What happened to the presidential campaign? After the Hillary-Obama slugfest it has become as dull as dirt.

Even the floods in the Midwest and the perennial California fires, though tragic, have been more interesting.

We've watched Obama skateboard to the political center.

His yes vote on FISA in favor of shielding telecommunications firms from litigation as a result of illegal wiretapping was a major disappointment to some of his core supporters. He was not the Obama they supported in the primary.

For his part, McCain is trying to keep attention on his military experience and away from anything having to do with the country's dismal economic picture. Republican strategists are trying their hardest to paint McCain as the person who will prevent another terrorist attack on the US. It's worked before.

But his witty take on the Beach Boys oldie - "Bomb, bomb, bomb - bomb, bomb Iran" - isn't reassuring.

Other than some mild sniping, nothing is happening in this presidential race that should make us feel confident.

Iran, today, fired another barrage of long-range missiles.

A regular gallon of gas around here is running in the $4.20 range.

Real estate values have dropped by as much as 20 percent in many parts of the country so far this year.

And the dollar continues to slide against most major currencies.

Does anyone really care that Obama now regrets an interview that he did with his wife and their two children with a Hollywood gossip show? Surely some do.

But the lack of substance from either of these two candidates takes your breath away.