Why is it a given that McCain would win a foreign policy debate? Is that the same McCain who a few months ago was mixing up his Sunnis with his Shias? Ah, yes. But what does he need to know all that for? Our mighty military can just steamroller over such stupid subtleties, that's the main extent of McCain's foreign policy.

It's interesting to note that your examples of McCain's qualifications in the foreign policy area all basically boil down to expressions of war and promises to kick other countries' asses, because America is all tough, and stuff. Is that your basic view of what foreign policy should be all about? Threats of violence?

Oh, and about Iraq. Iraq did not attack us. By our actions, hundreds of thousands of people who did nothing to us are dead. Boasting that McCain had a better vision for how to implement this slaughter does not impress me. The surge "working" (note that it's still only working; the surge will always be "working.") is a non-issue considering we shouldn't be in Iraq in the first place.

The claim is that the surge is "working," but to this day the mission is still ill-defined. There are fewer deaths, sure, but we are still essentially in the same position we've been stuck in for years. Combat troops are being worn down and exhausted by an interminable mission with no end in sight. There is still no real exit strategy. McCain's expertise boils down in foreign affairs seems to boil down to the same careless bravado that got us mired in the first place.

As to Obama facing an empty podium Friday night, I suggest they just throw the debate open to questions from the audience. Obama is very good at fielding questions from the audience. He is lucid, communicates well, and has several very clearly thought out policy proposals on everything from investing in renewable energy to putting college within reach of every student who'd like to go. You call him an empty suit, but I bet you've never actually gone to hear him speak, have you?

No one wants to mess with "The Maverick"™

Seriously, back in college I took a class that had the students break up into teams to work on projects. We had this one guy on our team who had an uncanny talent for showing up on the final day and talking as if he'd done about 90 percent of everything. (Fortunately, the professor had been around a long time and saw right through the bullshit). With this whole "suspend the campaign" crap, McCain reminded me of that guy. Get in on that last meeting somehow, someway, and then run ads about how "While Barack Obama was personally showing pornography to 6-year olds, John McCain went to Washington when no one else would step up to the plate and single-handedly fixed the economy."

I'm still extremely wary of this bill. Nothing good has ever come from Bush imposing an "or else" deadline. It is far and away more important to get the bill done right than it could possibly be to get the bill done by Friday. What's with the "by Friday" mantra? That's very much a red flag to me.

He'd have to ask himself, "Really, what do I stand for anymore? Is there even a shred of anything left?"

Ummm, I thought the deal hammered out and brought to the meeting WAS a bipartisan effort. But as usual, what the GOP means by bipartisan is that it is entirely their plan, and the democrats meekly sign off on it.

I sure would like to know what was in the proposed plan.

I also still insist that everyone chill out on the whole "by Friday" thing. Take as long as you need to make the best plan possible. We're going to have to live with the consequences for a long long time.

I'm not sure what he was trying to achieve. It may be like a Hail Mary pass, but I can't imagine who he thought might be downfield to catch it.

The whole thing was just dumb grandstanding. Either that, or he REALLY didn't want to go on Letterman that night, and like a stupid episode of "Three's Company," an innocent little ploy gets mistaken for something else, and the next thing you know everyone's running around thinking that one of the roommates is dying of cancer and has 24 hours to live. Hilarity ensues.

Is both what I admire about him most, but personally find most frustrating. It shows why he's presidential material, and I am not. When McCain lets loose with something that is not true — I mean a total lie — I want to go straight in for the kill. My God, when will the bullshit ever stop? Haven't enough people died already for our sins? Stop it, I'd scream. Just, for one time, just one little time, can we dispense with this hideous, soul withering crapfest?

But that tactic wouldn't play as very presidential?

I was only able to listen to the debate, so I can't speak to body language and all that, but I did make not of the constant "What he doesn't understand" crap. Fuck you, John McCain. Ooops, there I go again.

You said: "Isn't it remarkable how central Henry Kissinger has suddenly become again."

I wasn't sure about your take on this, but I think appalling is a better word than remarkable. Kissinger has always been willing to achieve his goals through a generous expenditure of other people's lives.

No one should be consulting with him about anything.