McCain on financial bailout: 'Just like Iraq, I'm not afraid to go it alone.'  —  Today, the Washington Post reveals more details about what happened during the White House meeting on Thursday between President Bush and top lawmakers.  Despite indicating that his presence was pivotal …

Gallup Daily: Obama Holds 5-Point Lead  —  Momentum in his favor going into debate  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Barack Obama leads John McCain, 49% to 44%, when registered voters are asked who they would vote for if the election were held today, according to the latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking update.

Palin's mysterious trade missions  —  As John McCain reminds us, “Russia is right next to Alaska; Sarah Palin understands that.”  But when pressed by Katie Couric about what, exactly, that understanding lent her in the way of foreign policy savvy, the Republicans' vice-presidential nominee couldn't come up with a lot of specifics:

Gov. Blunt Statement on Obama Campaign's Abusive Use of Missouri Law Enforcement  —  JEFFERSON CITY - Gov. Matt Blunt today issued the following statement on news reports that have exposed plans by U.S. Senator Barack Obama to use Missouri law enforcement to threaten and intimidate his critics.

Our position on California's No on 8 campaign  —  As an Internet company, Google is an active participant in policy debates surrounding information access, technology and energy.  Because our company has a great diversity of people and opinions — Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and liberals …

Palin grabs a seat at the bar  —  Perhaps it was coincidence that the song “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” was playing as Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin worked the crowd at the Irish Pub last night.  —  But her amorous fans were definitely ready to let the moose-hunting Alaska governor rule.

Bill Press: The Grouch and the Gentleman  —  Two candidates walked on stage Saturday night.  One of them walked off looking like the next President of the United States.  And it wasn't John McCain.  —  American voters could not have been given a clearer choice.

A Genuine and Immediate Crisis  —  What Congress has to do now.  —  I've received phone calls in the last hour from two economists I respect, one of them Larry Lindsey, the other in a position where he'd prefer not to be named.  Both have government experience, neither is alarmist by nature, and they say this:

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 on Veterans—Fact Check  —  In addition to foreign policy, last night's debate focused on the very recent and very real economic crisis in our country.  Several TMV contributors have already done an excellent job of analyzing how the two presidential candidates fared on those issues.

The Next Day, a New Debate on Who Won  —  OXFORD, Miss. — The presidential campaigns roared out of here Saturday morning facing a task arguably as difficult, and as important, as the debate between Senators Barack Obama and John McCain itself: influencing the public perception of who won …

WHY THE BAILOUT?  —  THE CASE BUSH HASN'T MADE  —  A KEY reason the public hasn't bought the case for the $700 billion bailout plan is that the Bush administration hasn't explained why the financial sector is unique - unlike the auto industry or any economic actors who are hurting and asking for aid.

On strategy and tactics  —  The least self-aware moment for John McCain in last night's debate came at the half-way point, when he said, “I'm afraid Senator Obama doesn't understand the difference between a tactic and a strategy.”  —  In a sense McCain was sticking to his battle plan in saying this …

Did Obama Have a ‘Bush Looking At His Watch’ Moment Tonight?  —  I wonder if we had a “Bush looking at his watch” moment tonight.  —  After McCain talked about the bracelet from the mother of a slain soldier, Obama mentioned that he had one, too.  —  Unfortunately, it would seem …

Pelosi, Hoyer push recoupment  —  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Majority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) are both pushing a plan that would require Wall Street to repay the federal government if taxpayers lose money through the program.  —  Addressing reporters after a closed-door caucus meeting …

What Sayeth the Undecideds?  —  From TIME's Amy Sullivan:  —  Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg ran a dial-group with 45 undecided voters in St. Louis during the debate, polling them before and after to judge how the event changed their reactions to Obama and McCain.