Opinion - Susan Estrich

Creators Syndicate - For all the Republicans' complaints about Gwen Ifill, the moderator's questions were softballs compared to what Sarah Palin faced from Katie Couric.

Creators Syndicate - If you didn't know it, you'd never guess that 95 percent of all House members get re-elected every two years without breaking a sweat.

Creators Syndicate - Alcee Hastings used to be a federal judge. Then he got impeached by the House and convicted by the Senate. Now he's a congressman from Florida. People have a right to vote for whomever they want, even one of the six federal judges in America ever to be removed by Congress.

Creators Syndicate - It takes a major crisis for a lame duck president, especially one whose popularity is as low as George W. Bush's, to take center stage during a hard-fought presidential campaign. It takes a major crisis for members of Congress, who as a group may be even less popular than the president, to find themselves still in Washington so close to Election Day, with important work to do before they can go home.

Creators Syndicate - He filled the room with laughter and learning. A light went on when he came in. He taught thousands and thousands of students each year: law students at USC Law; undergrads who filled his class on Law and Society; and legions of would-be lawyers on the bar review circuit, where he was a living legend.

Creators Syndicate - First Dude. That's what they call him in Alaska.