House GOP leadership mocked by Rush  —  Rush Limbaugh opened his show today by piling on top of House Republican leadership for claiming that a crucial number of their members voted against the bailout package because of a partisan speech that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) gave before the roll call.

Palin On Biden Age Comment  —  Exclusive: Sarah Palin explains a facetious comment she made about Joe Biden's years in the Senate.  Watch Katie Couric's interview with Sarah Palin tonight on the CBS Evening News.

Overnight-Lending Markets Still Flashing Red  —  Min Zeng and Mark Gongloff report.  —  If you only watch the stock market, where the Dow was recently up more than 250 points, you might get the mistaken impression all is well with the world on the Tuesday after the latest Black Monday.

Unlike Clinton, Biden Gets Pass for Saying He Was ‘Shot At’ in Iraq  —  When Hillary Clinton told a tall tale about “landing under sniper fire” in Bosnia, she was accused of “inflating her war experience” by Barack Obama's campaign — but the campaign has been silent about Joe Biden telling …

RNC ad, was cut, sent out before package failed  —  The Republican National Committee's new advertisement critical of the the Wall Street “bailout” was produced and sent to television stations in key states before the package failed, officials at two stations said.  —  “Wall Street Squanders our money.

Bloomberg Called Ready to Announce Third-Term Bid  —  After months of speculation about his political future, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg plans to announce on Thursday morning that he will seek a third term as mayor, according to three people who have been told of his plans.

Gallup Daily: Obama Holds 6-Point Lead  —  Two weeks since McCain's had any advantage in voter preferences  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Barack Obama continues to hold a significant lead over John McCain in Gallup Poll Daily tracking, 49% to 43%.  —  This is based on interviewing conducted Sept. 27-29 …

Report: Gingrich Stabbed Boehner In Back, Whipped GOP Opposition To Bailout  —  Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was working aggressively behind the scenes to defeat the Wall Street rescue plan minutes before he himself released a public statement in support of the package, NBC's Andrea Mitchell reported on Tuesday.

SEIU Endorses DeFazio Bill to Address Financial Crisis  —  New Plan Would Protect Taxpayers, Tighten Regulatory Safeguards  —  WASHINGTON, DC - The two million-member SEIU (Service Employees International Union) is backing the plan announced today by Rep. Peter DeFazio and other Members …

Obama aide takes age swipe at McCain  —  Obama communications guru Robert Gibbs this morning compared John McCain's response to the economic crisis to an unsteady driver, a not-so-subtle dig at the Republican's age.  —  “Look, if he's driving a car, get off the sidewalk,” …

Commentary: Bankruptcy, not bailout, is the right answer  —  Editor's note: Jeffrey A. Miron is senior lecturer in economics at Harvard University.  A Libertarian, he was one of 166 academic economists who signed a letter to congressional leaders last week opposing the government bailout plan.

IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED, SUSPEND AGAIN!  —  John McCain made the morning show rounds today.  On Fox they were virtually begging him to “suspend” his campaign again in the wake of the bailout failure yesterday on the Hill.  You know, since it worked out so well the first time.

PALIN AND THE SUPREME COURT.... Howard Kurtz generated some interest yesterday when he reported that as bad as Sarah Palin's interview(s) with Katie Couric were, the “worst may be yet to come for Palin; sources say CBS has two more responses on tape that will likely prove embarrassing.”

Bailout marks Karl Marx's comeback  —  Marx's Proposal Number Five seems to be the leading motivation for those backing the Wall Street bailout  —  By Martin Masse  —  In his Communist Manifesto, published in 1848, Karl Marx proposed 10 measures to be implemented after the proletariat takes power …

Why McCain Lost (The Debate, That Is)  —  It feels somewhat irrelevant given how quickly economic events seem to be overtaking the campaign, but here's a quick final thought on last Friday's debate, and why the great and good American people (at least judging by the polls to date) …

Euro Falls Most Against Dollar Amid European Banking Failures  —  Sept. 30 (Bloomberg) — The euro fell the most against the dollar since the introduction of the shared currency in 1999 after France and Belgium led a state-backed rescue of Dexia SA, as the widening financial crisis forces governments …