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Opinion: Sound bites galore on today’s presidential trail

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It was a good day for good lines from the stump.

The Ticket already sent kudos Barack Obama’s way for a well-turned variation of a famed Ronald Reagan quote, which the Democrat offered while trolling for votes in Indiana.

Not too long afterward, John McCain took umbrage to Obama ‘questioning my truthfulness.’ Speaking in Pennsylvania, he said:

I don’t need lessons in telling the truth to the American people. And were I ever to need any improvement in that regard, I probably wouldn’t seek advice from a Chicago politician.

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His running mate Sarah Palin, warming up their crowd, scorned Obama for his belated and -- in her view -- not-to-be-trusted embrace of a key part of the Republican ticket’s energy plan (in Tuesday’s night debate, he said, ‘We’re going to have to explore new ways to get more oil, and that includes offshore drilling.’)

Scoffed Palin, in her deceptively pleasant way:

What that told me is he’s not willing to drill for energy, but he’s sure willing to drill for votes.

Joe Biden, returning to the trail after a short hiatus because of his mother-in-law’s death, was not to be outdone. Speaking in Florida, he neatly encapsulated the Democratic effort to tie McCain as closely as possible to President Bush. Said Biden:

You can’t call yourself a maverick when all you’ve ever been is a sidekick.

A fellow senator -- Bob Casey of Pennsylvania -- coined the barb, Biden said. But he gets credit for delivering it with his customary gusto.

-- Don Frederick

Speaking of gusto, you can still go to Twitter and sign up for free automatic and instant alerts of every new Ticket item with gusto sped directly to your cell.

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