Exclusive: Obama to preempt McCain assault  —  Branding his opponent as “erratic in a crisis,” Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is preempting plans by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to portray him as having sinister connections to controversial Chicagoans.  —  Obama officials call it political jujitsu - turning the attacks back on the attacker.

Minnesota Poll: Obama leaps ahead of McCain  —  The Democrat's lead in the state is tied to the economy, the debate and new party strength.  —  Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has opened up a commanding lead in Minnesota over Republican John McCain, according to a new Star Tribune Minnesota Poll.

Frank talk of Obama and race in Virginia  —  As Obama supporters push to win the dead-even battleground state, they are talking directly about race, betting that the best way to put neighbors at ease is to open up.  —  WHITEWOOD, VA. — The isolated towns of Virginia's Appalachian coal region …

Hilarious Example of Media Bias  —  You've got to watch this video.  CNN's Soledad O' Brien ran a focus group of self declared Republicans, Democrats and undecideds during the Palin/Biden debate.  —  Soledad asked them immediately after the debate, “How many thought Joe Biden won the debate tonight?”

Pitbull Palin Mauls McCain  —  SARAH PALIN'S post-Couric/Fey comeback at last week's vice presidential debate was a turning point in the campaign.  But if she “won,” as her indulgent partisans and press claque would have it, the loser was not Joe Biden.  It was her running mate.

Obama clinches on Rove map  —  With 30 days until Nov. 4, Karl Rove projects that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) would get at least 273 electoral votes - three more than are needed to win - if the presidential election were held today.  —  But Rove warns that this race is “susceptible to rapid changes …

Obama's ‘Good Will’ Hunting  —  From the magazine issue dated Oct 13, 2008  —  The Obama campaign has shattered all fund-raising records, raking in $458 million so far, with about half the bounty coming from donors who contribute $200 or less.  Aides say that's an illustration of a truly democratic campaign.

Sarah's Pompom Palaver  —  I had hoped I was finally done with acting as an interpreter for politicians whose relationship with the English language was tumultuous.  —  There's W.'s gummy grammar, of course, like the classic, “Is our children learning?”  And covering the first Bush White …

Cubs' latest failure is worse than ever … It wasn't a collapse.  “Collapse” is too nice a word.  A collapse would mean the Chicago Cubs actually showed up for the National League Division Series.  —  It wasn't a choke.  A choke is what happened in 2003 when the Cubs were exactly five outs away …

Officials say Taliban mad over alleged US strike  —  DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan - The Taliban are unusually angry about the latest suspected U.S. missile strike in Pakistan, a sign a top militant may have died in the attack, officials and residents said Sunday amid reports the death toll rose by two to 24.

War on Taliban cannot be won, says army chief  —  Britain's most senior military commander in Afghanistan has warned that the war against the Taliban cannot be won.  Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith said the British public should not expect a “decisive military victory” but should be prepared for a possible deal with the Taliban.