Real money saved at the pump, even for a time as brief as the summer season? It's "a gimmick," according to Democratic nominee Barack Obama, "that would save you half a tank of gas over the course of the entire summer so that everyone in Washington can pat themselves on the back and say they did something."

Exemption from gas taxes just for Barack Obama himself and those involved in the Denver stop in the Obama Coronation Roadshow, though? Now that's a plan the freshman Senator from Illinois and his Democrat Convention host committee chums can get on board with!

The committee hosting the Democratic National Convention is using the city's gas pumps to fill up on fuel, avoiding state and federal highway taxes, officials said today.

"There's something there that just doesn't seem right to me because, in a sense, you're saying then that the officials who pass the laws are not willing to live by them, and that concerns me," Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz said.

More below the fold.

h/t NightTwister

From the department of "awesomest debate moments in recent memory (if not ever)" comes this hoisting of Democrat Senatorial nominee Mark Udall on his own legislative and verbal petard by Republican Bob Schaffer.

Make sure to watch the entire video, so that you can fully appreciate -- and revel in -- the gloriousness of this masterful takedown.

If only more Republicans would debate like this, then perhaps fewer attempts at outright lying on the issues -- such as on Iraq, which so many from Rockefeller to Kerry to Edwards to Udall continuously attempt to do -- would be made.

Regardless, congratulations again to Bob Schaffer for this knockout. He gets a "10" from me.