Lawmakers Reach Accord on Huge Financial Rescue  —  House Expected to Vote Today on $700 Billion Bailout  —  Congressional negotiators said they were close to agreement yesterday on a $700 billion plan aimed at shoring up the U.S. financial system, and were meeting late into the evening …

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.

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 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 …

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 …

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.

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 …

Dealing  —  Some details to work out, but I'm told there is a deal in the works, minus ACORN.

McCain never showed up at Capitol Hill for bailout negotiations today.  —  After declaring he'd return to Washington to help with the bailout negotiations immediately after last night's debate, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) never went to Capitol Hill today.  In fact, McCain stayed largely holed …

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 …

House GOP rejects latest bailout proposal; Update: Pelosi wants deal in principle by tonight  —  Too many ornaments on the left's Christmas tree, with the star on top being Chris Dodd's preposterous proposal to make sure ACORN gets a cut of the income from each distressed asset sold at a profit …