The national press loves to fall in love, and Perry had a nice 72-hour honeymoon before his shoot-from-the-lip style, which works in Amarillo, Abilene and around Austin, backfired with Bernanke. Big time.

Bachmann's biggest job right now is to convince political insiders who know her as a bomb thrower that she is more than a "movement candidate." If she is serious, she can't be the GOP's Dennis Kucinich.

This moment sets in motion a process that allows ultimate authority to shift from one man to another without a shot being fired, a person being imprisoned or a life being lost.

The debate tonight is McCain's last chance to change the direction of his campaign. That is why he should consider something bold, something a real maverick would do. He should apologize to Obama.