OBAMA AND SOME GUY HE BARELY KNOWS.... About a week or so ago, the Wall Street Journal editorial page ran an 1,100-word piece from conservative writer Stanley Kurtz about Barack Obama's past with 1960's-era radical William Ayers.  The Journal gave it a provocative headline …

GOP Strategists Whisper Fears Of Greater Losses in November  —  With the party already struggling to generate enthusiasm for its brand, Republican strategists fear that an outpouring of public anger generated by Congress's struggle to pass a rescue package for the financial industry may contribute …

Gallup Daily: Obama Maintains Significant Margin  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Gallup Poll Daily tracking from Oct. 1-3 finds 50% of registered voters supporting Barack Obama, and 42% John McCain, for president.  —  Obama has now held a statistically significant lead over McCain for the last eight days …

Palin gives more to charity than Biden  —  Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin made considerably less money than rival Sen. Joe Biden, but the Palin family gave more to charity in the last two years than Biden has in the last eight combined, according to Palin's tax records released Friday afternoon.

Franken bypasses Coleman as voters react to attack ads  —  DFL U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken has moved into his first solid lead over incumbent Republican Norm Coleman, according to a new Star Tribune Minnesota Poll.  —  The survey, conducted Tuesday through Thursday …

Obama: McCain health plan ‘radical’  —  With families increasingly worried about their economic security, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is opening a major assault on what he charges is a “radical plan” by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to decentralize health insurance.

What's The Matter With Harry?  —  One of the more curious — but not unprecedented — incidents in the last couple of weeks involved Harry Reid.  The Wall Street Journal explains: … But this wasn't the only such incident: … All of this raises the question: are they trying …

AP Goes Neo-Con  —  OK, al-P and reasonable people might dispute that.  —  But try as it might to discuss where we are five years on without giving Bush any props, the Associated Press has to admit that we have some leverage, and a substantial national interest, at stake in that nascent democracy won …

O.J. Simpson guilty of armed robbery, kidnapping  —  LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) — Former gridiron great O.J. Simpson was found guilty Friday of all 12 counts in the armed robbery of two sports memorabilia dealers at a Las Vegas, Nevada, casino hotel last year.

Leo, Ellen, Halle And More Celebs' New Message: Don't Vote (VIDEO)  —  Just say...  Bill O'Reilly And Barney Frank Face-Off Over Fannie & Freddie: “You're A Coward!”  “You Think That Toughness Is Yelling And Ranting And Trying To Bully”  —  Bill O'Reilly and Barney Frank faced off …

Talking in Points  —  The Republicans were euphoric over Sarah Palin's debate performance, particularly the part in which she stood tall and refrained from falling off the stage.  “There are conservatives and Republicans across America who are ... breathing a sigh of relief,” …

The Problem Is Still Falling House Prices  —  The bailout bill doesn't get at the root of the credit crunch.  —  A successful plan to stabilize the U.S. economy and prevent a deep global recession must do more than buy back impaired debt from financial institutions.

DESPERATE  —  Republican state legislators, at the behest of the McCain campaign, have now filed an emergency appeal with the Alaska Supreme Court trying to shutdown the ‘Troopergate’ investigation.  The plaintiffs (echoing the Bush v. Gore decision) claim “the plaintiffs and Alaskans …

Michigan Republicans oppose McCain pullout  —  In the aftermath of John McCain's decision to pull out of Michigan, Republicans in the state are expressing shock and bewilderment at his move—and aren't willing to cede the state's 17 electoral votes just yet.