Wow. I would have thought the smoker at least would have some sympathy for someone fighting nicotine addiction. OK, I'm sure we'll all agree it should be a non-issue, and I'm sure we'll all agree small things get overblown, but why? And what do we do about it?

I don't have an answer to the second, but I have a guess for the first. People seem to seek stories to grip onto to use as guides for bigger questions, like who to vote for. Obama smokes, therefore I can conclude about him that... Same with Hillary and her choking up in New Hampshire, Edwards and his haircut, Kucinich and the story that he saw a UFO. Sometimes these stories are accurate guides, like Bush Sr. and the supermarket checkout scanner led to a correct conclusion that he was out of touch. So maybe I do have a notion to answer the second question. Supporters of a candidate need a different story. In Obama's case, the story about him cluing in Richardson when he didn't know the question during his turn in a debate seems to have stuck with Richardson. Repeating that story can show Obama as someone who fights fair and has the confidence to think he can help an opponent and still win, and that his basic instincts lead him to do the right thing.

What troops still there until 2010? But Obama's been saying about 16 months to withdraw, and if he becomes president in 2009, then 16 months is ... never mind.

I thought the loss of all delegates was too harsh, but Michigan and Florida agreed to the rules knowing that was the penalty. If the rules about when primaries can get ignored, then what rules can't be changed? I suggest Democrats in those two states blame their state parties. I sympathize with the voters, but not with state party leaders. Not only did they jump the line, it looks like they've refused all attempts to reach a compromise. I'd still be willing to seat their delegates without votes for president. They could split them in half, or pick all uncommitted delegates or delegates from candidates who have dropped out. However, coming a state that followed the rules, I'm not willing to recognize the results of the primaries. That would be unfair to the other 48 states.

What appears to be McCain's pattern is he votes the wrong way, admits his mistake some years later, then votes the wrong way again. He does figure it out eventually, but only long after he's done his damage and his admission is of no help. Why should we want a president who won't figure it out until a decade after he leaves office?

The letters posted so far miss the subtext of the article. China is running the torch around the world like no prior host has done. This is an assertion of China's ascendancy as a world power. Know what else is an assertion of Chinese power? The Burmese junta can blow off the outside world because China backs them and no one is able to do anything about it. The Sudanese regime can blow off the outside world because China backs them and no one is able to do anything about it. Unmentioned in this article is that China is also supporting the Cambodian government as it becomes more of a dictatorship and ignores calls for reform. China occupies Tibet and again, no one is able to do anything about it.

And we're worried about Muslim fundamentalists?

It must be hard to move the torch quickly while having to hide. You know, the carrier puts the torch in a nondescript bag, sits on the park bench, gets up "forgetting" the bag while the next carrier sits by it, and happens to walk off with it. then that carrier goes to the airport and finds a naive traveler to carry one extra package, just as a favor, maybe with a small fee, please don't look inside. Or maybe a deliberately inconspicuous person takes a match and tries to light his shoe. He's seized and he fails to light it, and an examination of the shoe shows yes, there's the torch hidden inside.

See? No wonder they had start the torch now for games this summer.

I knew when I heard about Obama bowling badly that I'd hear no end of it. But why shouldn't we be discussing his score and his gutterballs indefinitely? There is nothing more important in deciding a president, and nothing more important than the dinky details of the presidential campaign.

By the way, Congress is working on a terrible home foreclosure bill that gives lots of money to banks and home builders, and screws over home owners trying to sell and people on the edge of foreclosure. Not important, obviously. Just thought I mention it. You know, in case a news organization wanted to dig into which lobbyists wrote the bill, who gave donations to congressmen involved, something like that.

Why is this such a big deal? OK, Obama doesn't like coffee. I hate the stuff too. I'd make the same request. Why can't candidates refuse the offer? Why do idiots like Mathews -- I'll even say specifically Mathews -- have TV shows? You know, if nobody would watch this nonsense...