Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, will make her acting debut tonight (playing herself) on the Lifetime series "Army Wives."

Dr. Biden visits the fictional Fort Marshall to kickoff the post's annual Fun Run benefit, and to talk to some of the characters about the challenges military families face while loved ones are deployed.

Many real Army wives are also expected to appear in the episode.

In the episode, Dr. Biden tells a crowd: "I'm proud to be here today as a second lady, but I'm even more proud to be here as a military mom." The Bidens' son Beau Biden returned last year from deployment in Iraq with the Army National Guard.

No free passes for President Obama, at least not from McClatchy editorial cartoonists. Here are a few taking Democrats to task:

As the presidential candidates and their potential second-in-commands sling around the half-truths, journalists this election season dutifully poke holes in the bloviation. You see it here in the News & Observer and in newspapers across the country.

So is the effort worth it? Not so much, according to a Duke researcher.

Some readers were scratching their heads over Monday's "At the Water Cooler" feature on the front page.

The short feature runs in the "This Week" column every Monday. This week, it took a swipe at the Olympics just ended - "Gone are the fake fireworks, the flags that fluttered with the aid of air jets and the little girl lyp-synching during the opening ceremonies."

And there was this comment on Joe Biden, Barack Obama's choice for vice president: "No word on the date of Biden's next gaffe."

The readers:

"What exactly is the news content of your 'At the Water Cooler' blurb on the front page today?" - Lee Kirby, Raleigh, who took exception to the Biden snipe. "And why the reference (on the heels of your recent headline that Biden is the "attack-dog") to 'No word on whether the odds have been posted on the date of Biden's next gaffe?'  Biden is a long-time substantial senator who has some of the most well thought-out positions on policy, particularly foreign policy, of any of our leaders."

"Those comments were totally uncalled for, reflecting the all too typical ‘Ugly  American’ attitude.  I for one much prefer those Chinese Olympics to the ‘real’ political theater that will be on display the next two weeks.” - Bob Stalder.

Weekend Editor Ned Barnett says "At the Water Cooler" is intended to be a light Monday-morning gloss on the weekend buzz. It's supposed to be breezy and conversational, Barnett says. This week's version verged into the political and opinionated, which confused readers.

I'm sure Joe Biden is the logical vice-presidential choice for the Obama ticket. But now that the long-awaited text message has finally gone out to all his supporters, let me just throw something out there:

If only...

(Thanks again to Brian.)