Notice how Obama never strays far?

Illinois' Junior Sen. Obama has proven once again during this historically expensive, highly glitzy sideshow, known as the 2008 presidential campaign, that it's best that he not stray farther away from his "trusty teleprompters" than his personal grasp of the subject matter under discussion.

Some might have noticed, that during the senator's extremely well-covered Mideast press conference, the questions from the audience were "completely inaudible," making it rather difficult, if not totally impossible, to determine whether the junior senator was actually responding to the questions as posed, or merely making otherwise scripted, inappropriate or questionable responses and statements.

Could this be the reason his campaign handlers so quickly "dissed" Sen. John McCain's recommendation that both candidates engage in at least ten separate town hall meetings throughout the country over the next four months - with both candidates facing off on the very same turf, allowing real, live American citizens the opportunity to fire questions at them right from the floor.

McCain's suggestion seemed a fresh political approach, and one that such a purportedly "non-politician" like Barack Obama would readilly embrace.

But, don't hold your breath. It ain't gonna happen.

Patrick J. Dalton

Northbrook