Maybe these people are just talking about inaugural events being happy places. Didja ever think of that? Maybe they aren't talking about homosexuals at all.

The comments make sense in either context. After all, we have seen quite clearly over the last 8 years that conservatives do not want Americans to be happy.

Perhaps you have just made a mistake in inferring that Fox is referring to homosexual events.

So we now have a 2012 Republican Dream Ticket (a dream for Democrats, at least): Palin/Joe. Where can I contribute?

There is a simple reason that the restoration of the Fairness Doctrine, and the attendant demise of the noise machines operated by Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage, Hewitt, etc., won't happen.

The reason: I am just not that lucky ...

I've got a bad case of phony outrage and false entitlement and I need attention fast.

What was striking in tonight's final debates is Barack Obama's deep understanding of his own and his opponent's positions, his ability to discuss their nuances and subtleties. John McCain, by contrast, appeared little better than Sarah Palin, spewing out the latest "positions" and one-liners his campaign handlers have given him and totally unable to follow them up with anything more than a shout-out to "Joe the Plumber." McCain's shocked reaction when Obama easily responded to the penalty Joe might face for failing to provide healthcare to his employees -- "Zero" -- was a brilliant illustration of this contrast.

Did John McCain really take a dig at Joe Biden while Biden was off the trail for his mother-in-law's funeral? How else should we read the lame hair transplant joke he made during the health care discussion? Sarah Palin made a dig at Biden earlier in the day. Do these people have no shame? I'm beginning to wonder if McCain and Palin have a shred of human decency left.

If there is a political radical in the race for the White House, it clearly is Sarah Palin.

Gov. Palin argues for expansion of vice presidential power, tapes supportive greetings for a right-wing secessionist group to which her husband has belonged, and receives blessings from a literal witch-hunter.

Can you even imagine the hue and cry from the right if a Democratic candidate boasted a similar resume?

Oddly, the mainstream media seems almost to be aware of the danger to democracy that Gov. Palin represents. Unlike George W. Bush's excesses, Ms. Palin's actually make the news.

Sarah Palin is a racist.

She is desparately trying to sow seeds of racial discord and to scare elderly, blue collar and rural white voters out of their new -- and possibly tenuous -- resolves to vote for Obama.

We can hope that these voters are, as I suspect, too savvy to fall for her disgusting tactics.

She has a base that this will play to, but for those who only use their white sheets on their beds, this transparent scare tactic will, I hope, fail as miserably as everything else this desparate, floundering dicket has tried.

I think Gov. Palin needs a new folksy expression in her repertoire. I recommend the one used as a header for this post. Tip on usage: Insert at the end of a comment rather than at the beginning, by cracky!

Today's finger-pointing by Republicans is reminiscent of the 1995 budget crisis, when the GOP shut down the federal government over a perceived slight by President Clinton.

Do you remember what happened then?

The Republicans whined and blamed, and Americans realized quickly that they were to blame.

Democrats need to make sure they handle today's aftermath with as much skill as Bill Clinton handled the 1995 crisis.

The only hope for our economy is a Democratic administration coupled with a Democratic super-majority in Congress.

We've had far too much of the borrow-and-spend Reagan Republicans.

Seems like a fair question -- although I know that in the eyes of the McCainiacs, no question is fair.

Sputtering, firing shots randomly all over the place, all temper and no temperament. What a sad end to an interesting career.

I would agree that Sarah Palin's performance Wednesday was both embarrassing to watch and pitiable. I think the blame lies not with Gov. Palin, whom I continue to believe is an intelligent and savvy politician -- despite being in the wrong position on virtually every issue.

The big problem lies with those in the McCain campaign who have stepped in to act as her "handlers." I don't believe I have ever seen a politician so thoroughly betrayed by the team that is supposedly working to get her elected.

Gov. Palin may indeed be a "quick study" as many, including Laura Bush, have pointed out. But in order to demonstrate that, she needs to have something to study.

Based on her performances, it might seem that the only study materials she has been given are flash cards with one-liners printed on them. Where is there any evidence that she is working to understand new issues, to develop a perspective that even matches her running mate's shallow views?

I hate to say it, but Gov. Palin deserves better from the McCain campaign.

John McCain has reached new depths of shamelessness in his campaign for the presidency. After making a complete fool out of himself for more than a week, betraying his ignorance not only of the economy but of his own staff's backgrounds, he now insists on forcing his way to the negotiating table so that he can try to grab credit if and when an agreement is reached on the bailout proposal.

Can this really be the same man who less than a decade ago seemed to be a true American hero.

He is squandering his legacy.

He is an embarrassment.