I find it dismaying that guys like Friedman, Brooks, Kristol, Kagan, Barnes, Krauthammer, Buchanan, et al are still listened to by the American public.

They have been so demonstrably wrong on everything they've championed over the last eight years, yet have no hesitancy in making new proclamations, or writing new books and making tons of money.

I watched Larry Kudlow championing the "Free Markets" yesterday as it the economic crisis is a small problem. His main concern, over and over again was his prediction that oil prices would tank, as he has been saying for years.

There is absolutely no accountability or responsibility for these people but they are still respected and listened to.

I'm missing something, somewhere!

I am amazed! She is functionally illiterate!

Remarkable!

I am a huge, huge fan of Glen Greenwald. That said, I am incredulous that he thinks Sara is smart in any way.

That interview was the worst I have ever seen by any politician in my lifetime.

I was embarrassed for her and had to stop watching.

I predict the McCain campaign will find a way to avoid having the VP debate.

There is no way that the McCain campaign will allow this mentally challenged person to enter into a debate with Biden! If they are forced to, the race for president will terminate.

Her lack of intellectual capacity is truly scary! She is extraordinarily deficient! A high school student from a good prep school debating team would put her to shame.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Wroj0FLvzs&eurl=http://www.new.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home

I just viewed the above referenced clip. For me, it finally put a face on the typical Hillary supporter that we heard from during, and then subsequent to the democratic primary campaign. A real live PUMA after James Carvell's heart. The actual poster child for the 18 million cracks in the ceiling. OK, I know the woman in the clip isn't Joan Walsh because I've seen Joan Walsh's picture. But I am convinced that this HRC supporter in the clip is in actuality commenting on Joan Walsh's threads. Indeed, a prolific daily commenter! My only reservation about my determination is that the woman in the clip appeared a bit more intellectual than the commenter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Wroj0FLvzs&eurl=http://www.new.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home

I just viewed the above referenced clip. For me, it finally put a face on the typical Hillary supporter that we heard from during, and then subsequent to the democratic primary campaign. A real live PUMA after James Carvell's heart.

My thoughts while watching the debate centered on why wasn't the moderator trying or persisting in getting a response to her questions?

It appeared to me that Palin had her "cheat sheet" for when she didn't know how to answer the question. It directed her on which tack she should take to avoid the question. And she stated she was doing as much, blaming the media filter, the way I interpreted it.

I think the McCain campaign spent a long time devising that strategy and I think it worked as well as it could and avoided a disaster.

After all was said and done all I remembered her saying was that she wanted to use the "surge" in Afghanistan. Really, she said nothing of substanse and no one challenged her.

Shame on Gwen!

"I'm not sure I really mind that Gwen didn't (couldn't?) force out answers from Palin. It made her look like the shallow, evasive, ridiculously-rehearsed prop that she really is."

You're right of course! That was my opinion also. I guess what grates at my sense of "what is right" is that the McCain campaign devised this to prevent Palin from embarrassing herself. It worked, but it goes against what I believe a debate is all about. I always thought a debate was a contest, discussing some proposition to prove a point. Tonight was not a debate! I feel that Gwen was there to ask questions and to enforce the rules associated with the debate. Namely have the debater answer the questions posed. That's where I think the moderator failed the American public.

"Facts matter!" I think it went right over Gwen's head.

But what a novel idea that would be for the McCain campaign because facts correlate with the truth!

I found McCain's defense of his egregious ads on "The View" and before that Des Moines paper's editorial board, absolutely and intensely surreal. Prattle and gibberish.

"we have lived for the last eight years under virtually absolute GOP rule; (3) the public knows this; (4) the Republican President and his party are therefore intensely -- historically -- unpopular;"

Glenn,

I think you are treating the democrats in congress as if they were powerless to do anything to stop the onslaught of the republicans.

I strongly disagree. I think, even today, that the democrats are gutless and am amazed, actually stunned, at how they capitulate to the Bush administration. Their response to the bailout, as with so many previous cave-ins, makes my point.

My congressman, Steny Hoyer, to me is the quintessence of cowardice.