Why is The New Republic, a so-called "serious" political journal,  indulging in cheap shots at politicians. The "blogosphere" is rife with cheap shot artists, most of whom do it better than TNR. This one's kind of limp. Don't get me wrong, I approve of partisan attacks, even cartoons like the misfired New Yorker (which, seems to me, specialize in misfires lately), but the constant diet we are being fed is becoming tiresome. Besides, novelty manufacturers should be exempt in a time when so-called blue-chips listings are in precipitous decline. As for McCain, he was obviously applauding the US entrepreneurial spirit. And yes, I'm sick of this kind of lame eco/political boosterism too. Yosemite Sam McCain is clearly bonkers while O-whatever is still a complete mystery who thinks that on-job-training will see him through. I vote none of the above.

Crocs are a fad, destined to fade.

--They're way overpriced.

--They're not nearly as comfortable as they're cracked up to be.  They're molded to seem like there's lots of support, but they're so mushy and the uppers so flimsy that they're really not much better than flipflops.  After I'd been wearing mine for a while, my plantar fasciitis went nuts.

--The Chinese can make knock-off that are just as good as the original and go for a quarter the price.

--The colors are ridiculous.  (Mine are black.) No adult can get away with bright orange shoes without looking like a total clown.  This is the most faddish aspect to the shoes.  Once the novelty wears off--as it probably already has--people will wise up.

Crocs is already trying to expand it's product line in the direction of more traditional footwear.  I've seen a bunch in stores that look like modified Bean boots.  I just don't see it working.  The soft, lightweight foam that makes Crocs so distinctive is exactly what you don't want when you're hiking in the bush, and without that featherweight material and the bright colors, Crocs are just another shoe.

Maybe McCain should show his support for such American business ingenuity by campaigning in a pair of Crocs.  How about lime green?  Or magenta?

RAPProds -- lighten up. It's just an amusing juxtaposition, that's all.

Walt you bought Crocs? I just thought they were for preschoolers. They look cute on 4 year olds, I don't want to know what they look like on adults.

I think they will survive, they will have to knock down the price and make them only for small kids, but for small kids they are damn convenient. It takes about 5 seconds to put on and take off, leaving shoes and nice sneakers for more serious places.

No, they sell 'em to adults too.  They even have them big enough for my size 15 skis.

Shoes of this ilk are quite popular among medical and surgical residents.  You want a comfortable shoe (hours and hours on your feet) and one that can quickly be slipped on and off.  You'd like to be able to get into a call room bed just in your socks but not lose time lacing up your Florsheims when the code pager goes off and you have to run to a cardiac arrest.  Also it helps if the shoe won't get ruined if it gets splashed with blood or feces.

Several companies make plastic clogs marketed maily to nurses, but before Crocs, the coolest of these were the Berkenstock rubber clogs with the usual Berk cork sole insert.  The problem with these was that they didn't breathe--at all--and so while you could readily slip them off under the table or in the rack, you didn't necessarily want to be in the same room with your own feet.  Crocs got around this by putting holes in the uppers.  (Never mind that as a result of the holes, Crocs don't meet OSHA standards for hospital-safe footwear; it's possible to drop a dirty syrringe and spear your own foot through one of the holes.)  

I bought mine in black in hopes that I could blend them into my professional attire: slacks, tie, white coat, but I bagged it after a while.  Black or not, they still looked stupid, and as I described, they weren't even that comfortable.

As for Crocs for kids, yeah sure.  But when you go into Payless and can find a knockoff shoe that's identical as far as the kid is concerned and for 15 bucks instead of 50, how're they going to compete?  I hate spending money on my kids' shoes.  You drop $100 sometimes on a shoe they're going to wear for 4 months, tops.  If I can find some cheap Chinese crap that the kids are happy with, I'm all over it.  And I've got money to burn.

Well, I've got Hallux Rigidus, and Crocs are muder on my feet.  Not to mention totally uncool.  I got the Hallux after fifteen years of wearing Church's.  Willing to pay a price for style, but Crocs?  Please.

McCain = Crocs. Obama = Jibbitz (link: business.timesonline.co.uk/.../article4331134.ece)

They're the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn, and weigh nothing. They are perfect for the airport.

I have a pair of Minnesota Vikings Crocs I got for free (freeeee!!!!) from a friend.

I treat them like outdoor slippers.  They're useful if I want to spend an hour or so doing something outside the house (like croquet) but don't feel like finding socks and shoes to put on.