EXCERPTS: Charlie Gibson Interviews Sarah Palin  —  Republican VP Candidate Speaks with ABC News' Charlie Gibson in Exclusive Interview … GIBSON: Governor, let me start by asking you a question that I asked John McCain about you, and it is really the central question.

LIKE I SAID, FOUR MORE YEARS OF BUSH WOULD BE VASTLY PREFERABLE  —  Wow, going to war with Russia might be necessary if Russia invades another one of the former states of the Soviet Union.  So says Sarah Palin.  War with Russia over Armenia?  If Russia and Georgia go at it again?

Critics: Under Palin, Wasilla charged rape victims for exam  —  Two state leaders lashed out at the public record of Gov. Sarah Palin on Wednesday as witnesses in a new “Alaska Mythbusters” forum coordinated by supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Is Sarah Palin Politicizing Son's Military Service?  —  Track Palin and Beau Biden Headed to Iraq Within Next Few Weeks  —  Gov. Sarah Palin is in Alaska today attending a deployment ceremony for her son, Private First Class Track Palin, whose Army infantry unit is heading to Iraq next week.

Palin's experience OK: Illinois's Dem guv  —  Gov. Rod Blagojevich.  Chicago Tribune photo by Michael Tercha.)  —  by Rick Pearson  —  Illinois' Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich admits he can't field dress a moose and his hunting targets tend to be more along the lines of state legislators in his own party who don't trust him.

From the Fact Check Desk: Does Obama Support Kindergarteners Learning About Sex Before Learning How to Read?  —  Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., this week launched a new TV ad attacking Sen. Barack Obama's record on education.  —  The script reads as follows: “Education Week …

What's the Matter with Michigan?  —  Why Obama is faltering in a state that should go blue.  —  Democrats have grown accustomed to winning Michigan by relatively comfortable margins.  Bill Clinton flipped the state in 1992, bringing home the Reagan Democrats and giving the party its first win in the state since 1968.

Bill Clinton predicts big win; Palin sees son off to Iraq  —  (CNN) — Former President Bill Clinton said Thursday he thinks that Barack Obama will win big in the upcoming presidential election.  —  “I predict that Sen. Obama will win and win handily,” Clinton said when asked his opinion on the state of the race.

Hannity explodes on air, calls guest ‘fool’ and ‘idiot,’ tells him to get off set.  —  Yesterday on Fox News, Sean Hannity and The American Prospect's Robert Kuttner had a tense exchange about the election.  As Kuttner offered advice for Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), Hannity interrupted …

The Post-Convention Roadmap to the Real Knock-Out Punch  —  The public has access to twenty-six state polls in 16 states since the GOP convention ended.  Here's a summary.  —  There are multiple polls available in six key states so far, and here are the averages using only post-convention surveys: