Bailout Agreement Unraveling?  —  During the White House meeting, it appears that Sen. John McCain had an agenda.  He brought up alternative proposals, surprising and angering Democrats.  He did not, according to someone briefed on the meeting, provide specifics.

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?

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 …

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.

Obama Campaign Supporters Meet With Iranian President  —  Digital Media has picked up the story here.  —  A founding member of the campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois met in New York City Wednesday night with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

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.

Israel asked US for green light to bomb nuclear sites in Iran  —  US president told Israeli prime minister he would not back attack on Iran, senior European diplomatic sources tell Guardian  —  Israel gave serious thought this spring to launching a military strike on Iran's nuclear sites …

J.P. Morgan to Take Over Faltering WaMu  —  U.S. Government Helps Broker a Deal to Dispose of Huge Thrift; Banking Giant Expected to Get Deposits, Branches  —  In what is by far the largest bank failure in U.S. history, federal regulators seized Washington Mutual Inc. and struck a deal …

The ‘lost’ Palin files  —  When federal judges in San Francisco ruled in 2002 that reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools was unconstitutional because it included the phrase “under God,” Sarah Palin was not amused.  Palin, who at the time was Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska …

Sanders Schools Kudlow: 'You've Become A Socialist — Your Version Of Socialism Is To Bail Out The Rich'  —  Appearing on CNBC's Kudlow and Company on Tuesday night, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) dismantled host Larry Kudlow's proclaimed support for unfettered free market enterprise.

Sarah The Unready (II)  —  And now, an excerpt from my inner monologue, as transcribed while watching various clips from Sarah Palin's interview with Katie Couric (I can't link to them; they're too painful): … But hey, maybe it's all just effing brilliant rope-a-dope for the Biden debate ....

‘Walk Away from These Right Wing Liars!’  —  J$P Audio!  O'Reilly erupts against talk radio, calls Barney Frank a ‘fat toad’:  —  From The Radio Factor, September 25 2008 fox news bor bail bf  —  UPDATE: Complete audio (minus commercials) of the entire hour here.

McCain campaign slows, but doesn't stop  —  WASHINGTON - Republican presidential nominee John McCain vowed Wednesday to suspend his campaign to focus on the nation's financial crisis, but there were plenty of signs of activity Thursday — including an apparently live fundraising link on the campaign's Web site.