PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE NOTES

Obama did better than I expected, but I wasn’t initially impressed with either candidate. It seemed like they were trading sound bites.

During the early discussion of taxes, why didn’t McCain point out to Obama that corporations don’t pay taxes; that they’re simply a cost of doing business that is reflected in the prices we pay?

Obama kept harping on how much the war in Iraq cost, but never pressed the obvious point: that when he ended the war, the money could be refunded to the American taxpayers. He couldn’t; he needs the money to pay for his programs.

JOURNALISTIC HYSTERIA

In watching the pre-debate journalistic hysteria, I’m reminded of a comment by James Taranto of the Wall Street Journal in his “Best of the Web” column of 15 September: “What's the difference between a journalist and a watchdog? Rabies.”