I wish the members of tonight’s town hall debate audience had asked Senator McCain some of the following questions. They didn’t:

• Is Governor Palin ready to be president if something happens to you?
• Is Governor Palin more qualified to be Vice President than Senator Biden?
• Is Senator Obama less of an American than you?
• Does your tax plan reduce taxes for 95% of Americans?
• How does your POW status qualify you to be president?
• Are your ties to Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac greater or lesser than those of Senator Obama?
• What would you say to people who think Senator Obama is a muslim?
• If you could only choose one, would you cut taxes for people making under $250K a year or over?
• Do you belief Senator Obama is a traitor to America?
• Does your friendship with G. Gordon Liddy reflect poorly on your judgement?
• How can you be both a “maverick” and a “voice of reason”?
• Does your part in the Keating Five make you a good candidate to manage a financial “rescue plan”?
• Should people vote for you because Senator Obama is black?

Instead we got a bunch of boring questions that I doubt anyone actually wanted answers to. Maybe next debate.

Bill Kristol, on Fox News, suggests that McCain should ask voters concerned about the economy to “judge the character, the judgement, the background of the person you’re putting in charge”.

Hm.

Does Kristol not recall The Keating Five, where McCain intervened in an investigation of his political patron, which, eventually, resulted in over 20,000 Americans losing their savings? John McCain’s involvement in protecting Charles Keating calls into direct question McCain’s character, judgement and background. McCain thought it was more important to protect his political pals over the public.

Kristol also says McCain should tie Obama to “some pretty unsavory characters”. Think Kristol remembers that John McCain is great friends with G. Gordon Liddy, who helped plan the Watergate break-in (and went to jail for four years because of it) and advocated killing Federal officials?

Is that the character, judgement and background you want in your president?

Watch Krisol blather (thanks Talking Point Memo):