for John McCain to issue an apology to America for foisting this insiped twit on the country.

I've been waiting for someone to poke a hole in this pompous old windbag for some time. Thanks, you did a wonderful job.

Once again we find ourselves in bed with criminals in order to further our interests. This should not come as a surprise to anyone familiar with our history. We need to get out of Afghanistan and focus our energies on helping Pakistan.

I don't think I said anything about Venus in my post. You might have me confused with another poster.

As a player/fan of the game, I hated to see Ms. Williams lose the match in this way, however, it wasn't the first time in the US Open this year that she was called for a foot fault. She had been called on it in an earlier round, this time by an older "white" man. That time she only reacted with a long stare at him. I doubt the lineperson, an Asian woman, was watching all match, allowing Williams to commit foot fault after foot fault, only waiting for the match to reach its most critical moment in order to, at long last, call her on a foot fault and ruin her chances at another title. Rules are rules. You foot fault, you lose the point. You touch the net before the point is over, you lose the point. I don't want to see tennis go the way of the NBA. When was the last time you saw a referee call traveling on one of the games superstars. Hell, Kobe does everything but tuck the ball under his arm when he's heading for the paint. In tennis, it's one thing to go over and argue with the chair umpire over a lineperson's call. It's quite another to shake your racquet, and make other threatening gesture at the lineperson. Ms. williams got exactly what she deserved in this instance. To think it has anything to do with race, as Ms. Harding seems wont to imply, is in my opinion, a bit of a streatch.

Some nights, when I have trouble falling asleep, I imagine the year 2012. I picture Sarah Palin and President Obama on stage at the presidential debates. Oh, man! Sarah Palin, explaining her solutions for what ailes the country and then defending her answers. Sarah Palin! Alone, on stage, with millions watching. Sarah Palin with her mangled syntax and lack of subject verb agreement. Sarah Palin debating a sitting president. Sarah Palin doing her best to convince America that she is what this country needs at this point in time. Dear, God, think about it. So yes, please, GOP. Please run Sarah Palin in 2012. Please.

We need to remember it was a majority of voters who elected Obama. The majority of us are not hate-filled, racists. Nor are we simple minded, knee-jerk reactionairies. I want to believe the country I love and fought for is populated by people who actually give a damn about things greater than themselves. Perhaps I'm the Polyanna, but I think the haters and closed-minded folks we see and hear from the most are the vocal minority, wailing about issues they don't fully understand. By showing themselves for what they are, they only hurt themselves. The president does need to go on tv and lay out, in plain and simple terms his complete vision of what he wants healthcare in the country to look like. No bullshit. No damn political posturing. Just the fricking facts, the costs, and what we have to gain, as well as what we have to lose. Why is that always so hard for anyone in Washington to do? Please. Give us the truth!

It should be obvious the Republican cynicism in appointing both Steele to the RNC and Palin as possible V.P. was nothing more than a knee-jerk reaction to what the Democrats have done and were doing. What is sad, is that poor Steele and Palin don't understand they were never supposed to be anything more than tokens. Palin actually thinks she was picked for national attention because of her what, brilliance? It would be laughable if it weren't so sad. She was brought on board to siphon voters who were discusted that Hillary didn't get the nomination. It was a cynical move by the party, and one they have come to regret, I would think. As for Micahel Steele, I feel sorry for him, too. He's another in the long line of over achievers, whose reach far exceeds his grasp. Just another useful idiot, if you will. George Bush, anyone?

...or anything else, for that matter, is impossible to stop. There are those who think tennis was better in the days of wooden raquets. Watch some old tapes of tennis matches from 20 years ago and you can see how much technology, not to mention the physical evolution of the players, has changed the game. Are we really supposed to believe that Phelps was beaten by a mere "one mississippi" because the other guy had a better suit? Maybe Michael had a bad day. Maybe he got a poor start. Maybe his rhythm wasn't up to snuff? Who knows, but losing by one fricking second? Come on, has to be the suit, right?

Joan: Could you define for me what is meant by "public option?"

Remember the scenes when Peter Sellers as Dr. Stranglove cannot control his arm from giving the Nazi salute. Looks to me like this was Kilmeade's "Strangelove moment." He became so worked up that he just couldn't stop himself. What a buffoon. LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

minorities, always tryin' to keep the white man down.