Free Republic

For Barack Obama to win last night’s foreign policy debate, he only had to avoid losing. He almost made it. Both Obama and McCain handled most of the economic questions well. Obama’s rhetorical skills served him best in answering moderator Jim Lehrer’s question about the financial bailout package now before the congress. Obama outlined specific points -- such as the need for oversight, assurance that the taxpayers are protected and help for homeowners -- that he wanted to see coming out of the negotiations this weekend. McCain did less well, lacking specifics in his answer. One of McCain’s problems on...

A new poll shows that Republican John McCain might win South Carolina as handily as George W. Bush did four and eight years ago. McCain had a 59 percent to 37 percent lead in this state over Democratic rival Barack Obama, according to a recent American Research Group poll. Four percent remained undecided.

Presidential candidates always make a big deal of the advice they get from their wives. Ronald Reagan told voters that Nancy was his closest adviser; Bill Clinton said Hillary was so crucial to his team that electing him would be a "two-for-one" deal. On the trail, John Edwards and Barack Obama showcase their smart, outspoken spouses. Politicians seem to think it humanizes them—and increases their appeal to women voters—to come off as just a little henpecked. Fred Thompson has his own version of the shtick. Speaking at a fund-raiser last week, he introduced Jeri Kehn Thompson as "my campaign manager—oh,...