Bill Clinton: Don't ‘Overly Parse’ McCain Request to Delay Debate  —  ABC News' Nitya Venkataraman Reports: Former President Bill Clinton defended Sen. John McCain's request to delay the first presidential debate, saying McCain did it in “good faith” and pushed organizers to reserve …

Let's Keep People In Their Homes  —  There is a broad consensus that Congress must act to stave off deeper turmoil on Wall Street.  Irrespective of the final agreement yet to be reached, there are several principles that must be part of a broader reform effort that begins this week and continues in the coming months.

Lawmakers Seem Near Deal on Bailout  —  WASHINGTON — Lawmakers indicated Thursday that they were close to hashing out an agreement on a proposed $700 billion bailout of the financial system, hours before a meeting at the White House to complete the deal.  —  After Congressional staff members …

Bailout Could Deepen Crisis, CBO Chief Says  —  Asset Sales May Lead to Write-Downs, Insolvencies, Orszag Tells Congress  —  The director of the Congressional Budget Office said yesterday that the proposed Wall Street bailout could actually worsen the current financial crisis.

Selfless or Reckless?  McCain Gambles On Voters' Verdict  —  John McCain is a gambler by nature, and the bet he placed Wednesday may be among the biggest of his political life.  —  The Republican presidential nominee is hoping that his abrupt decision to suspend campaigning …

Schieffer: Paulson Pleaded for McCain to Save Bailout  —  So much for a “stunt.”  —  John McCain got involved in the bailout negotiations after Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson told Sen. Lindsey Graham yesterday that the bailout plan would fail unless McCain came in and brought balky Republicans aboard.

Palin once blessed to be free from ‘witchcraft’  —  ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A grainy YouTube video surfaced Wednesday showing Sarah Palin being blessed in her hometown church three years ago by a Kenyan pastor who prayed for her protection from “witchcraft” as she prepared to seek higher office.

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”

Unsevered Ties?  —  Regulatory filings indicate that McCain campaign chief Rick Davis remains an officer with his lobbying firm.  —  Rick Davis, John McCain's campaign manager, has remained the treasurer and a corporate director of his lobbying firm this year, despite repeated statements …

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 …

if it's Thursday, this must not be DC  —  Senator McCain, who was not in Washington fixing the economy last night, is not in Washington fixing the economy again this morning.  He's introducing this morning's session on energy issues right now at the Clinton Global Initiative Summit here in midtown Manhattan …

Palin, Muthee And The “Israelites”  —  If you go to 1:20 into this Youtube, you will hear Muthee, who later anointed Palin, say the following words in Palin's presence: … Sure they vetted her.

Times puzzle is clueless about McCain  —  On Jan. 8, 2005, I purposefully and unapologetically became the first person to ever construct a crossword puzzle for The New York Times that featured this five-letter answer:  —  OBAMA.  —  Earlier this week, Steve Schmidt, John McCain's senior campaign adviser …

Exonerated Marine to sue Rep. Murtha  —  One of the Marines cleared in the killings of Iraqi civilians in the town of Haditha plans to sue his congressman today for statements he says defamed him and other members of his squad.  —  Former Marine Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt, 24, of Canonsburg …

Palin and Couric  —  Full transcript after the jump.  This is a rough bit:

Finance Industry Giving Visualized  —  Wonder just how Wall Street has become so influential on Capitol Hill that it can command the attention of the federal government from the President on down?  The answer isn't only in how gyrations in the stock market may affect the real economy.

Lobbyists in ‘feeding frenzy’  —  WASHINGTON — The financial services industry, which has spent billions on lobbying and campaign contributions over the last decade, is scrambling to make its case for a proposed $700 billion bailout plan amid deep public skepticism.

A sneaking suspicion  —  So now the whole rationale for the plan is “price discovery”: we're going to throw lots of taxpayer funds into the pot because that will let us find the true values of troubled assets, which are higher than the fire sale prices out there, and so balance sheet will improve, confidence will return, etc, etc..

Can McCain Thread the Needle?  —  Here's the situation we McCain-sympathizing/Paulson-plan- skeptics/populist-inclined/but we've-got-to-be-responsible-in-a- crisis types face: … McCain will throw his weight behind it and help get it through.  But he will also makes clear that, as president …

JOHN MCCAIN'S LATEST CRAZY, BRILLIANT, DESPERATE CAMPAIGN TACTIC.  —  John McCain has launched his second Hail Mary pass in a month.  On Wednesday he called for a suspension of the presidential campaign—no events, no ads, and no debate Friday—so that he and Barack Obama can head to Washington to forge a bipartisan solution.

Is There Risk in McCain's Suspension?  —  The consensus here seems to be that there is little risk in McCain's suspension of his campaign, and the promise of great reward.  But I wonder whether there isn't some serious risk.  This Politico story seems to suggest that Democrats are starting …