A Depressing Debate  —  What a depressing debate.  CNN's long slide into mediocrity accelerates.  Is this what running for president of the greatest democracy in the world has become?  Standing in front of CNN's corporate logo in a hall full of yowling Ron Paul loons and enduring clumsy webcam questions …

A powerful moment  —  A retired Army general, Keith Kerr, just listed all his military credentials and then left the crowd silent by saying at the end of his video that he is "an openly gay man" and wants to know why gays can't serve in the military.  —  Romney was hit by Anderson Cooper …

Why is a Hillary Clinton Campaign Member Asking Questions at a Republican Debate?  —  So, the fellow who just asked the Republican candidates about Don't Ask, Don't Tell, retired Brigader General Keith Kerr, is a member of Hillary Clinton's campaign for the Presidency.

Video: Debate questioner is affiliated with Hillary's — and Kerry's — campaigns; Update: Plantmania!  —  As incredible as it may seem, given all the flak they took for not vetting questioners after the last debate, CNN not only approved a question from someone affiliated …

CNN/YouTube Debate — CNN Wins (Update: A Major Error Mars Their Night)  —  So the Republicans finally braved the CNN/YouTube format, and the most apparent result was that CNN and YouTube did their homework.  For the most part — with a few glaring exceptions — the network eliminated the silliness and stuck to substance.

Hillary Gets a Question  —  From a reader:

CNN Fails to Mention Retired Gay General's Endorsement of Hillary  —  [Update: Keith Kerr was known to CNN as a gay activist as far back as December 2003, when he was featured in this CNN article.]  —  CNN, as part of its Republican debate with YouTube, failed to mention that retired general Keith Kerr …

Hillary plants question in Republican debate  —  It turns out that Keith Kerr, retired Colonel., U.S. Army; retired Brigadier General, California National Reserve, who submitted a YouTube question about gays in the military, is actually a member of Hillary Clinton's Lesbian, Gay …

Giuliani billed obscure agencies for trips  —  As New York mayor, Rudy Giuliani billed obscure city agencies for tens of thousands of dollars in security expenses amassed during the time when he was beginning an extramarital relationship with future wife Judith Nathan in the Hamptons …

Lott's brother-in-law indicted  —  Sen. Trent Lott's brother-in-law, Richard "Dickie" Scruggs, a high profile trial lawyer best known for suing big tobacco and insurance companies, has been indicted on bribery charges.  —  Several media outlets are reporting the news about Scruggs …