George Lakoff, 10/15/12

Author, The Political Mind, Moral Politics, Don't Think of an Elephant!

Mr. President, this is a grand performance that means something; it is much more than a policy debate where most people won't understand or remember the fine details of the policies. We need you to show America what real moral leadership is.

Michael Hogan and Christopher Rosen, 10/15/12

Hey, Mike. That sound you just heard was everyone at Warner Bros. breathing a sigh of relief: Argo is a hit, meaning it has cleared another hurdle on its charge toward Best Picture.

Gary Hart, 10/14/12

President, Hart International, Ltd.

How will you know when the "cyber Pearl Harbor" has occurred? When the lights and heat in your home go off. When you can't make a phone call. When no ATM works. When your flight cannot land.

Michelangelo Signorile, 10/15/12

Editor-at-large, HuffPost Gay Voices

I've always felt we 'nones' were a tiny minority. But here we are, surging in an America that's been steeped in religious dogma, where Republican politics has been overrun by zealots hellbent on controlling women's bodies and discriminating against gays.

Dr. Peggy Drexler, 10/13/12

Author, research psychologist, and gender scholar

In my work and in my life, I had been hearing more from women who were both having extramarital affairs and actively seeking them out. While they weren't necessarily proud of their actions, neither were they ashamed.

Noam Chomsky, 10/15/12

Institute Professor emeritus, MIT Department of Linguistics and Philosophy

In 1962, war was avoided by Khrushchev's willingness to accept Kennedy's hegemonic demands. But we can hardly count on such sanity forever. It's a near miracle that nuclear war has so far been avoided.

Gordon Brown, 10/15/12

Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; UN Special Envoy for Global Education

Malala's plight has unleashed an unprecedented outpouring of public support. Now all of us must make that support count -- and deliver on the cause she has been fighting for -- her dream of education for every child.

Robert Reich, 10/15/12

Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy, University of California at Berkeley; Author, 'Beyond Outrage'

Although the "town meeting"-style debate isn't conducive to sharp give-and-take with Romney, look for every opportunity to nail him. Indignance doesn't come naturally to you, but you have every reason to be indignant on behalf of the American people.

Sen. Harry Reid, 10/15/12

Senate Majority Leader

If Congressman Ryan truly wants to reduce health care spending, he should look no further than the Affordable Care Act. I will never stop fighting to preserve this successful program.

Michael Smerconish, 10/15/12

Radio host

When I heard on Sunday that Arlen Specter had died, I sought solace in rummaging through personal remnants of our 30-year friendship.

Cesar Millan, 10/15/12

Dog Whisperer and CEO of CesarsWay.com

If we could hold a debate with dogs as the audience, we'd learn a lot about the candidates. Dogs have had thousands of years of evolution, studying the faces, body language, and scent of the humans they travel with.

William K. Black, 10/15/12

Assoc. Professor, Univ. of Missouri, Kansas City; Sr. regulator during S&L; debacle

Matt Taibbi famously dubbed Goldman "a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money." The news flash is that Goldman Sachs has revealed her new, softer side.

Christine Lagarde, 10/15/12

Managing Director, IMF

Natural disasters, unfortunately, will always be with us. And the cost and number of people affected by disasters continues to rise. But this visit to Sendai is a valuable opportunity for me and the others who participated in the Sendai Dialogue to learn how we can strengthen our defenses.

Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, 10/15/12

CEO, Green for All

If we hope to protect America's waterways, we need to support the EPA in enforcing Clean Water Act safeguards. One of the most important ways to do that is by investing in green stormwater infrastructure -- and we'll put millions of Americans to work in the process.

Greta Van Susteren, 10/15/12

Host of Fox News' 'On the Record with Greta Van Susteren'

There is no question that Candy Crowley is a pro with years and years of real experience... but if a candidate fears what Candy might ask at a debate, what happens when the candidate faces world leaders? Shrink and run?

Wendell Potter, 10/15/12

Analyst at the Center for Public Integrity, author of Deadly Spin

The reality is that most people who are uninsured are not that way by choice; they have no insurance because they can't afford coverage or can't even find a company willing to sell it to them.

Robert Kuttner, 10/14/12

Co-founder and co-editor, 'The American Prospect'

Romney and Obama have each muddled their views -- but Romney does it in a way that helps him, while Obama's muddling helps the Republicans. Let me explain.

Daphne Eviatar, 10/15/12

Senior Counsel, Human Rights First's Law and Security Program

It didn't take long for the word "torture" to rear its ugly head in the September 11th terrorism case, as pre-trial hearings began today with a slew of procedural issues.

Shura Lopez-Beale, 10/14/12

College student and advocate for minority issues

I was filling out an application the other day. It asked me what I felt my greatest accomplishment thus far was. I thought for a moment and answered that I am most proud of surviving all that came with coming out to you as a lesbian.

John Pavley, 10/13/12

CTO @ The Huffington Post, Mgt Hckr

I have three flat touch devices on my desk right now. All three pretty much do the same thing. I feel having three of these things should be an extravagance but it's not.

Alan Schroeder, 10/14/12

Professor of Journalism, Northeastern University

Biden's triumph was only partly about personality. It also had to do with strategy. He knew exactly what he was doing on that stage. Was he over the top? Absolutely. But for the most part Biden drew the response he had been seeking.

Jeremiah Goulka, 10/15/12

Writer

I was a Republican for most of my life, and during those years I had no doubt that such laws were indeed truly about fraud. Please join me on a tour of my old outlook on voter ID laws and what caused it to change.

Kelly Rigg, 10/15/12

Executive Director, GCCA

How can it be that investment in clean energy is heading for a disappointing drop in 2012 while the International Energy Agency warns that without a radical change in direction, in just a few short years we will have closed the door to limiting global temperature rise to 2°?

Ted Kaufman, 10/15/12

Fmr. U.S. Senator from Delaware

Finally, the SEC has begun to take some action. It's made a lot of progress in just a month, but a lot more needs to be done, as a series of reports written by David Weild for the accounting firm of Grant Thornton makes clear.