Trolls are abounding in the comments tonight. There have been over 800 comments today and so many of them disregard the posting rules of this site: no profanity, no name-calling or personal attacks and urls have to be in html format. Sometimes I delete the offending words and leave the rest. Not tonight, no time, and most of them are from regulars who know the rules. So, if your comment is missing, it's been deleted for one of those reasons. If you find your comments blocked, it's because you've been banned for being a multiple offender. If you don't like three strikes rules, vote against them. On election day.

Update: I've banned a log of trolls tonight. There's too many and they are lowering the level of discourse on the site with their noise. Expressing a difference of opinion is fine, trolling is not. If you don't know the difference, you're probably a troll. Post at your own risk.

Update: Dr. Ace is history. True Liberal (not) is next, soon as I find his ISP number again. Steel is gone. Please don't feed the trolls. Again, thoughtful disagreement with the opinions expressed in posts and comments is fine. Snide comments, insults, name-calling, off-topic links and rants and garbage is not. I intend to take out the trash more frequently, so here's fair warning.

Hardball tonight --it's impossible to distinguish between the journalists and the Republican strategists--and there's no one providing balance. What's up with that? It's David Gregory, Howard Feineman, Christy Whitman and an unknown woman.

Live--a protest disrupts the Hardball set, the police chase the protester right through the broadcast set--MSNBC switches to the Garden.

Turned over to Fox News and the reporter is covering John Kerry's movements and the French journalists. Good for them.

There was a protest at Fox News today and it got a little out of hand with the arrest of Medea Benjamin. Atrios went but didn't have a camera.

Update: Some country singer named Larry Gatlin is on Hardball now making a total a** of himself. He 's talking about shopping at Saks. He just asked the passersby to be quiet because they're on television. What on earth is he doing on a political show? The guy should stick to crooning, assuming he's any good at that. Who's next, the Osmonds?

Who wants to listen to Laura and the Bush twins when you can tune into A&E and watch "Dog the Bounty Hunter" with Dwayne "The Dog" Chapman--America's coolest bounty hunter. Long-time TalkLeft readers know Dog's a pal, so it should be no surprise I'll be going to the premiere party in Soho --blogging will resume around 1 a.m.

From one of the many reviews:

The honesty, uniqueness, even charm of "Bounty Hunter" is a stunning surprise. A&E is to be congratulated for stepping out of the reality box to capture the real Dog.

Here's another good review.

For more on Dog's background go here.

5280, Denver's excellent and credible monthly magazine reports in an exclusive interview that Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell is considering a run for Colorado governor. He says his decision depends on current Governor Bill Owen's career path:

"For instance, if between now and the end of his term, he was picked for the Cabinet or some very important position by President Bush, and then our Lt. Governor became the Governor, I don't think I would challenge her," Campbell tells 5280. "It's not in the best interest of the party to have an in-house fight among high-level Republicans."

But if Owens were to finish out his term as governor, Campbell says his options would change. "If the seat was open however, I might consider it. I've had a number of people call and ask if I would consider it," he says.

If Bush gets re-elected, I don't doubt that Owens will be offered a cabinet position. He's been shilling heavy for the party for a long time--even being selected with Giuliani, Romney and McCain to provide spin from the Republican war room during the Democratic Convention.

Nighthorse Campbell is dreaming if he thinks we want him for Governor. He's another flip-flopper. Elected as a Democrat, he switched parties in his first term and now hails from the right. Fool me once....

Why did a 21 yeear old student from Yale get arrested and charged with assaulting a federal officer for shouting an anti-war slogan?

A 21-year-old Yale student, posing as a volunteer at the Republican National Convention, got within 10 feet of Vice President Dick Cheney and shouted anti-war statements before being dragged away, authorities said Tuesday.

Secret Service Agent Shannon Zeigler said Cheney "was never in any harm or danger" during the incident Monday night in Madison Square Garden. The suspect, Thomas Frampton, was charged with assaulting federal officers and impeding the operation of the Secret Service.

A few days ago Bush said we can't win the war on terror. Now he says we can. Flip-Flop. Drip. Drop.

And Bush may be losing support with undecided voters.

AP-Ipsos polling shows that persuadable voters are more disappointed than others with Bush's job performance. Their negative views track almost every issue, from Bush's handling of the war in Iraq to his foreign policies, the economy and domestic initiatives. Nearly seven in 10 of them believe the country is headed on the wrong track. They're eager for a new direction, even in a time of war, if Kerry can convince them that it's safe to change.

Did anyone notice that none of the Republicans discussed domestic issues last night? Sidney Blumenthal did, and writes in Salon about the strange omission and the repackaging of Giuliani and McCain.

Business Week reports that Bush is going after Florida's Jewish vote big-time--and that it could make the difference in that state for him.

Bush's support for Israel may be the only Bush position I agree with....but it pales by comparison to every other issue on which his stand is deplorable.

Who sits on our Supreme Court, preserving constitutional rights and civil liberties, getting us out of Iraq and ending his Administration's lust to take over the world in the name of fighting terrorism is of much greater concern.

Another sign of disarray in the Kobe Bryant prosecution. Prosecutors told the Judge today, during jury selection, they are seeking to have private lawyer Joyce Seelen deputized as a deputy district attorney and added to the prosecution team for trial.

Seelen is a civil attorney whose specialty is representing alleged sexual assault victims who claim to be abused by persons in a position of trust--their parents, psychiatrists, priests.

Prosecutors say Seelen has been working behind the scenes on the case for a while. They just want to bring her officially on board now. At this late date?

Will they even be able to seat a jury? No one knows, as jury selection continues --but at least today the Judge said he will open questioning to the public, over prosecutor's objections.

Here's tonight's hot Republican event tickets:

• Texas delegates groove to the Fabulous Thunderbirds at BB King's Blues Club & Grill (237 W. 42nd St., 8-11 p.m.)
• The Distilled Spirits Council, Weekly Standard, The Economist and Roll Call fete Bill Frist at the New York Yacht Club (37 W. 44th St., 9:30 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.)
• Oscar de la Hoya, Alex Rodriguez and Rafael Palmeiro are expected for the Gran Fiesta Salsa Party at the Rainbow Room (30 Rockefeller Plaza, 11 p.m. - 2 a.m.)
• The Warehouse party resumes at the Tunnel Nightclub (220 12th St., 10 p.m. - 3 a.m.)

[Via National Journal]

What is driving actor Ron Silver in his support for Bush? I can't figure it out. I've always thought him to be bright, articulate and talented. He used to be a liberal. He supported human rights. Now he's a war monger who drools over Bush.

I wish he'd get back on the right side. If you missed his speech last night, here are his prepared remarks.

Some events for today:

• Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander, HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson, ABC's George Stephanopoulos and others discuss "urban politics and the Republican Party" at New School University (55 W. 13th St., 8-10 a.m.)
• Former Clinton press secretary Mike McCurry moderates a WNET Channel 13 discussion called "Red God, Blue God: The God Gap in Presidential Politics" (450 W. 33rd St., 10 a.m. - noon)
• Batting practice and barbecue at Shea Stadium (11 a.m. - 2 p.m.)

(from National Journal)