No mincing words here: Gov. Matt Blunt today issued the following statement on news reports that have exposed plans by U.S. Senator Barack Obama to use Missouri law enforcement to threaten and intimidate his critics. “St. Louis County Circuit Attorney Bob McCulloch, St. Louis City Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce, Jefferson County Sheriff Glenn Boyer, and Obama and the leader of his Missouri campaign Senator Claire McCaskill have attached the stench

Of course, that was then… And this is now: suddenly — after Bush administration attempts in 2003 to avert this crisis, as well as John McCain’s 2005 attempt, both of which were opposed by Congressional Dems — according to Barack Obama we “have to recognize that [the current mortgage / credit crisis] is a final verdict on eight years of failed economic policies promoted by George Bush, supported by Senator

David Harsanyi, writing for the Denver Post: As we move towards a bailout in Washington, most of you have probably heard the canard that this mess was brought about by lack of regulation. This argument will typically include at least one dropping of the tedious cliché “unfettered free market” (I wish they’d tell it to the over 75,000 pages federal regulation). When I ask these folks which specific de-regulation they’re

Jay Nordlinger: No one need be depressed: McCain did very well. He held up our end […]. Of course, he has the advantage of the better positions. But Obama’s more like a pro — more like a professional debater than a politician who happens to do all right in such settings. Not that that is necessarily the most effective thing, politically: There is such a thing as being too smooth.

Full transcript available here. My verdict? Barack Obama is to the presidency what an elevator is to an outhouse. I’ll let you all suss out why that is. It’s like a puzzle!