We are all now 'Joe the Plumber'

This was by far the best debate so far. Both guys were up for a fight. Obama likes to talk about taxing corporations but the truth is when you tax a company more, someone will pay for that. You may be one of the ones Obama says he won't tax, but if you lose your job because he taxed your company, then I don't think that whole "not taxing 95% of you" mantra, works for you. Like McCain says, taxing anyone more at a time like this just doesn't make sense.

But let's get back to Joe the Plumber. Obama was caught off guard with Joe and let it slip what he is really about. Obama is about class warfare and "spread the wealth," which is socialism, pure and simple. At least McCain pounded that home. People need to understand that. It is a fundamental difference between McCain and Obama. Punishing success never works.

McCain brought two very good points that are related. He said that Obama is certainly an eloquent speaker, but you need to listen to the words. He then pointed out how Obama says he would "look into" offshore drilling, which translates into "never going to happen." How Obama thinks we are going to be oil independent in 10 years without that is beyond me.

Obama talks a good game on abortion and school vouchers, but he is as far left on this issues as they come. I'm not sure how that translates with independents. When they were discussing the "Born Alive" act and Obama just lied about it, I wish McCain had quoted Obama on the floor of the House in Chicago. I have heard the audio. Obama says that he is against medical care for babies born alive after a botched abortion because, and I quote, "it puts a burden on the original decision."

Also, regarding Palin, I don't think the political pundits or polls realize or show how many families are affected by having a disabled child. Palin resonates with them. People with Down Syndrome babies understand the challenges that come with any child with a disability. Autism has been rising and I personally know about 5 families with children with autism. I don't think there is any doubt that Palin will make sure that there be as much done as possible for these families, including much more research into the causes of autism.

I am also glad that McCain pointed out how negative the Obama campaign has been. Obama is the first to whine about "attacks," but he does pretty good on that score as well. The media just gives him a pass though. Obama complains about "527" groups and their ads and I wish McCain has mentioned that horrid cancer ad that one of Obama's 527 groups put out. Please. The negativity goes both ways and we all know it.

The best line of the night was McCain telling Obama,"I am not George Bush. If you wanted to run against George Bush you should have run 4 years ago." It's the best line because Obama has been trying to paint McCain with Bush the entire time. That is what James Carville strongly suggested he do after the convention and that is exactly what he did. But it's simply dishonest. McCain is as different from Bush as he can be, other than sharing conservative principles. And even there they both go off in different directions. Bush never used his veto pen on these big spending bills, McCain promises to do so every time. McCain reaches across the aisle for compromise and sponsors bills with people like Ted Kennedy. They are as different in style and substance as any two people can be.

We are in the home stretch and Obama is swimming in money. He has McCain outspent 5 to 1. He is the darling of the media and Hollywood. If he can't close the deal with all that, then I feel pretty hopeful.