US for nine years, and loved every minute of it. I figured out that in the US most things are legal, but you are responsible for what you do. I like that. (In Canada, we work on the premise that if someone, somewhere might be offended, then we better make it illegal. I don't like that.)

But the right to have children is the most basic of freedoms. Even in Canada. To offer cash as bait to the poor in order to have them sterilized is odious. Any public figure that talks like this should have Nazi Germany's eugenics program explained to them while they are walked to the door marked 'Political Oblivion'.

Please don't allow crap like that. There are a lot of people around the world that admire the US, and this kind of nonsense makes it difficult.

That would be 'grisly' images, not 'grizzly'.

The reason they can get away with it on The View is that the politicians need them more than they need the politicians. Television news media don't ask hardball questions because if they did they wouldn't get the politicians back. Look at Campbell Brown's interview of Tucker Bounds: she was polite, respectful, and insistent. For that she is accused of "bodyslamming" Bounds and McCain's campaign retaliates by canceling and upcoming interview on Larry King Live. The next story should be McCain's attempt to muzzle the media through manipulation.

The Sunday talk shows are the worst: if you want viewers, get big names. Big names don't come back if you make them uncomfortable.

Hopefully the flattening of the news universe through the Internet will reduce the importance of major news media and allow their journalists, who probably started their careers wanting to do their job properly, to start asking the challenging questions.

It sounds to me that he was simply showing humility, a fine characteristic in a leader.

Lipstick! Oh, wait...

I thought Joe Biden was terrific. He told a great story, and he came across as both ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. He will make a great VP.

I doubt if he found it funny at all. He was imprisoned, and didn't know that it was for life. I hope that the LW found some comfort in your answer, but I don't see how she could.

My ex-wife is an alcoholic. I tried to stick it out, for better and for worse and all that dogshit, and in the long run it cost me $250,000 in support payments and legal fees. Remaining with her after I had figured out what her problem was remains the greatest strategic error I have made in my life, and one that I regret every day. I should have opened my eyes and kicked her to the curb as soon as I realized she had a problem.

You only live once. The last thing you need is someone who can't control their drinking to fuck up your life.

Don't be stupid.

I was an EMT in Houston for four years before I returned to Canada. I loved the US, and hated the health care system. Canadians spend half as much on health care and live longer. It is a crime for a doctor to charge a co-pay to a patient. Imagine that - a crime.

I needed an MRI recently, and the waiting time was four weeks. I can live with that. If it was an emergency, I would get it immediately.

I have a great drug plan, so I can't spend money when I go to a doctor or a hospital. I just need my Alberta Health card and my secondary insurance card, which covers everything not covered by the government insurance. I pay $120 a month for the secondary insurance.

When John McCain tells you that 'Canada has socialized medicine where a government bureaucrat gets between a patient and his doctor' he is lying. He knows better. We have single-payer health care - I go to any doctor I want in Canada, and all the bills go to the government. I pay for it through my taxes. Employers can't pay for your insurance and remain price competitive with Canada or Europe - look what is happening to General Motors.

The answer is simple, but would require the country to stand up to the AMA and the health insurance industry.

I don't know why you guys aren't rioting in the streets over your health care system.

Are you nuts? Why?

Borrowing heavily from Napoleon, never interrupt your adversary when he is making a mistake. Let's see how this potential Commander-in-Chief navigates himself out of this thicket - and he can get his own map.

Obama has already won the support of Democrats, and is now trying to win Republicans away from McCain. Let him do his job and stop giving the Republicans ammunition. Democrats don't have an alternative.

And for God's sake, stop whining about the small details. You have a terrific candidate in Obama.

As for Nader - just stop talking about him, and he will go away. He is not going to win anything, and he is a distraction.