This whole issue is about nothing. Typical argument here is "racists will take McCain's language to mean...." Yeah, right, you need to make an appeal to racists, otherwise they might vote for the black guy. Meanwhile Obie gets a free box seat to watch honkies tearing into each other about who really means what. Most hilarious is the idea that any of this will cost McCain votes. It won't affect anybody.

I'm not knowledgeable about you, Walter, but I know anybody who thinks they know about another person's marriage is dopey. (I exclude very close intimates of the married person, and of course the spouse herself).

As usual, Joe is ahead of the pack in intelligent cool appraisal of the situation. I do not take anything away from him in saying almost everything in this piece is obvious; he still says it better than almost anybody else has done. But what about the impression Hillary gives of insincerity when she praises Obama? Test this by closing your eyes as she speaks on TV. Politicians are usually actors, but almost never as skilled as professional actors. Hillary sometimes seems to be speaking like a hostage on videotape...or is that impression of mine own doing? Also, how exactly can she guarantee proper behavior on the part of all of her delegates at a convention, which is one of the few events left (outside of sports) in which mob hysteria is socially acceptable?

1) he voted for the Iraq war. This is not bad like when Hillary did. Get it?

2) He voted for the bankruptcy revision that was designed by the credit card companies to help themselves at the expense of the little guy. How Democratic (big D) can you get?

3) He helped enact the Biden Law. You've heard of it right? Also, many other sterling statutes during his 35+ years in the Senate.

4) He has vast executive experience, just like Obama.

5) He comes highly recommended. Remember who said he has a higher IQ than a random voter asking him a question?

6) Finally, he's change we can believe in.

Dukakis should have realized as a mediocrity he would never be elected, so he shouldn't have entered the primaries.

I liked when Obama promised to end our dependence on Middle East oil in ten years. He didn't give an explanation how -- he doesn't have to, this wonderful man.

I also liked when he said he'd cut down on government waste. That's an idea I've never heard a politician propose before, and it'll be easy to carry out.

I like Obama because he tooks pretty.

Tommy, eight years old

About time society decided not to let troublemakers disrupt other people's gatherings. Enough of the noisy tiny minority who could care less about the rights of others.

Police in the course of keeping order and making arrests cannot be distracted by questions, arguments, inquiries, and the like. They cannot become involved in debates about the First Amendment or anything else. If they act improperly, there are courts that decide what happens to them and their quarry, through criminal and civil suits. Amy Goodman believes that as a journalist she can distract the police because of her desire to obtain information to report. She is mistaken.

She got off lucky; interfering with police in the performance of their duties in a riot situation is dangerous. Journalists have no privilege to do this. Next time she wants to discuss the First Amendment she should pick a venue that is suitable for debate.

...they were written by even bigger dopes than usual. One guy didn't hear that Thompson added "with the exception of Theodore Rooselvelt" after his line about Palin being the only moose skinner. Another guys refers to "that Indian girl" when anybody who cares should know she's the Bangledeshi adopted daughter of the McCains. After the endless torrent of crap we've heard about Obama's family -- which, pace Ferraro, is the only reason he's a plausible candidate -- you'd think...

Well, I don't know the future, but I remember the past, particularly Pauline Kael after Nixon's first victory: "I don't know a single person who voted for Nixon." If they allow people who aren't on this site to vote, things could get interesting the night of Nov. 4. Meanwhile, for those of you who think Obama can do 1/3 of what he's promising...

From the polls it looks like McCain might win; seems to be a toss-up so far. Which means it's not irrational to conjecture about a really burning question: where do the liberals go after election day if their man loses? Where does their man, go, for that matter? If Obama loses, within a year he'll be forgotten; the record shows he has not been a star senator, and is not really liked even by his own party, because he showboated and bs'ed his way to rock-star fame and the golden nomination. Meanwhile, I've been discussing with some people setting up a web site to receive and distribute contributions to pay for the plane tickets for all these libs who are already threatening to leave their country if their guy loses. Consider it my community organizing.

From the polls it looks like McCain might win; seems to be a toss-up so far. Which means it's not irrational to conjecture about a really burning question: where do the liberals go after election day if their man loses? Where does their man, go, for that matter? If Obama loses, within a year he'll be forgotten; the record shows he has not been a star senator, and is not really liked even by his own party, because he showboated and bs'ed his way to rock-star fame and the golden nomination. Meanwhile, I've been discussing with some people setting up a web site to receive and distribute contributions to pay for the plane tickets for all these libs who are already threatening to leave their country if their guy loses. Consider it my community organizing.