Being Close To Russian Entails......  The next installment in Katie Couric's interview with Gov. Sarah Palin.  —  Watch CBS Videos Online  —  COURIC: You've cited Alaska's proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience.  What did you mean by that?

Obama Will Make Debate A Townhall If McCain Doesn't Show  —  UPDATE: An adviser Barack Obama says he expects John McCain to attend: … Barack Obama is committed to hosting a public, televised event Friday night in Mississippi even if John McCain does not show up, an official close to the Obama campaign tells the Huffington Post.

Agreement Reached on Bailout Ahead of High-Level Meeting  —  Proposal Breaks $700 Billion Into Installments  —  A bipartisan group of House and Senate lawmakers left a two-hour-plus meeting in the U.S. Capitol on Thursday saying they have a “fundamental agreement” on a $700 billion plan to bail out U.S. financial markets.

Palin takes questions from press corps for first time  —  NEW YORK (CNN) — Sarah Palin took questions from her traveling press corps Thursday for the first time since being tapped as John McCain's running mate.  —  Speaking to a small pool of reporters following a visit to Ground Zero in lower Manhattan …

Nope, nothing campaign-related here  —  McCain met with congressional leaders earlier today and has now returned to his Senate office.  But it's increasingly implausible to think that what he's doing is anything different than he'd be doing on the campaign trail, except he's in person now instead of on his cell phone.

McCain has not sponsored a banking bill this Congress  —  Republican presidential nominee John McCain has not introduced any banking or housing bills in the 110th Congress, while Democratic rival Barack Obama has proposed five.  —  Both candidates are traveling to Washington on Thursday …

A Semi-Defense of Sarah Palin  —  Okay, maybe not even that.  Let's call it a charitable interpretation of Sarah Palin.  Matthew Yglesias is puzzled by her statement (in the interview Chris highlights below): … Yglesias wonders whether … But I think what she's actually talking …

Gallup Daily: Race Back to a Tie at 46% Each  —  PRINCETON, NJ — John McCain has gained ground and is now tied with Barack Obama among registered voters in the latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking update for Sept. 22-24, with each candidate getting 46% support.

McCain huddling with Boehner, Kyl to rally GOP support  —  The Senate clearly doesn't need McCain's help in pushing through the bailout deal, so McCain has returned to the Capitol and is meeting in Minority Leader John Boehner's office to discuss the legislation.

What liberals are up in arms about this morning  —  McCain revealed in an interview with a Cleveland TV station Tuesday that he hadn't yet read the administration's three-page bailout proposal.  —  “I have not had a chance to see it in writing,” McCain said.  “I have to examine it.”

Hugh Hefner to sack Playboy bunnies amid financial crisis  —  Playboy bunnies have become the latest victim of the credit crunch.  —  Tycoon Hugh Hefner has been advised to cut back on staff at his multi-million dollar glamour empire as it struggles to cope during the global economic turmoil.

Obama grant being probed  —  A $100,000 state grant for a botanic garden in Englewood that then-state Sen. Barack Obama awarded in 2001 to a group headed by a onetime campaign volunteer is now under investigation by the Illinois attorney general amid new questions, prompted by Chicago Sun-Times reports …

Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert: Mock the Vote  —  With just five weeks left until election day, our favorite pundits discuss the power of Sarah Palin, why TV news is about as credible as Muzak, and whether Barack Obama is going to be “sworn in on a gay baby”