John McCain's latest debate performance points up the cynicism of his recent attacks on Barack Obama's character -- which he plainly did not dare to repeat before the live audience on national television.

But if the questions that Senator McCain and his lip-sticked pitbull have raised about Senator Obama are so vital and so pertinent, why not challenge him in the town hall forum, where both candidates had plenty of latitude to speak as they wished?

Why not bring up Bill Ayers and Reverend Wright and any other twitchy bit of irrelevancy that might excite the Republican?

The answer is that Senator McCain knew he was addressing independent voters, so he restrained himself from plunging straight into the gutter, a spectacle he and Governor Palin reserve for members of their own party.

He criticized Senator Obama, of course, but whenever the opportunity arose to hit below the belt, he blinked.

Instead he tried repeatedly to remind everyone of his bipartisan credentials.

By the end, the independents preferred Obama anyway by a margin of 54-28, according to the CNN instant poll.