Hofstra Debate

Last night, John McCain told us that Governor Palin "knows more about Autism than any other American I know." Perhaps he should get out more.

The clear winner of Wednesday's debate, Joe the plumber, focused a national debate on the wisdom and fairness of progressive taxation.

It's been a pattern ever since the governor of Alaska was offered the vice presidential slot: the closer we get to Halloween, McCain shows himself to be more and more frightfully unprepared.

It is a sad story: a proud and independent man permits a handful of advisers to take his hard-earned reputation and alter it to such an extent that the original is now hard to recognize.

One thing that made debate night grand was finding a parking spot. A legal one. I don't think people always realize how much this can make or break a night.

McCain had already convinced most Americans he's not capable of fixing the economy, but last night he convinced them that... they don't like him, either.

I'd still like to like John McCain, especially since I once did - to some degree anyway. But with every day on this marathon, in every speech, and every debate, I'm less motivated to do so.

Joe the Plumber's gone big-time -- a video on YouTube, an interview on Fox, his name in every conversation. And all because he asked Obama a question. With the cameras rolling.

The issue of campaign tone came up in last night's debate, with a false equivalency drawn between the Obama campaign calling McCain erratic and people...

The debate last night was just the most vivid example of what we've known all along: John McCain is out of touch on women's health.

It seems that Sarah Palin is going to have to cede some of the light of her celebrity to someone. We speak, of course, of Joe The Plumber. He's bald and middle class and dreamy!

This debate was won on the reaction shots. Every time Obama spoke, McCain grimaced, sneered, or rolled his eyes. Every time McCain was on the attack, Obama smiled - underlining McCain's need for anger management. Read More New on Green: Sloan Barnett and Green Goes With Everything For many people, the signature image signifying threats to our environment is the disappearing snowcap atop Mt. Kilimanjaro. Sloan Barnett epitomizes the new image. She is a former consumer reporter who became an environmental activist when her son developed asthma. Read More October Surprise Update: What McCain May Be Planning and What Obama Can Do to Ruin It As the one arrow left in McCain's quiver -- other than appealing to racists -- national security becomes the likeliest playing field for an October Surprise. Read More

While Obama came across like a breathless statesman, McCain came off incendiary, competitive, and humorless making it hard to accept his premise that he will use the military option as a last resort.

Even though I'm not for McCain and I think he has run a dishonorable campaign, I feel an empathetic sadness for him. Please let the sun set already. Let this campaign be over already.

If John McCain wants us to think he's not the same as George Bush, perhaps he should stop embracing Bush's policies.

Wow, I never thought a presidential discussion would get me thinking so much about my toilet.

John McCain didn't just fail to get the game-changer he needed -- he was trounced in this third and final debate, if the instant post-debate polling p...

We have just experienced the worst financial crisis in 70 years. Eight hundred thousand people have lost their jobs in recent months. And all McCain wants to talk about is Bill Ayers and ACORN?

Forget Joe Six-Pack. We have a new American icon, who may not need a designated driver on the way home from the soccer game.

For McCain, the urgent need tonight was not for McCarthyism on Ayers or ACORN, but for sounding authoritative on the economy -- a daunting objective for someone who said he doesn't know much about economics.

Ninety minutes of John McCain making faces was more than enough for a lifetime. It's hard to imagine anyone willingly inviting that antic lemon-sucking grinfest into their homes for the next four years.

I have a brother who is a plumber. His name's not Joe, and he is voting for Obama.

Barack Obama never delivered a knockout punch during the final presidential debate, but it did not matter. Obama won a T.K.O.