I guess you missed the "if" in the quote about Putin, Craig. In this case, a double "if": IF he's elected, and IF he tosses out journalists who write negative things about him. So . . . he has to be elected, and then he has to start tossing journalists out of his press conferences. At which point . . . yes, I believe a comparison to Putin would be valid.

You'll have to remind me about Obama telling his campaign to pull the press credentials from media outlets that have criticized him. Which campaign? Which media outlet(s)?

I don't mind listening to intelligent debates on the issues. I guess that bothers some people, in our increasingly "sound bite" society. I go back far enough to remember Nixon and JFK debating the "missile gap". And I certainly remember Romney trying to tag Obama on Benghazi . . . and shamefully being shot down by a debate "moderator" who injected herself into the discussion rather than playing neutral judge.

The Des Moines Register invited every presidential candidate, from both parties, to meet with their editorial board to discuss their positions on the issues. Most took them up on it. Given our first in the nation caucuses, most of them spent a fair amount of time here, so it wasn't like they didn't have an opportunity.

I wish it were a much bigger choir engaged in the issues. I'll take knowledgeable voters over sound bite voters every day of the week.