I work at home as a web designer, all day, in front of the computer. I have to take a short break from the screen about every 30 minutes.

This morning I got up to stretch, went into the living room and flipped on CNN. There was Sarah Palin all glamoured up and addressing a crowd. She would look down briefly, at her notes, then make a completely meaningless, unsubstantiated statement or promise: "We are going to stop the Pork...blah blah"  (Thunderous applause) "We are going to bring change to the Washington establishment" (Applause).

Never any expansion of the points. Just a list of promises that sound ridiculously dishonest coming from the team they come from. I didn't keep watching, because I can't stand our media's agnostic, chickenshit way of ignoring when candidates are lying. I didn't want to hear whatever media comments may follow.

This is why I really appreciate TPM. I can't believe some of the complaints I read about TPM in some of the comments. What do you want? Maybe TPM gets a little "tabloid" now and then, and maybe "slanted" as well, but what is the alternative?...The awful, egotitisitcal Katie Couric-David Gregory-Tom Brokay lame-ass corporate horseshit.

Thank you TPM. Please stay on it for us.

There have been many calls on this TPM site and other sites, for Obama to "fight back" regarding Republican smears and accusations. And sometimes it seems the Obama camp is choosing a different course that supporters are screaming for.

I tend to have faith that the Obama team is trying to do this campaign in the smartest way possible. Could it be that the typical "fighting back" would just play into the Republican game. When you make vague accusations that the other side looks down on you, and then the other side finds fault with you, you can use that as vindication of your whole "game".

I think this is a very good article by Krugman. When the cynical powers of the GOP are playing this game, "fighting back" may not always be right.

One of my favorite sayings is "Never argue with an idiot. First he will drag you down to his level. Then he beats you with experience." I do believe that Kerry did some "fighting back" on the Swift Boat thing, he just did not do it as well as the Cynical Smearmasters, and he fell into their trap.

Last night I watched the Palin acceptance speech, until I had heard enough of the same vague Republican posturing.

Watching her, I thought that technically, she did well. No trip-ups. She looked good, in a sort of dowdy, church lady way.

This morning I went to my car to warm it up to take my daughter to school. The radio came on, very low, on an NPR station. I thought to myself "What is that horrible voice I'm hearing?"

It was Palin. NPR was playing segments from the speech. Without seeing her, only hearing the voice, it seemed like one of those horrible, grating, nagging Aunt Matilda with the judgemental attitude kind of voices.

...Like the voice of some character that would be on the Simpsons.