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.”

When Daley says shhh, library is quiet on Obama  —  Conservative writer Stanley Kurtz—researching an article for the National Review about connections between Barack Obama and former Weather Underground terrorist William Ayers—made a big mistake.  —  The poor man took a wrong turn on the Chicago Way.

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) …

Kristol: A Vice Presidential Clue  —  Here's what Barack Obama told Time's Karen Tumulty and David Von Drehle earlier this week, when asked what we would learn about him from his vice presidential pick: … Is there a clue here as to Obama's pick?  Perhaps not—he'll claim these nice statements would apply to anyone he chooses.

U.S., Iraq Are Said to Have Set Withdrawal Timetable  —  BAGHDAD — U.S. and Iraqi negotiators reached agreement on a security deal that calls for American military forces to leave Iraq's cities by next summer as a prelude to a full withdrawal of combat troops from the country, according to senior American officials.

Report Says Fire, Not Explosion, Felled 7 W.T.C.  —  GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Fires in the 47-story office tower at the edge of the World Trade Center site undermined floor beams and critical structural columns, federal investigators concluded Thursday, as they attempted to curb still-rampant speculation …

The joke's on McCain: Late-night comedians lay off Obama  —  A hilarious new study of late-night political jokes, due to be released later today, finds the network comedians clearly avoiding humor about Democratic candidate Barack Obama, while piling the jokes on President Bush and Sens. John McCain and Hillary Clinton.

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 …

MPR poll: Obama leads, but contest is fluid  —  The results of a new Minnesota Public Radio and University of Minnesota Humphrey Institute poll show Democrat Barack Obama leading Republican John McCain in the state by 10 percentage points.  But the poll indicates the race is still very fluid.

Rural Swath of Big State Tests Obama  —  RACCOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Wander up a gravel road and ask George Timko about Barack Obama and John McCain and he wrinkles his nose.  Neither of those guys strikes him as a prize.  —  Mr. Timko is a burly fellow, with close-cropped white hair and a Fu Manchu mustache …