World wants Obama as president: poll  —  US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama may be struggling to nudge ahead of his Republican rival in polls at home, but people across the world want him in the White House, a BBC poll said.  —  All 22 countries covered in the poll would prefer …

Was Biden Talking About Palin During Stem Cell Research Reference?  —  From CBS News' Ryan Corsaro:  —  (COLUMBIA, MO.) - Was Joe Biden referring to Sarah Palin, a mother of a child with Down syndrome, when he made this comment?  —  “I hear all this talk about how the Republicans …

Ron Paul Plans ‘Special Announcement’  —  Brad Haynes reports on the presidential race.  —  Rep. Ron Paul, the former Republican presidential candidate who excited a multitude of young voters during the primaries, announced a “major” news conference in Washington Wednesday.

I Dream About Sarah Palin.  Do You?  —  SEND US YOUR DREAMS ABOUT THE REPUBLICAN VICE-PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE.  —  I rarely remember my dreams, but for the past week, GOP vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin has been haunting me.  Night after night, she appears in my dreams, always as a scolding, ominous figure.

The Hunt for Sarah October  —  City slickers invade Wasilla  —  Democrats understand Sarah Palin is a formidable political force who has upset the Obama victory plan.  The latest Washington Post/ABC Poll shows John McCain taking a 12-point lead over Barack Obama among white women …

Palin Billed State for Nights Spent at Home  —  Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a “per diem” allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.

Koch backs Obama, calls Palin ‘scary’  —  Former New York Mayor Ed Koch, who endorsed and worked for George W. Bush in 2004, is endorsing Obama today, NY1 first reported.  —  I asked Koch just now what prompted the move.  —  “The designation of Palin to be vice president,” he said.  “She's scary.”

Gallup Daily: McCain Maintains 5-Point Lead  —  Support among registered voters steady at 49%  —  PRINCETON, NJ — The latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking update finds John McCain maintaining his five-point lead versus Barack Obama among registered voters, 49% to 44%.

Palin repeats Bridge to Nowhere lie.  —  Today at a rally with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) in Ohio, Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) once again repeated the lie that she opposed the infamous Bridge to Nowhere in Alaska: … Watch it:  —  ThinkProgress has been keeping track of how many times the McCain campaign is repeating this lie.

McCain must embrace Palin's beliefs, evangelical leader says  —  (CNN) — Her faith is one of the reasons many evangelical Christians are excited about Sarah Palin's addition to the Republican presidential ticket, but the Alaska governor's evangelical beliefs have also drawn scrutiny.

Hold Your Heads Up  —  Ignorance must really be bliss.  How else, over so many years, could the G.O.P. get away with ridiculing all things liberal?  —  Troglodytes on the right are no respecters of reality.  They say the most absurd things and hardly anyone calls them on it.  Evolution?

Obama vs. McCain: Why I'm Back on the Fence  —  This morning, I wrote at my own blog that I've pulled the Obama sticker off of my truck; that although I'm not suddenly a McCain supporter, I can no longer be counted in the Obama column.  —  In short, that I'm back on the fence.

In a Not-Remotely-Comic Strip, Bill Ayers Weighs In on What He Meant By 'We Didn't Do Enough' to End Vietnam War  —  In a four-panel not-even-remotely-comic strip, William Ayers, the former member of the Weather Underground and associate of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., weighs in on his blog on some of the controversy he's been causing.

Obama dishes out tough talk on education  —  (CNN) — Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday detailed his plan to strengthen the education system and charged that the Bush administration's “failure to act has put our nation in jeopardy.”  —  “Our kids and our country can't afford four more years of neglect and indifference.

Quietly, Obama Campaign Calls In The Cavalry  —  There's been a spurt of 527 activity on behalf of Sen. John McCain, but Barack Obama campaign has suddenly gone silent on the subject.  —  That's because, after of year of telling donors not to contribute to 527 groups, of encouraging strategists …

An awkward moment in Columbia  —  Victoria McGrane:

Questions for Palin  —  This week, she'll finally emerge from her protective shell  —  There's no polite way to say it: Sarah Palin has been hiding out from hard questions.  It took 10 days from when John McCain announced his pick until the McCain campaign agreed to schedule Palin an unscripted interview with a serious journalist.

O PASTOR IN SEX SCANDAL  —  REV. WRIGHT DONE ME WRONG: CHURCH LADY  —  By SAMUEL GOLDSMITH in Dallas and JEANE MacINTOSH in NY  —  He almost wrecked Barack Obama's presidential dreams, and now firebrand pastor Jeremiah Wright has helped destroy a Dallas church worker's marriage - and her job, The Post has learned.