OY  —  Well, it doesn't appear to have registered in the American press yet.  But the story keeps bubbling in the Spanish press about McCain's bizarre gaffe about the Spanish Prime Minister.  Here's the front page cut out from the Spanish news channel that did the interview.  They've talked to the interviewer now.

FIRST THOUGHTS: BACK TO AUGUST?  —  From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Carrie Dann  —  *** We're back to August?  This presidential contest has certainly been a roller-coaster ride.  And as we suggested yesterday, something in the race turned this week.

Memo to US Secret Service: Net proxy may pinpoint Palin email hackers  —  Not quite Anonymous  —  Memo to law enforcement investigators tracking down who broke into Sarah Palin's Yahoo email account: Gabriel Ramuglia might be a good place to start.  —  The 25-year-old webmaster and entrepreneur …

Biden: Paying higher taxes patriotic for wealthy  —  WASHINGTON - Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden said Thursday that paying more in taxes is the patriotic thing to do for wealthier Americans.  In a new TV ad that repeats widely debunked claims about the Democratic tax plan …

Worst Crisis Since '30s, With No End Yet in Sight  —  The financial crisis that began 13 months ago has entered a new, far more serious phase.  —  Lingering hopes that the damage could be contained to a handful of financial institutions that made bad bets on mortgages have evaporated.

Democratic Congress May Adjourn, Leave Crisis to Fed, Treasury  —  Sept. 18 (Bloomberg) — The Democratic-controlled Congress, acknowledging that it isn't equipped to lead the way to a solution for the financial crisis and can't agree on a path to follow, is likely to just get out of the way.

Will McCain Waste Palin?  —  The media is turning the news into a presidential video game.  “Hurricane Ike” or “Wall Street Meltdown” appears onscreen, and the media boots up Barack Obama and John McCain to see how well they talk the problem.  Mostly they are speaking gobbledygook about things they barely understand.

Obama Needs to Sell Himself, Not Attack McCain  —  Be careful not to assign too much scientific precision to polls.  They aren't as accurate as portrayed.  But several different surveys at roughly the same time that show similar results are useful guides.  So three trends in recent polls must worry …

Sen. Hagel doubts Palin's ready  —  WASHINGTON — Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska on Wednesday became the nation's most prominent Republican officeholder to publicly question whether Sarah Palin has the experience to serve as president.  —  “She doesn't have any foreign policy credentials,” Hagel said in an interview.

THEY HOPE PEOPLE DON'T NOTICE HOW THEY'VE CHANGED THE GROUND RULES  —  In today's Chicago Tribune, the Obama camp responds to nitpicky concerns about their attempts to shut down radio shows that might say things they don't like, via their “Obama Action Wires”:

Excerpts from Palin's Hannity Interview — Part I  —  GOV. SARAH PALIN TELLS FOX NEWS CHANNEL'S SEAN HANNITY  —  ‘THE CORRUPTION ON WALL STREET’ IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAILING INSTITUTIONS  —  Palin: 'CEO's and Top Management' Have Been ‘Addicted’ to 'O-P-M, Other People's Money'

Commanding Heights II  —  If I were running a presidential campaign, I would definitely be saying to myself “whatever Michigan wants, Michigan gets.”  But beyond that, I have a very hard time seeing a good rationale for providing federal assistance to U.S. automakers.

Obama mocks McCain in Nevada stops  —  Barack Obama sharpened his attacks on John McCain and mocked the Republican's recent calls for reform in two stops in Nevada on Wednesday after days of listening to nervous supporters fret about the Democrat's chances of taking the White House.

Trump endorses McCain on Larry King  —  Donald Trump, the flamboyant New York magnate, said on CNN's “Larry King Live” on Wednesday night that he is supporting Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) for president.  —  Trump, never shy with his opinions, went on to say that McCain appears to be winning …

Our view on bipartisanship: Who's the better uniter?  —  McCain has a longer record of bucking his party's orthodoxy.  —  Presidents who try to push through major policy changes without the opposing party almost always come to grief.  George W. Bush's bid to create private accounts …

BIG WHEEL BENZ THE RULES  —  RANGEL'S ILLEGAL FREE PARKING MAY BE NEW TAX WOE  —  WASHINGTON - Rep. Charles Rangel has been using a House of Representatives parking garage for years as free storage space for his old Mercedes-Benz - a violation of congressional rules and a potential new tax woe …