Is Michelle Proud of America?

I am willing to believe that this is not really the first time that Michelle Obama has been proud of America.

I am also willing to believe that John McCain knows the difference between Sunni and Shiites in Iraq.

I am also willing to believe that Hillary Clinton did indeed travel to a dangerous war zone, which was not yet fully pacified, whether or not she actually came under sniper fire at the time.

That's the kind of guy I am.

I'm not very concerned about a bit of over-enthusiastic rhetoric or hyperbole by any of the candidates, or their wives, in the heat of such a hotly contested political campaign. I don't analyze every word that comes out of a politician's mouth with a microscope. In the course of making so many speeches, a few misstatements are bound to creep in. I wouldn't make a federal case about it.

Especially since, focusing on these occasional misstatements keeps distracting us from the real issue in this campaign.

What is the real issue?

Well, the main issue is the same as it was in 1980, when Ronald Reagan was campaigning for the presidency: "Are you better off than you were eight years ago? If not, then why would you vote for four more years of the same?"