The offshore drilling gambit is, like the gas tax holiday, a whole lotta nothing. Americans truly don't have the luxury of their own ignorance in the 21st century. Oil is sooo 20th century; we need to seriously adopt a forward-thinking alternative energy policy for this century, rather than trying to find every last remaining, fleeting oil reserve we can to squeeze out a few more years of oil dependency. Rather than throwing bones to the oil industry, America needs to get behind safe and clean alternative power sources. This offshore drilling nonsense is just that; a distraction by the GOP to avoid facing the reality that we are moving to a post-oil future for our country and the world. The GOP, ever the tireless shills for Big Oil, would like to have one last big party for oil, at the expense of the country's future. But will Americans fall for the snake oil sales pitch yet again? I sure hope not.

I think people should just blow this off, rather than being particularly flummoxed by it. ANYTHING the Democratic candidate does or doesn't do, does or doesn't say, will always be used against them by the GOP propaganda machine. It doesn't matter who the candidate is, what they are. I mean, the lesson of Kerry's run is that being a decorated war veteran doesn't mean shit if you're a Democrat, just as it means everything if you're a Republican (if you can find one who actually served, that is -- even that doesn't matter if it's a Republican candidate).

So, if Obama had been humble on the campaign trail, they'd have said he was too weak and effete and naive to lead; he showed leadership, so they tar him with "arrogance" instead.

The GOP will say absolutely anything to make the Democratic candidate look bad. Anything. They will find anything, say anything, do anything to attack the candidate. The key for Obama (and Democrats and progressives at large) is not to get caught up in this game, but rather for Obama to put himself forth to the American people as a real choice, as a real leader, a break from the status quo, and leave the GOP to whirl around like dervishes, spouting their endless propaganda.

Gosh, I don't know; I just don't see Kaine bringing much to the table as a VP choice. Would a symbolic nod to Virginia do much that voter turnout drives couldn't? I don't know. Isn't Kaine a DLC darling? I would hate to see Obama teaming up with a DLC person, frankly. The Democratic Party really and truly needs less DLC and more Democratic Party in its composition. Some weak tea prospect like Kaine would hurt more than it would help.

Because if it's OK for the Chinese to buy gasoline for their citizens, then why isn't it OK for the U.S. government to buy healthcare for Americans?

Because universal healthcare "only" yields healthier, happier, and more productive citizens -- citizens who aren't necessarily likelier to be consumers.

Whereas subsidizing gasoline fuels consumer appetites, gets them out there driving around and spending more money, which makes business owners wealthier.

If the choice is healthy citizens or cruising consumers, Rush and China clearly prefer the latter.

A Democratic Congress will restrain the worst that McCain has to offer

Just like the 2006 Congress restrained GW Bush?

I won't vote for a candidate who doesn't respect me or my beliefs.

Well, if your belief is that HR Clinton should be president, then, yes, you're in a bit of a jam, there. If you believe a Democrat should beat a Republican in 2008, however, there's a pretty clear choice.

A better campaign does not make a candidate more qualified to be President

True, but running a crappy, failed campaign surely reveals a candidate's lack of fitness to serve in the office. It all but advertises it! Campaigns fail for a reason, and Clintonites pin the blame on everything except their candidate's campaign. Therein lies a problem.

Obama's running circles around poor McCain, too. I don't think even your help will save McCain in this election.

Penn, spinmeister until the end, is busy trying to create a new need for his services, no doubt. I saw some Burson-Marsteller people in softball jerseys in town the other day -- maybe they could use Penn in their lineup? I'm sure he'd be a great pitcher, what with all the spin he throws.