A woman asks if Obama "believes in the American flag" because he doesn't wear a flag pin. Charlie Gibson says that questions about the flag are "all over the internet" -- along with Pamela Anderson's sex tape, cats with bad grammar, and Rick Astley. Journalism at it's finest. Obama says he "reveres" flag. Says he shows patriotism by trying to make America better. "This is the kind of manufactured issue that distracts us from" the issues. And now, we're on to William Ayers. Gaaah. Obama says Ayers is someone Obama knows ... says he's also friendly with Tom Coburn who wants to give the death penalty to people who perform abortions. Attacks the whole idea of guilt by association, says "the American people are smarter than that." Clinton says that's fair "but" Obama served on a board EVEN AFTER 9-11 and Ayers' comments about the bombings. Says she knows Obama is a "great man" but it's something the Republicans will raise. Obama says by same standard, Bill pardoned some members of Weather Underground. Says, somewhat angrily, that both of them will be attacked by Republicans, points out that he does better against McCain than Clinton. The debate is 46 minutes in, and nothing remotely meaningful has been discussed. --Sam Boyd
