Obama: ‘Lipstick on a pig’  —  Amie Parnes reports from Lebanon, VA: … The crowd apparently took the “lipstick” line as a reference to Palin, who described the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull in a single word: “lipstick.”  —  UPDATE: The McCain campaign is now saying Obama called Palin a pig, which he didn't.

McCain Leaps Ahead in NC  —  Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain  —  RALEIGH (WTVD) — In an election for President of the United States in North Carolina Tuesday, September 09, Republican John McCain suddenly and breathtakingly surges to a 20-point win over Democrat Barack Obama …

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.

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 …

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.

An awkward moment in Columbia  —  Victoria McGrane:

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%.

LYING SARAH WATCH  —  Sometimes when you've got a liar as big as Sarah Palin on the line only a timeline will really do justice to her fibbing ways.  —  So a lot of you have written in to ask: Okay, she says she said ‘Thanks.  But no thanks’ to the Bridge to Nowhere.  But how exactly did it all come out?

Palin Pick Helps McCain Catch Obama in New Poll  —  WASHINGTON — John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate has shaken up the presidential race, lifting enthusiasm among his once-subdued supporters, and boosting the ticket's appeal with women, rural voters, and Southerners.

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.

Brown backs Obama  —  Gordon Brown has broken with British convention and made clear that he favours Barack Obama as the next US President.  —  In a departure from the usual self-denying ordinance of Prime Ministers past, Brown has written an article for The Monitor magazine …