Newsweek Poll: Obama drops like a rock  —  Last month, Newsweek's poll surprised many by showing a huge gap between Barack Obama and John McCain, with the Democratic nominee-apparent enjoying a 15-point lead over the Republican.  One month later, Obama has lost all of the momentum and has dropped into a virtual tie with McCain.

U.S. Shuts Big Bank As Crisis Intensifies  —  IndyMac Bank, a prolific mortgage specialist that helped fuel the housing boom, was seized Friday by federal regulators in one of the largest bank failures in U.S. history.  —  The Pasadena, Calif., thrift was one of the largest savings and loans …

Attack of the Photoshopped Missiles (Updated)  —  Iran's propagandists aren't only ones who can photoshop a missile launch.  We know how to do that on the intertubes, too.  Here's an updated sample...  Are We Lumberjacks?:

Every Time I Try to Crawl Out, They Pull Me Back in!  —  You know something? … No, that is not right: … No, that is still not right: … Maybe this will do it: … Called on forty minutes' notice, I trot over to the J-School studio to be a talking head on BBC/Newsnight about Fannie and Freddie.

Presidential candidate Obama to sponsor Cup car at Pocono race … SI.com has learned that for the first time in history, a major presidential candidate may sponsor a race car in NASCAR's premier series.  According to sources, Barack Obama's campaign is in talks to become the primary sponsor …

Barnes Defends Gramm: Americans Are ‘Whining All The Way Through’ The Bad Economy  —  Last night on Fox News's Special Report, the “All-Star panel” discussed top McCain adviser Phill Gramm's recent controversial remarks that regarding the economy, the U.S. has become a “nation of whiners” and the U.S. is merely in a “mental recession.”

Como Se Dice?  Obama Clarifies Comments Over Foreign Languages  —  ABC News' Sunlen Miller reports: Sen. Barack Obama reiterated his belief Friday that America's children to learn a foreign language, firing back against criticism he received from some conservative groups who suggested …

U.S. air strike kills 47 civilians: official  —  JALALABAD, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A U.S. coalition force air strike on Sunday killed 47 civilians, including 39 women and children, in the eastern province of Nangarhar, an Afghan official said on Friday.  —  The issue of civilian casualties …

Obama's latest flip-flop: Death penalty for bin Laden!  Update: Double flip-flop with a global test?  —  Just three weeks ago, Barack Obama said that he would not make Osama bin Laden into a martyr if he was captured.  Today, Barack Obama suddenly thinks the death penalty would be keen-o for OBL.