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Ending months of speculation, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has chosen Joseph Biden, the seasoned senator from Delaware as his running mate.

Question: Did Obama make the right decision for the Democratic ticket?

Asked in an interview  Wednesday with Politico.com how many houses he owned, John McCain replied, "I think — I'll have my staff get to you." It seemed a real gaffe for a politician who is trying to paint Obama as an elitist. During a campaign appearance the next day, Barack Obama commented, "Now think about that," Obama told the crowd, "I guess if you think that being rich means you gotta make five million dollars, and if you don’t know how many houses you have, then it’s not surprising that you might think the economy is fundamentally strong. But if you’re like me and you’ve got one house," he continued, "or you're like the millions of people who are struggling right now to keep up with their mortgage so that they don’t lose their home, you might have a different perspective.

Question: As a voter, what does it mean to you when a candidate can't answer a question like this?

A recent report on consumer inflation confirms what many American households have suspected for months — that rising prices are forcing consumers to lower their standard of living to make ends meet. Earnings were 3.1 percent lower last month than they were a year ago, extending an ongoing slide in income. With households already squeezed, something has to give. As the higher costs of food and energy are passed along in higher prices for services and finished goods, consumers will just have to tighten their belts another notch. Higher inflation also is cutting incomes for retirees living off their savings, and it’s chipping away at the nest eggs of those who hope to retire some day.

Question: Due to predicted higher inflation, what plans, if any, have you made to further tighten your belt?

Yes, this divorce settlement is even bigger than the Paul McCartney/Heather Mills settlement. The third time was certainly not the charm for Phil Collins.After six years of marriage and two children, the musician’s former wife, Swiss-born Orianne Cevey, 35, has received a $46.76 million cash payout from Collins, 57. The record settlement – Britain’s biggest ever in a celebrity divorce – tops by $2 million what Paul McCartney gave Heather Mills earlier this year. Collins is no stranger to expensive breakups. Second wife Jill Tavelman received $34 million after he ended their relationship by fax in 1994. In all, Collins’s divorces have cost him $84 million – nearly a third of his estimated $280 fortune.

Question: Do you think Phil Collins might think about a pre-nup, or possibly stop getting married?