Top Items:

McCain unsure how many houses he owns — Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said in an interview Wednesday that he was uncertain how many houses he and his wife, Cindy, own. — “I think - I'll have my staff get to you,” McCain told us in Las Cruces, N.M. “It's condominiums where - I'll have them get to you.”
Discussion:
Think Progress, The Huffington Post, The New Republic, Matthew Yglesias, TPM Election Central, Associated Press, Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Comments from Left Field, Don Surber, The Moderate Voice, The Carpetbagger Report, Wall Street Journal, Outside The Beltway, Newsweek Blogs, Old Man McCain, Jack & Jill Politics, TownHall Blog, Gawker, Hotline On Call, The Washington Independent, The Jed Report, Alas, a blog, Political Radar, Political Punch, Pajamas Media, Wake up America, ProgressiveAccountability.org, Top of the Ticket, Los Angeles Times, Undiplomatic, MoJoBlog, The RBC, Clayton Cramer's BLOG, Flopping Aces, AFL-CIO NOW BLOG, The G Spot, Gothamist, The Reaction, MyDD, Hullabaloo, Democratic Strategist, Stop The ACLU, Wonkette, Guardian, No More Mister Nice Blog, Brave New Films blog and Political Machine
RELATED:

McCain Spokesman's Retort: Obama Lives in “a Frickin' Mansion” — SEDONA, Ariz. — A spokesman for Sen. John McCain vowed to retaliate against today's story about how many houses the GOP candidate owns with a renewed focus on Sen. Barack Obama's ties to a Chicago developer and charges that Obama is an elitist.

McCain Prepares Rezko Ad; Wright “Now Fair Game”; GOP 527 Attacks — Sen. John McCain's campaign is finishing a hard-hitting television ad highlighting Barack Obama 's ties to shady Chicago land dealer Tony Rezko, the one-time Obama patron who was convicted earlier this summer of fraud.
Discussion:
The New Republic, The Anonymous Liberal, bustardblog, pandagon.net, Commentary, The Political Carnival and TIME.com


McCain Camp Responds On Houses Gaffe: He Was A POW! — The McCain campaign is road-testing a new argument in responding to Obama's criticism of his number-of-houses gaffe, an approach the McCain camp has never tried before: The houses gaffe doesn't matter because ... he was a POW!
Discussion:
TalkLeft, Ben Smith's Blogs, The Carpetbagger Report, Newshoggers.com, The RBC and Marc Ambinder

Kaine on McCain's House Gaffe: “He Couldn't Count High Enough” — ABC News' Teddy Davis and Hope Ditto report: Obama V.P. prospect and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine mocked Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., on Thursday for not knowing exactly how many houses he owns. — “I understand that Sen. McCain …

McCain family owns 8 properties — John McCain's family owns at least eight properties — not the seven Democrats are alleging or the four McCain's staff identified — according to a Politico analysis of property and tax records, as well as interviews. — The presumptive Republican nominee …
Discussion:
Eschaton

New group plans Ayers attack on Obama — A new conservative group has produced a television ad attacking Barack Obama for his relationship with former Weather Underground bomber Bill Ayers. — “How much do your really know about Barack Obama? What does he really believe?” asks the ad …


Obama takes swipe at McCain over houses — (CNN) - Barack Obama's campaign continued to hit John McCain on his failure to answer a question on the number of homes he owns with a new ad Thursday, as the presumptive Democratic nominee hammered the same point on the campaign trail in Virginia and the McCain camp battled back.


Republicans Push Back on “Houses” — McCain's campaign, and others, hit back hard against Obama's attack. —Campaign statement: — “Does a guy who... bought his own million-dollar mansion with the help of a convicted felon really want to get into a debate about houses?” —Spokesman Rogers:

Housing — John McCain speaks exclusively with Politico's Mike Allen and Jonathan Martin.
Discussion:
pandagon.net

McCain Campaign Response: Obama Worries About Arugula, Vacations In Hawaii

Obama says he's chosen his VP — won't reveal who it is yet — Barack Obama told USA TODAY this afternoon that “yes,” he has made up his mind about whom his running mate will be — but he would not reveal the name or just when he will tell the nation about his choice. — USA TODAY's Kathy Kiely writes that:
RELATED:


Obama: I've picked my No. 2 — (CNN) — Sen. Barack Obama said he has decided on his running mate, but he's not saying who it is. — “I won't comment on anything else until I introduce our running mate to the world,” he said Thursday. “That's all you're going to get out of me.”
Discussion:
Tom Watson

The Anatomy of a Deception: How The McCains Changed Their Baby Adoption Story Just Before 2008 Campaign Began — As was pointed out yesterday by the Christian Science Monitor, the McCain campaign was called out for lying about the purported urging of Cindy McCain by Mother Teresa herself …
RELATED:

No Basement — John McCain and his wife Cindy adopted a child from Bangladesh; Andrew Sullivan finds something to criticize: … OK, the Mother Teresa part if not true; it once appeared on the McCain website, which has now been edited. — But let Andrew continue: … They are added later?


International Olympic Committee launches probe into He Kexin's age — Tim Reid in Washington, Jeremy Griffin and Jane Macartney in Beijing — The International Olympic Committee has ordered an investigation into mounting allegations that Chinese authorities covered up the true age …
RELATED:

BARACK'S FAVORS FOR CORRUPT CRONY — Barack Obama has ad mitted it was “boneheaded” to get involved in a land deal with Tony Rezko, his friend and fund-raiser. But the media's focus on that deal has distracted from the bigger question: Why would Obama become involved in any deal with a man like Rezko …
RELATED:


CAC Doc Drop: Obama Has More Than Ayers To Worry About Now — Continuing to follow up on what can be learned of Barack Obama's tenure as the Chairman of the Board of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge (CAC), evaluations of the program during his tenure available on line demonstrate …
RELATED:

When Daley says shhh, library is quiet on Obama
Discussion:
The Corner, JustOneMinute, NO QUARTER, The Opinionator, Commentary, Top of the Ticket, NewsBusters.org and The Swamp

Begala: Rooting for a Bill Clinton-Pickens ticket — Editor's note: Paul Begala, a Democratic strategist and CNN political contributor, was a political consultant for Bill Clinton's presidential campaign in 1992 and was counselor to Clinton in the White House. Begala is the author of several best-sellers.
RELATED:

The ‘New York Times’ Votes Big for Obama Economics — As economist Arthur Laffer told me a while back, Obamanomics “should be a fascinating economic experiment.” To see just how fascinating, you should check out the big (nearly 8,000 words) New York Times Magazine story on Obama's economic agenda …
RELATED:

The decay of serious journalism and Rachel Maddow's new show — (updated below) — As our political culture, economic security, standing in the world and our media institutions have all degraded beyond recognition after eight years of right-wing rule (much of it cheered on by The New Republic) …

CNN Talks With McCain About His Extramarital Affairs — My jaw literally dropped when I saw this. I'm still shocked CNN went there. — YouTube link
Discussion:
End Politics As Usual


Who Has The Cooler Podium? — SUSPENDED — This vote suspended until I get an official picture of the DNC podium... The GOP... Or the DNC? — (image courtesy of Reuters)
Discussion:
Weekly Standard Blog