More than 40 million people see Palin speech  —  NEW YORK (AP) - Barack Obama apparently isn't the only “rock star” in presidential politics this year.  —  After days of intense media coverage about Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's qualifications, more than 40 million Americans tuned …

MYSTERY SOLVED!  —  A lot of people were asking tonight: what the hell was that mansion up behind John McCain tonight during the first part of the speech?  As I noted below, the TV close-ups only showed McCain's head against the grass in the picture, which made it look like he was reprising his famed green screen performance.

Angry readers dump Us Magazine over Palin  —  Plus: Britney's mom defends self in book; ‘Thunder’ is going down  —  Three celebrity weeklies — OK!, People and Us Weekly — featured Sarah Palin on their cover, but one of those magazines is reportedly losing subscribers because of it.  —  The Scoop

John McCain's Acceptance Speech  —  The following is a transcript of Senator John McCain's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, as recorded by CQ Transcriptions.  —  MCCAIN: Thank you.  Thank you all very much.  Thank you.  —  Tonight, I have a privilege given few Americans: the privilege of

Employment Situation Summary  —  Technical information:  —  Household data: (202) 691-6378 USDL 08-1252  —  Establishment data:(202) 691-6555 Transmission of material in this release  —  http://www.bls.gov/ces/ is embargoed until 8:30 A.M. (EDT), Media contact: (202) 691-5902 Friday, September 5, 2008.

The death of a taboo  —  ST. PAUL — One of the most enduring taboos in American politics, the airing of graphic images from the September 11 attacks in a partisan context, died today.  It was nearly seven years old.  —  The informal prohibition, which had been occasionally threatened …

EXCLUSIVE: In New Book, Woodward Says Bush ‘Failed to Lead,’ Even as Surge Succeeded  —  WASHINGTON — Bob Woodward, who wrote two books praising President Bush and then a third harshly criticizing him, is out with a fourth tome that renders a mixed verdict on Bush, lauding the president's surge …

The Resentment Strategy  —  Can the super-rich former governor of Massachusetts — the son of a Fortune 500 C.E.O. who made a vast fortune in the leveraged-buyout business — really keep a straight face while denouncing “Eastern elites”?  —  Can the former mayor of New York City, a man who …

“I have known Sarah since 1992...”  —  The e-mail below has been bouncing around the Internet since Sunday.  It was written by Anne Kilkenny of Wasilla - stay-at-home mom, letter-to-the-editor writer and longtime watcher of Valley politics.  She's a registered Democrat.

Republicans Lack Heart!  —  Ann and Nancy Wilson are pissed at the Republican Party and have fired off a cease and desist letter to the McCain/Palin campaign.  —  Specifically, the Heart women are upset that the GOP has used their classic “Barracuda” as a theme song for Sarah Palin.

Obama's Biggest Mistakes (So Far)  —  It's game on. 59 days until the election.  I don't think this week's polls are indicative of much since both sides will be rallied by their respective conventions.  I think we need two weeks before polls become reliable indicators of voters' intentions in November.

Rangel Failed to Report $75,000 in Income  —  Representative Charles B. Rangel has earned more than $75,000 in rental income from a villa he has owned in the Dominican Republic since 1988, but never reported it on his federal or state tax returns, according to a lawyer for the congressman and documents from the resort.

BIG DILEMMA: OPRAH BALKS AT HOSTING SARAH PALIN; STAFF DIVIDED  —  Oprah Winfrey may have introduced Democrat Barack Obama to the women of America — but the talkshow queen is not rushing to embrace the first woman on a Republican presidential ticket!  —  Oprah's staff is sharply divided …

The Swooning Over Sarah...  About the loneliest precinct in the GOP these days is the one reserved for troublesome Republicans who think Gov. Sarah Palin was a poor VP choice, even after The Speech.  Well, here I am.  Hello?  Anybody else?  Wow, there is a big echo in here …

The Party in Power, Running as if It Weren't  —  ST. PAUL — The nominee's friend described him as a “restless reformer who will clean up Washington.”  His defeated rival described him going to the capital to “drain that swamp.”  His running mate described their mission as “change, the goal we share.”