What qualities are important when choosing who will run our country for the next four years? Foreign policy? Diplomacy? The economy? How about how good they are at fending off guerrilla soldiers in the jungles of Venezula?

It was announced on G4TV’s X-Play this week that Democratic Presidential Nominee Barrack Obama and Republican Vice Presidential Nominee Sarah Palin will be part of the next wave of downloadable content for Pandemic’s Mercenaries 2 as playable characters. No further details, including price or launch date were given, but it’s a safe bet that the studio will aim to get it out by Tuesday, November 4 — Election Day.

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God Bless America…

At a GOP campaign rally in Wisconsin today, supporters of Sen. John McCain expressed some real anger over the nominee’s standing in the polls.

Several attendees were outraged that McCain is behind Obama and the democrats in several recent opinion polls.‚  “When you have an Obama, Pelosi and the rest of the hooligans up there going to run this country…we are mad. So, go get them,” said one supporter.

One supporter went as far as suggesting that McCain is behind Obama because “socialists [are] taking over our country.”

At a few recent campaign rallies, some supporters have acted like angry, caged pitbulls.

One supporter hurled racial epithets at a black cameraman covering a rally.‚  Physical violence broke out at another. Other supporters have yelled out, upon mention of Obama, “kill him,” “treason,” and “terrorist.”

But wait, there’s more from the GOP fan base.

At an Ohio rally on Wednesday, YouTube member “bloggerinterrupted” asked various McCain/Palin supporters whether or not they think Obama is a terrorist.

“He’s got the bloodlines. Look at his name,” said one woman obviously referring to his middle name: Hussein.

Watch the whole video, it’s pretty surprising.‚  One man refers to Obama as a “one man terror cell.”

The lipsticked-pitbull had a few nasty things to say as well. She accused Obama of launching his “political career in the living room of a domestic terrorist, ” an obvious reference to Obama’s ties to ’60s radical William Ayers.

And Cindy McCain said Obama has “waged the dirtiest campaign in American history.” ……right.

Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign has released a 13-minute video highlighting Sen. John McCain’s involvement in the Lincoln Savings and Loan scandal of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The video’s narrator, former federal bank regulator William Black, retells the story of how Lincoln chairman Charles Keating made precarious investments with the money of depositers.

Keating made heavy contributions to the senate campaigns of five running senators, including over $100,000 to a younger John McCain.‚  McCain was allegedly the closest to Keating and relied on him for much policy advice.

In exchange for his contributions, Keating relied on the five senators to help stop government inquiry into his questionable and criminal actions at Lincoln.‚  McCain was one of the senators to defend Keating and as a result, the Bank Board halted all investigatory actions and Keating was allowed to remain at the helm of Lincoln for an additional two years.

In 1991, the Senate Ethics Commission found McCain guilty of having “poor judgement for intervening with regulators.”

The collapse ended up costing taxpayers near $2.6 billion; still a small fraction of the recent $700 billion bailout, but by no means a small number.

About 20,000 Americans lost their savings.

We’ll see how much of a positive effect this video has on Obama’s poll numbers.‚  There is already widespread agreement that McCain has little economic knowledge, I mean he’s admitted to that himself.

The video also higlights McCain’s possible inability to keep good company just days after Gov. Sarah Palin accused Obama of “palling around with terrorists.”

McCain and Keating were pretty good buddies, they even vacationed together multiple times.

As Biden would say, “maverick he is not.”

The National Stonewall Democrats are angry at Gov. Sarah Palin over a remark she made branding sexual orientation as a personal choice.

In her recent interview with Katie Couric of CBS News, Palin was asked to clarify her stance on sexual orientation since it had been discovered that Palin’s church still promoted controversial “conversion therapy” for gays and lesbians.

Palin answered, “I am not going to judge Americans and the decisions they make in their adult personal relationships.”

The NSD responded with a statement, obviously outraged that Palin perceived sexual orientation to be a personal choice.

“For Governor Palin to suggest that individuals randomly choose their sexual orientation based on nothing but a whim is wrong,” said executive director Jon Hoadley.

There has been much evidence to the contrary of Palin’s opinion in the scientific community, and the NSD also beleives that being gay or lesbian is not a personal choice.

The NSD supports Sen. Barack Obama for president because of his pro-equality views regarding gays and lesbians.

This outrage from the NSD won’t really affect the campaign, but Palin’s view on gays and lesbians may.‚  Obama and Biden are more pro-equality than Palin is, as witnessed in last night’s debate where she tried to dodge the issue when asked on her stance.

She and Biden both share the same view, that the traditional values of marriage should remain between a man and a woman, but while Biden supports equality on every other stage, Palin was a little hesitant; a sign of her disapproval.

Personally, I believe the tradition of marriage lies in what it symbolizes not the technicalities of its definition, so for me, gays marrying is OK.‚  But I do believe that the decision should lie with the state not the federal government.

Check out my live blog of the VP debate for more info on the candidates’ personal views.

Here we go. Moderator comments in bold.

1st Question about the $700 billion bailout.‚  Good or bad?

Biden: Last eight years have been bad.‚  No checks without oversight, focus on Main Street, treat taxpayers like investors, make sure CEO’s don’t benefit. Those are Obama’s conditions.

Palin: Talking about fear with Main Street America.‚  McCain has represented reform.‚  Talks about McCain’s warning about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac a few years ago.‚  Greater oversight by John McCain. Put county first by suspending campaign.

Biden: I am bipartisan.‚  Flaunts his foreign policy knowledge. Talks about how McCain said economy fundamentals were strong.‚  Points out he’s out of touch.

Palin: McCain was talking about the American workforce. Talks about how she has gotten job done in Alaska. Says Obama can’t work across the aisle. Says she thinks Americans are craving something new (her and McCain).

Sub-prime lending meltdown.‚  Who was at fault?

Palin: The predator lenders, telling Americans they could afford what they couldn’t.‚  Saying she and McCain will get rid of that corruption.‚  Says people need to come together and demand from the federal government, strict oversight.‚  Only spend what we have.‚  It’s not the American people’s fault.

Biden: Obama warned about the sub-prime mortgage problem two years ago, McCain said he was surprised there was a problem.‚  McCain thought the old republican response: deregulation, was the answer.‚  He thought Wall Street could regulate itself.‚  Middle-class need relief now.

Palin: Obama and Biden voted for largest tax increases in country’s history. Government has to learn to be more efficient.‚  We do need tax relief, Obama supported increasing taxes for people making around 42,000 a year.

Biden: Obama did not vote to raise taxes, the vote was a budget procedure vote, McCain was the same vote.‚  McCain, using the same standard, voted to raise taxes over 450 times. Notice Palin did not answer the deregulation question.

Palin: I want to address the taxes.‚  I decreased tax in Alaska.

Why is raising taxes for people making $250,000 not class warfare?

Biden:‚  It’s called fairness. No one making less than $250,000 will see a cent of their tax raised.‚  95% of the people in America will get a tax break.‚  The economic engine of the country is the middle-class.‚  John wants to lower taxes for the richer.

Palin; Says his tax break will negatively effect small-businesses.‚  Saying government should lessen tax burden and let private sector handle it.‚  Obama’s tax break and spending ideas are the backwards way to fix this country.‚  McCain is proposing a $5000 tax credit to purchase health care.‚  Erase artificial lines through states, if there’s a better plan somewhere else, you can purchase it.

Biden:Taking money from Exxon, giving it to families is fairness. In regard to the health care plan, McCain will tax everyone who has a health care plan through their employer, to give the people a $5000 plan, which will go straight to the insurance company.‚  Then you have to replace a $12000 plan. 20 million people will be dropped; the ultimate bridge to nowhere.

What promises will you not be able to keep because of problems in economy?

Biden: To not go through with the McCain tax cut programs.‚  Can’t afford to slow on education and new job creation.‚  Can’t slow up on affordable health care.‚  We will eliminate wasteful spending.

Palin: Obama voted for the bill that gave the oil companies big tax breaks.‚  Says she took on big oil companies in Alaska.‚  Talking a lot about what she did in Alaska, not really addressing what Biden said.‚  Just the one claim about the tax breaks and oil companies. Moderator has to repeat question.‚  She said she hasn;t promised much except what’s right for Americans. McCain can keep all promises.

Biden: Obama voted because it was the first time they talked about alternative fuel. Wants to implement a windfall profits tax and give people $1000 back.‚  Hopes Palin can convince McCain‚  to support the profits tax.

Would you have supported the proposed economic reform?

Biden: Obama say the glass as half-empty I saw it as half-full.‚  Obama pointed out though a while back about the sub-prime mortgage crisis.‚  We should be allowing bankruptcy courts to adjust the principal that you owe.‚  Helps to stabilize banks.

Palin: Talking about energy again.‚  We need to consider the need to allow this nation to become energy independent.‚  Off-shore drilling.‚  Wants to free us from foreign oil dependence, energy independence is the key to our economic future.

Climate change.‚  What is true and what is false about the causes of climate change?

Palin; We see the effects more so in Alaska. Doesn’t want to argue about the causes.‚  Attributes it partly to cyclical temperature changes. Goes back to energy independence.

Biden:I think it is clearly man made.‚  If you don’t understand what the cause is, you can;t solve it.‚  The cause is man made, that’s the cause.‚  We consume so much oil, and McCain has voted against funding clean energy alternatives, the ways we can stop emitting greenhouse gases.‚  Obama wants to fund these programs.‚  Export clean coal technology to help clean out planet.‚  McCain’s only answer: drill drill drill.

Palin: Says people want to drill at home. Obama and Biden have said no to everything in domestic ways to end oil dependence.

Biden: Oil can’t help reverse global warming. Voted 20 times against funding alternative energy programs.

Support same-sex couples benefits?

Biden: Yes. Same-sex couples should have many benefits.‚  We do support making sure committed same-sex couples are granted the same CONSTITUTIONAL rights.

Palin: Not if it changes the definition of the mand and woman traditional couple.‚  I am tolerant.‚  Does not support marriages though.

Do you support gay marriage?

Biden: No. No civil rights distinction though.

Palin: No.

Foreign Policy.‚  Exit strategy plan.

Palin: Obama opposed funding the troops in the surge. We can’t have an early withdrawal, we have to win.‚  We can start moving troops to Afghanistan.‚  We cant afford to lose against Al Qaeda. Would be a travesty to quit.

Biden: I didn’t hear a plan. Everyone wants to come home except McCain.‚  McCain voted against funding because there was a time line to end the war.‚  There has to be a time line in funding so we can shift responsibility over to Iraq, who have an $80 billion surplus.‚  They have to starts paying.‚  We will end this war.‚  For McCain, there is no end in sight.

Palin: Your plan is a white flag of surrender. You said Obama wasn’t ready to become president (when he was running). Obama opposed funding to troops.

Biden: John McCain voted against funding, didn’t like the timeline to end the war in the amendment.

Greatest threat: nuclear Iran or unstable Pakistan?

Biden: Both are great. Pakistan has nuclear weapons.‚  They can hit Israel.‚  Iran getting a nuclear weapon would make them very unstable. McCain thinks the main threat is still in Iraq.‚  That’s wrong. A stable government needs to be implemented in Pakistan. That’s where Bin Laden lives, Pakistan.

Palin: Both are bad.‚  A nuclear Iran is bad, they cannot be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons.‚  Israel is in danger from Iran and Ahmadinejad.‚  Obama said he will meet with him without preconditions, that’s dangerous.

Secretaries of State advocate communication with leaders of dictating countries.‚  Do you agree?

Palin: We can’t meet with people who want to destroy what we believe in.‚  Diplomacy is important, but diplomacy is hard work by serious people.‚  Sanctions are necessary.

Biden: Obama never said he’d sit down with Ahmadinejad.‚  Ahmadinejad doesn’t even control the weapons, the theocracy does.‚  Secretaries of State have been telling us to talk to them.‚  McCain doesn’t want to talk to them. If we don’t go the extra mile in diplomacy, how will allies help us.‚  McCain even said he wouldn’t sit down with the government of Spain, a NATO ally.

Two-state solution?

Palin: We need protect Israel.‚  We will support Israel, building our embassy in Jerusalem.‚  They have a track record of forging peace agreements.‚  We have to commit.‚  McCain and I would commit.

Biden: No one in the Senate has been a better friend to Israel than me.‚  I wouldn’t have joined the ticket if Obama didn’t share my view.‚  Bush insisted on the elections on the West Bank, Obama and I said no. Bush’s doctrine has allowed Hezbollah to gain more power.‚  We will change these policies, with diplomacy that understands that we must back Israel.

Palin: There have been blunders, but people will get sick of Biden and Obama pointing fingers.‚  Starts talking about partisanship? And change.

Biden: How different is McCain’s policy than Bush’s?‚  On Iran?‚  On Israel? On Afghanistan?‚  On Pakistan?‚  It may be, but so far it’s the same as Bush’s.‚  We will make significant change.

Nuclear weapons.‚  Should there be a trigger if nuclear weapons are put into play?

Palin: We use it as a deterrent.‚  We need to put sanctions on country’s like North Korea. Starts talking about what Biden said about McCain’s stance on Afghanistan, saying it would be different than W’s.

Biden: Fact is, commanding general said today that the surge principle in Iraq ill not work in Afghanistan.‚  We spend more in Iraq in 3 weeks than we have in near seven years in Afghanistan.‚  In regards to weapons, McCain has opposed the nuclear test ban treaty, which allows inspections.‚  Obama, first thing he did, reached across the aisle and said we need to do something to keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists.

Palin: Conditions are different in Iraq and Afghanistan so clearly the same plan won’t work.‚  The same fundamentals will though.

Biden: Afghanistan will get more attention in our government.

Problems around the world.

Biden: We helped Bosnia, they are stable. I said going to war without a real plan would’ve ben a serious mistake.‚  McCain said it’d be OK.‚  We need to help Darfur, we do.‚  We should set the example.

Palin: Before this election you opposed Obama’s war strategy.‚  On Darfur, we are in a position to help, I agree with you there. We should do all we can.

Should there be a line drawn on when we should go in?

Biden: Yes.‚  When a country engages in genocide, there has to be.‚  I never supported McCain’s stance on the war.‚  I said we would have a civil fight, we would be tied down for a decade. McCain’s strategy has been absolutely wrong.

Palin: Talks about McCain’s history and how it will help his war strategy as president.

If something did happen, how would a Biden administration be different than an Obama admin? The difference between a Palin admin and a McCain admin?

Biden: God forbid it did happen, but if it did, I’d carry out Obama’s policies. In essence, I agree with ever major initiative he has suggested.

Palin: Heaven forbid this happens for either party.‚  We are a team of mavericks, we don’t agree on everything.‚  But I would continue the good work he has been committed to, putting the government back on the side of the people. Bring the Wasilla reality into D.C.

Biden: Ask anyone where I come from, (small town) if I McCain’s policies differ from Bush’s.‚  Obama will change it.

Palin: She said doggonit? Education has to take more of a center stage.‚  My kids go to public school, so I am concerned.

Palin, you said you needed someone needed to explain to you what the VP does, Biden you said you would never be VP.

Palin: That was just a joke, in both of our parts.‚  We need to be supportive of the president’s policies.‚  We need to help the leaders and help them in their policies.

Biden: Obama asked me to be the point person for the legislative initiatives in congress.‚  Every major decision made, I’ll be in the room giving him my advice.‚  I won’t be afraid to tell him if I disagree.‚  I will play a very constructive role.

Conventional wisdom, Palin lack experience, Biden lacks discipline. What is your Achilles heel really?

Palin: We are an ordinary family, we’ve gone through normal problems.‚  America represents a perfect ideal, McCain and I agree with that, and we are a good team.

Biden: I’m not going to change. I will place my own and Obama’s record on fundamental accomplishments aginst McCain’s any day.‚  I know what it’s like as a parent to think whether or not your kid is going to make it.‚  I was a single parent.‚  I understand.‚  These families are looking for help. (Tears up a bit)

Palin: They are looking for change, and that change will come from McCain. McCain has a support base from a diverse background.

Biden: McCain has been no maverick on the things that matter to people’s lives.

Single issue on which you were forced to change your opinion?

Biden: I had been trained to think that a nominee suggested by the president was automatically a good person and a good candidate.‚  It took me about five years to learn that that was not the case.‚  It matters what the judicial philosophy is and it matters.

Palin: There have been times as Gov. and Mayor that we passed budgets that should have been vetoed.‚  I didn’t have enough support to accomplish that.‚  But on major issues, I have not.

Bipartisanship.‚  How do you change the tone in Washington as No.2?

Biden: I was taught to not question the motives of those in the Senate, just their judgement.

Palin: You appoint people based on their qualifications, views and policies not their party.

Closing Statement.

Palin: Thanks everyone.‚  I like to answer the tough questions without filters. I want to assure you that McCain and I will fight for America, economically and in national security.

Biden: Thanks everyone. This is the most important election you’ve voted on in your entire life. There’s a need for fundamental change. Obama and I measure progress based on someone can pay mortgage, send kid to college.‚  I grew up in a neighbourhood about dignity and respect, I was told if I love my country I could accomplish anything.‚  Obama will be the best choice.

Biden won this debate.

Palin stuck with Biden through much except foreign policy, which was to be expected. She did well, she looked better.

On foreign policy, she got leveled. Biden was articulate and perfect. Palin didn’t answer questions and dodged everything she could.

Palin kept talking about tax cuts and energy, no matter what the question was. She didn’t answer a lot of questions. She was folksy, she actually used the term doggonit, trying to distance herself from Washington politicians. Through that language she tried to connect with ordinary America and prop herself up as more of a game changer than Biden.

Biden actually answered questions, nailed McCain on much of his past and propped up Obama as the epitome of change. He didn’t talk too long, he showed off his experience in Washington and in foreign policy affairs. He exemplified the fact that he isn’t a brainless partisan Washington politician.

I couldn’t live blog, as there were some technical issues, but I’ve written my thoughts on Sen. John McCain’s speech tonight, below.‚  Let me know what you thought in the comments section.

Have to say though, again, a lot of things said about the Obama campaign that are simply untrue.

Same was true when the dems were speaking about McCain.‚  Look for a reaction, like the one from Biden to Palin today, later this week.

Biden, today, called Palin out on the ‘smears’ from her speech last night, and said she has “no substance.”‚  He also basically said, that in the debates, he will not stoop to her level and simply attack the opposing party and opponent.‚  He will answer the questions respectfully, responsibly, and outline clear plans for the future.

Talk about being the bigger man.

So here are my thoughts on what was said by McCain.

But before that, just for those who don’t know, delegates from all states agreed, beforehand, to chant “USA!” throughout the speech to drown out protesters.‚  As John Guilfoil posted earlier on the blog, cameras caught what viewers didn’t hear.

First, I don’t think it’s ever been more apparent the differences between the two parties.‚  I didn’t, along with many Americans, really think they were AS different as they were being portrayed, but by the end of McCain’s first paragraph, each end of the political spectrum seemed to grow in length, farther and farther from each other.

This speech was good, republicans will love it, like they will Palin’s speech.‚  Personally, I think it could have been better.‚  The best thing he said, which I think maybe Obama could have emphasized more (but who am I to tell Obama anything about speaking), was that he would reach across party lines, and have the government think as Americans, not republicans or democrats.

He showed a genuine love for his country, like Obama did, he showed he cares for his country and it’s people.‚  He used personal stories of people he met, and personal stories of his experiences in Vietnam.‚  These were especially emotional words for both McCain and the audience.

This speech was so detailed, as a recreation, mental for all viewers, of his time in Vietnam.‚  He went deep into his time there, as a prisoner.‚  He basically said, he was a fighter there, and he will be a fighter here.

In that way, the speech was great.‚  But at times, it faded.

McCain, as we all know, isn’t the greatest rhetorician, he isn’t a good orator, but his ideals (personal) are to both republicans and democrats, solid.

He has served the country with great bravery and breadth, however, he showed tonight, by not offering enough solutions for the dwindling economy, bad health care and equal pay for equal work, that just because he has served, doesn’t automatically mean citizens SHOULD vote for him.‚  He has to EARN votes, and that’s something his party knows, but isn’t doing as well as they’d hoped.

His speech, the part about the actual policies of his campaign, was pretty much non-existent.‚  He said he wants people to believe in him, since the republicans have lost credibility in the U.S. under dubya.‚  He said, in essence, if Americans can’t believe in his thirst and eye for change, that they will lose.

He’s right.‚  But trying to make this into a publicity contest won’t work.‚  Just in case he forgot, he’s up against Barack Obama, the newest and most popular major politician of the modern age.

If he wants to make it about who can change more, he’ll lose.‚  If he makes it about who has a better back story and experience, he’ll win.

McCain started out strong, letting all know of his history, but took barely any time explaining his future. Try to remember a few policy promises he made.‚  It’s hard, I know.

We’ll see how democrats respond to some of the things said about Obama, many contradictory to what Obama himself has said he has planned for the nation.

At the end of the speech, McCain, Palin, her husband and Mrs. McCain stood on the podium together.‚  Here, there was a huge difference from what we saw at the DNC.‚  At the DNC, and I am being free of, I think, bias here, I’m sure some republicans noticed it as well, that the Obamas and Bidens looked like one big family, genuinely happy, hopeful and ready to change not only America, but the World.

Tonight, As the McCains and Palins stood together, without their children, they looked like politicians, like republicans—like people.‚  They looked ordinary, which is good, but not at that time.

Being a regular American, being able to connect is important. But after giving a speech to the nation, you have to look perfect.‚  You want people to idealize you, because these people, you want them to put their faith in this country and the lives of their families and friends, in your hands.