Lawmakers Reach Tentative Bailout Deal  —  Top U.S. policy makers emerged from hours of tense negotiations with a clear message just after midnight Sunday morning: A deal to bailout U.S. financial markets has been agreed on and all that remains to be done is to commit the legislation to paper.

Tina Fey As Sarah Palin: Katie Couric SNL Skit (VIDEO)  —  Tina Fey returned to Saturday Night Live to reprise her widely hailed impersonation of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.  The sketch focused on an interview Palin recently gave to CBS News' Katie Couric, including an exchange about Russia.

McCain as the Alpha Male  —  There were no knockout blows in the first presidential debate of the fall, but John McCain outpointed Barack Obama often enough to encourage his followers that he can somehow overcome the odds and deny the Democrats the victory that has seemed to be in store for them.

Palin Contradicts McCain On Pakistan, Seems To Back Obama's Position  —  From CBS News' Scott Conroy:  —  (PHILADELPHIA) Sarah Palin told a customer at a Philadelphia restaurant on Saturday that the United States should “absolutely” launch cross-border attacks from Afghanistan into Pakistan …

Family Told Obama NOT To Wear Soldier Son's Bracelet... Where is Media?  —  Barack Obama played the “me too” game during the Friday debates on September 26 after Senator John McCain mentioned that he was wearing a bracelet with the name of Cpl. Matthew Stanley, a resident of New Hampshire …

USA Today/Gallop Poll: Obama Did Better in First Debate  —  Obama Scores Big on Proposal to Change the Country  —  A new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll shows 46% of people who watched Friday night's presidential debate say Democrat Barack Obama did a better job than Republican John McCain; 34% said McCain did better.

McCain camp prays for Palin wedding  —  The marriage of the vice-presidential candidate's pregnant teenage daughter could lift a flagging campaign  —  In an election campaign notable for its surprises, Sarah Palin, the Republican vice- presidential candidate, may be about to spring a new one …

Headwinds  —  It's tempting to the think of a presidential debate as a moment of truth.  Advertisements may be pure spin and conventions may be staged, but in a debate it's mostly about which candidate has superior command of the issues, greater debating skill, and the more winning personality.

McCain and Team Have Many Ties to Gambling Industry  —  Senator John McCain was on a roll.  In a room reserved for high-stakes gamblers at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut, he tossed $100 chips around a hot craps table.  When the marathon session ended around 2:30 a.m. …

MCCAIN-PALIN (DAVIS MANAFORT)  —  In that Newsweek piece (noted below), which details Rick Davis's continuing financial ties to mega-lobby firm Davis Manafort, Mike Isikoff reveals that in addition to paying Davis's salary directly to Davis Manafort, the McCain campaign has paid almost …

Bailout failure ‘will cause US crash’  —  The US stock market could suffer a devastating crash with shares losing a third of their value this week if Hank Paulson's financial bailout plan fails, US Treasury officials have warned.  —  The financial system could face a meltdown …