Still, after the election debacles of 2000 and 2004, I am amazed at GOP lack of creativity and plain bad manners. This newest breech prompted me to ponder what a democratic retaliation might looklike. How about "Seeking Female Vote, John McCain Keeps Home-wrecker Spouse out of the Limelight". Or in reference to McCain's role in promoting the Iraq war and Cindy's beer sale earnings, "McCains Prosper by Sending Thousands of Young People to Early Graves".

I'm not sure this is a can of worms that Republican strategists want to open. What they may be right about, however, is that the Obama campaign will take the high road on this one. Frankly, I hope they're wrong.

"Why do his most venomous supporters not realize that we all want hope and change and that their ugly behavior prevents exactly that?"

Because, suzeqzee, so much is at stake in this election for our children and their children. Your selfish petulance and refusal to actually come on board for "hope and change" is seriously threatening to the well-being of generations to come. You want the good of the collective less than you want what you want, like a spoiled child. I find your behavior worse than ugly; it's just plain stupid and a threat to me and mine. Damn right, I'll come out fighting...

I hope you don't have children; after all, children NEED parents mature enough to put aside their own personal hang-ups in favor what's obviously most right in the moment for the next generation. That obviously doesn't describe you. Go vote McCain; you have no nobility.

... until those who supported big oil acknowledge their hand in global warming and seriously endeavor to reverse course on more drilling. That's obviously not happening, so we shouldn't buy the current show of concern. Shallow efforts to erase the perception of governmental incompetence that characterized Katrina -- incompetence that cost lives -- will not be successful.

What an incredible disappointment. Our two candidates have thrown in their two cents, and the friggin' Paulson proposal is back on the Senate table. It was such a good feeling, that "no" vote by the House, that accompanying 24 hours during which it seemed that the voice of the little people had been heard. For a brief moment, it almost appeared that hope for a moral society had a basis in reality. Unfortunately, small selfish people on both sides of the blue and red divide, and at the top and bottom of the food chain got really scared yesterday. And thanks, media folk with 401K issues, for your comprehensive and unbiased reporting on the whole issue. What a courageous nation we are. Never mind. It's clearly every woman for herself and I have decided to get mine, too. Is this what it feels like to be a Republican? I am starting to understand...

...For the beautiful and spiritual portrayal of the Alaska that you love. We all support you in your efforts to maintain that vision.

The ideology that Lieberman is now supporting is dangerous. He has aligned himself with the candidate who will be least effective on issues of climate change, foreign policy, and economic stability. The past eight years have been disastrous in all these areas. Joe is within his right to speak what he wishes to promote his personal agenda, but we are within ours to defend what is best for this country. Let Joe's chips fall where they may in light of that.

Her disdain for the value of academic science is shared by far too many in this country. The attitude of anti-intellectualism in general is rampant. I am tired of elitist labels as applied to thinking, knowledgeable people. Think how much progress we'd have made toward global warming solutions if we'd begun when the situation was first noted some 50 years ago. In my mind, this negligence and manipulation of scientific fact during the Bush reign is just as criminal as the devious rationalization of the Iraq war. We really cannot afford to be too egalitarian when some know their stuff and some don't.

It is hard for me to be positive about Couric. After 911, she was virtually orgasmic about the Navy Seals and the prospect of war with Iraq. And while somewhat redemptive, her interview successfully exposing Palin as ill-qualified had more to do with Palin's ignorance than Couric's interviewing.

Have to agree with Readerreader that Brown's persona has become somewhat off-putting (arrogant, my word -- "quality journalism" is something that listeners should determine). I don't agree that she has more potential than than Maddow. To me, Maddow has more depth and coherence, and addresses issues with less narcissism than does Brown. I believe, though, that Maddow's talent would develop better in a less partisan venue.

For me, Brown has been more than irritating lately. In one recent post, she advocated that candidate campaign money would be better spent on food banks. However, soon after (and against all the promises McCain has made and broken about running an honest and decent campaign), she runs a piece about Obama breaking his promise on election funding. Does it not make more sense to support the candidate whose concern for the poor will best insure ongoing assistance? Brown needs to revisit that fact that to some extent, CNN's accomodation of Bush over the last 8 years has effected the resources now necessary to overcome the current right-wing spin. Sometimes, it seems like she pulls things out of thin air to try to maintain a "no bias" status. Suggesting that Sarah Palin let her inner diva run free is another case in point. Because truth of late actually has a liberal bias, this gets awkward for Brown. Also, it seems that she is in a personal quandry about sexism that gets played out over and over to the exclusion of more relevant current issues. (I am female, BTW.) Anyway, still searching for the best news out there.