Let's see, you have an egomaniacal preacher who's true character is Chicago Machine politics on a self-appointed messianic mission, or a not overly eloquent lifetime servant of his country who through suffering learned the meaning serving a greater purpose.

Subject yourself to even a week of what he went through and you might have a clue.

Some clueless person was trying to say his experience isn't heroic, that was the point of the statement.

However, to your point, I think the character that was tested as much as one can be, and the humility learned through suffering and sacrifice are qualities necessary for a leader in times of crises. So far as I'm concerned, we won't have much time to debate anything if whackjob in Iran gets his finger on a nuke. They don't want to sit down and talk to you about it, they only want to kill you.

Some clueless person was trying to say his experience isn't heroic, that was the point of the statement.

However, to your point, I think the character that was tested as much as one can be, and the humility learned through suffering and sacrifice are qualities necessary for a leader in times of crises. So far as I'm concerned, we won't have much time to debate anything if whackjob in Iran gets his finger on a nuke. They don't want to sit down and talk to you about it, they only want to kill you.

Enduring torture is not everything, it's the character that was forged I was speaking to, as one quality of a great leader. It was decades ago, but it was the formative experience and I don't believe that man is gone. There are many examples of him going against the prevailing tide, but most importantly for me is advocating the surge in Iraq. Even Obama turned and recognized it was a great success. There are dangers that threaten our way of life, and strength of character is what will stand against that. I have far graver concerns about Obama's character than about McCain being a "bully," and about Obama's ability to make clear command decisions. I see no great leadership qualities in Obama.

I never thought I'd get the chance to say this... you're a pseudo-intellectual jackass. I hope the backlash from your "stewardess" comment is just like it was for US magazine. The whole lot of you are disgusting tabloid trash. It's laughable though that you believe you're important enough for anyone to give a damn what you support.

Have you nothing better to do than dredge up false and twisted rumors and try to make it sound like an argument? Step out of your echo chamber for a moment and you might realize how far behind you are.

But of course, the farther behind the left gets, the more vicious, nasty, and baseless they become as they have to stretch further.

Biden saying a woman advancing to the VP is a step backward, because she is a conservative woman, is an unabashedly sexist comment. The assumption that advancement is reserved for those of your particular ideology is ludicrous and bigoted. Obviously the reference to an opportunity to break the highest glass ceiling refers to Sarah's placement in a position to take the GOP forward in the future and become president.

How thin will you stretch these absurd claims? Given the gaffes by Obama/Biden coming in by the hour as they melt down, it'll be interesting to try to watch you keep up.

all the tabloid trash about Sarah's family? Just look back over the past week of Salon articles. MSNBC surrogates concocting every angle of lies to smear so Olbermann becomes "compelled to address" the "story," and suddenly it's fodder for discussion here.

Fact is Obama was aware that mentioning "lipstick" after Palin's speech would cause people to associate it with Palin.

Where this points to Obama's character, the lies about Palin were relevant to nothing but democratic vitriol and liberal hypocritical need to oppose her advancement solely because Sarah is a conservative.

is the intolerant left displaying a lot of religious bigotry and lack of understanding of principles on which this country was founded.

However, thanks to the elitist lack of understanding of what motivates middle America that goes along with those, this panic on the left can only help McCain.

was not sexist because it was made last year. In the context of Palin's ad lib pitbull in lipstick comment however, Obama's use of the same comment was clearly meant to reference Palin. The crowd didn't roar at a trite metaphor... they reacted to the clear intended reference.

I wouldn't attribute it to sexism necessarily, but the same elitist condescension he's used all along, because Sarah and the people of "Wasilly" are the epitomy of the Americans he loaths who cling to religion and guns.

Then there is also the further motivation of inviting attack to appear righteous. "Spare me the false outrage," pretending to take the high road above the fray that he sparked.

What courage has Obama ever displayed?