Political Hot Potato - Well, the Gays finally came up in the Vice Presidential debate. The Post's Tom Shales called it this way: Both candidates "waltzed around the delicate and incendiary topic of same-sex marriages" and "ended up pretty much agreeing that gays and lesbians deserve rights and respect." Shales thought Cheney "looked embarrassed" by Bush's support of the Federal Marriage Amendment, but the critic says Dubya's position "sounds like one of those expedient election-year promises that will somehow fall by the wayside very quickly as a second Bush-Cheney term -- if any -- gets underway." (Let's hope so.)

On the other hand, Edwards made clear that he believes that "marriage is between a man and a woman, and so does John Kerry," and that both are now strong believers in states' rights to refuse to recognize gay marriages performed elsewhere. Interestingly, the combative Democrat became quite chummy and familiar with Cheney on the subject of granting rights and benefits to gay and lesbian couples "who have been in long-term relationships." (Hmm, now there's a minimum duration requirement?) He praised Cheney for supporting his lesbian daughter Mary (who appeared on the podium afterwards with her partner), and the Veep actually declined to use his 90 second reply time, merely expressing his thanks the senator for "the kind words he said about my family."

Translation: the less said about the subject the better for both candidates.