McCain Flub?  Republican Says He'd Fire SEC Chair as President  —  ABC News' David Wright reports: At a joint rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Thursday, Republican John McCain slammed the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) for being “asleep,” saying that if he were president, he would fire Chris Cox …

FATHER OF HACKER Is Tennessee Dem State Rep!!!!! ...  Update: Name- David Kernell ...Update: He's Been Contacted by Feds!  —  FOLKS— MEET DAVID KERNELL—  WOAH!!!!!!  —  Do you remember this from Michelle Malkin's post last night: … Now there's this...  Wired.com has the latest on the Palin scandal:

What's on the desk  —  In a picture supplied by Sarah Palin's family to the Associated Press, Palin appears with some rather odd reading matter: The magazine of the ultraconservative John Birch Society.  —  The picture, dating to 1995, when Palin was a member of the Wasilla City Council …

Fed and Treasury Offer to Work With Congress on Bailout Plan  —  WASHINGTON — The head of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve began discussions on Thursday with Congressional leaders on what could become the biggest bailout in United States history.  —  While details remain to be worked out …

Palin's transparency proposal already exists in D.C.  —  CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (CNN) - Sarah Palin likes to tell voters around the country about how she “put the government checkbook online” in Alaska.  On Thursday, Palin suggested she would take that same proposal to Washington.

Palin disinvited from Iran rally  —  The organizers of an anti-Iran rally Monday rescinded their invitation to Alaska Governor Sarah Palin after Democrats protested that her presence would turn the event into a political rally, McCain campaign and Jewish community sources said.

Dodgy Journalism: Time's Michael Scherer debates strawman, loses  —  Under the header “Dodgy Politics: Using Old Votes to Obscure Current Policies,” Time's Michael Scherer unsuccessfully debunks a claim Barack Obama didn't make in order to accuse the Democratic candidate of offering misleading criticisms of John McCain.

Shocker: Palin Cancels Big California Swing  —  Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who was to star at two major California fundraisers and an Orange County rally for 15,000 next week, has canceled her two-day swing through the Golden State, campaign sources said.  —  The change is a shocker …

Energy Expertise  —  Today, the person who “knows more about energy than probably anyone else in the United States of America” let slip some pearls of wisdom: … I'm not sure I fully grasp that, though I am relieved to know that they, whoever they are, don't have to sit around flagging individual molecules all day long.

Bill Clinton: McCain ‘A Great Man’; Praises Wife's, Not Obama's Economic Plan  —  ABC News' Jennifer Parker reports: Former President Bill Clinton has largely kept himself out of the public eye since his wife lost the Democratic primary to Barack Obama.  —  However in a rare television interview tonight …

‘Gang of 20’ won't offer energy bill  —  A bipartisan group of senators who sought a compromise in the rancorous energy debate won't introduce their bill before lawmakers adjourn for the elections, several Senate aides said Thursday.  —  Instead, the so-called Gang of 20 will offer a statement …

Records reveal Palin's push for earmarks  —  As a vice presidential candidate, Gov. Sarah Palin has railed against federal earmarks, or congressional funding for pork-barrel projects.  “In our state, we reformed the abuses of earmarks,” Palin recently boasted to a rally in Lancaster, Pa. …

Palin asked daughters on veep vote after they were already in OH for announcement  —  Appearing on Fox last night, Sarah Palin told Sean Hannity a heartwarming story of how she asked her teenage daughters for their opinion before accepting the vp offer.  —  “So ask the girls what they thought …

A New McCain on the Campaign Trail  —  VIENNA, Ohio — Senator John McCain's campaign events were once free-wheeling journeys marked by flashes of humor, candor and arch observations from the candidate about presidential politics — and John McCain.  Oh, and moments that left no doubt that Mr. McCain was not working from any script.

Obama denies Raines ties, accuses McCain of throwing stones from his “seven glass houses”  —  The campaign puts out a statement from former Fannie Mae chief Franklin Raines, disowning ties to Obama, after a McCain ad attacked him for the ties.  —  The Washington Post reported …

Opposition to same-sex marriage ban grows  —  (09-17) 07:28 PDT — Opposition to a California ballot measure to ban same-sex marriage is mounting following Attorney General Jerry Brown's move to change the language on the initiative, according to a Field Poll to be released today.