The McCain campaign had $21.4 million cash on hand through the end of July.

The RNC raised $26 million in July and has $75 million cash on hand for a combined $96.4 million cash on hand.

Through the end of June, Obama had $71.7 million cash on hand, and the DNC reported just $4.5 million on hand for a combined $76.2 million, according to federal campaign finance data.

I'm not sticking up for Pastor Rick, but it is possible he thought McCain was ensconced in the Green Room, the cone of silence, because that was the original plan. Plans don't always adhere minute-by-minute to a pre-determined schedule. McCain was delayed getting to Saddleback. End of story. Or should be.

All this finger-pointing begins to look like sourgrapes by the Obama campaign/surrogates/supporters because he didn't do as well as some expected. Let it go already! You'll be doing Obama a big favor.

I don't know if I can believe that Obama agreed to this forum to prove he's not a Muslim. People are going to believe him when he says he's a Christian, or not. So, this forum didn't change one person's mind on that "issue."

But, what the forum did show is that McCain and Obama played into Rick Warren's hands by contributing to his self-aggrandizing role as a power broker, reflecting rather poorly on their judgment.

I think they both should have told Rick Warren to shove it. But, more diplomatically, of course.

General Wesley Clark. He has the bona fides to take on John McCain, brings military gravitas and diplomatic experience to the ticket. He's super smart, son of the south, would satisfy some Hillary holdouts (he and the Clintons see eye-to-eye on many things). He graduated 1st in his class from West Point. (The opposite of McCain's near bottom rung in his graduating calss from the Naval Academy.) Lots of instant credibility. If we're going the military route, it may as well be someone as intelligent and seasoned as Clark.

However, Obama might pick Tom Daschle. Daschle comes with some negatives -- long-time Washington insider blah blah blah; wife is a lobbyist. But Obama World is literally littered with Daschle loyalists. Daschle was one of Obama's earliest vocal supporters. Obama seems to trust Daschle. I think Daschle would be a horrible choice, but what do any of us know?

Rep Chet Edwards (D-TX) -- no chance he'd deliver Texas, but I think he's an interesting possibilty, even with Nancy Pelosi's endorsement. Or maybe because of....

but Hillary Clinton (I agree with jeb and dolores) would be the pick who could put Obama over the top.

But, she's barely likeable enough for his taste.

...but instead, he stuck up for Pickens, who gave3 $3 million to the anti-Kerry 527 Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

A reporter asked Obama how he felt meeting with the man "who tore down" Kerry and his campaign.

Obama, BARING HIS TEETH, said...

“Ah, you know, he’s got a lot longer track record than that. ... “He’s been doing, ah, he’s a legendary entrepreneur and you know, one of the things that I think we have to unify the country around is having an intelligent energy policy.”

I have little reservation with him meeting with Pickens on energy, but I draw the line on Obama making excuses for him, implying that Pickens' "longer track record" erases his despicable involvement with the Swift Boaters. Also, Pickens is reported to have given at least $2.5 million to Karl Rove's propaganda outfit.

Baring teeth, my ass...

Why did you feel compelled to insert that semi-coded rebuke (or coded semi-rebuke, whatever) of the Clintons remark into your post?

This is helping the unity meme?

For crying out loud. If some people with a beef want to protest, let 'em. What's the big deal? This is the kind of thing that a lot of you would have been screaming bloody murder about if Bu$h, or McCain, or the other Bu$h, or Reagan had pulled. You'd be hollering from the rooftops that "WE HAVE A RIGHT TO BE HEARD BLAH BLAH BLAH." But, now shutting down protesters is A-OK.

As MLK, Jr. said, "We who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive."

You should all take heed from Dr. King's words. I wish you had more confidence that Obama can win without taking this ridiculous step of adopting Republican tactics by shutting out protesters.

John McCain is no pal of mine. But, perhaps he and his wife (or just his wife?) own a condominum complex with X number of units, in addition to the homes they use for themselves. So, he took the question quite literally -- and answered honestly because he figured each unit is a "home.". He didn't recall the exact number of "homes."

It is a possibility.

If this is an example of "busting" John McCain and Obama getting "tough," we're in

T-R-O-U-B-L-E!

You know the one who "compromised" on FISA for political expediency? The one who is willing to eviscerate the 4th Amendment at the expense of the Rule of Law for the Rule of Men. The one who was a "Constitutional Law Professor."

Oh, but wait. He hasn't pulled any annoying stunts on a tarmac, so it's okay if he's a Constitution shredder because he's only going to do Good Things with expanded presidential powers.

http://www.beachaccesshawaii.org/labels/Legal%20Issues.html

All Hawaiian beaches are public, however, some property owners are determined to restrict access to public right-of-way, in an attempt to have their own "private" beach. Just selfish, I guess.