CBS Poll: Uncommitted Voters Say Obama Won Debate  —  UPDATED CBS News and Knowledge Networks have, once again, conducted a nationally representative poll of uncommitted voters to get their immediate reaction to tonight's presidential debate.  —  And this new poll has good news for the Democratic ticket …

Transcript of second McCain, Obama debate  —  NASHVILLE, Tennessee (CNN) — Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama debated in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday night.  NBC's Tom Brokaw moderated the debate.  Here is a transcript of that debate.  —  Brokaw: Good evening from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.

You Guys Are Nuts  —  We have a disaster here — which is what you should expect when you delegate a non-conservative to make the conservative (nay, the American) case.  We can parse it eight ways to Sunday, but I think the commentary is missing the big picture.

Drunkblogging Tonight's McCain-Obama Bout  —  In the blue corner, it's Barack Obama.  In the red corner, it's John McCain.  Ready to document the blows with a martini in hand, it's Vodkapundit's Stephen Green.  —  7:06PM “Let the markets run wild and prosperity will rain down on all of us.”

The Palins' un-American activities  —  Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd, at a rally in Vienna, Ohio, on Sept. 16, 2008.  —  “My government is my worst enemy.  I'm going to fight them with any means at hand.”  —  This was former revolutionary terrorist Bill Ayers back in his old Weather Underground days, right?

McCain proposes bailout for homeowners  —  Here are details of the plan Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) announced during Tuesday night's presidential debate “to keep families in their homes, avoid foreclosures, save failing neighborhoods, stabilize the housing market and attack the roots of our financial crisis”:

[I doubt that] Obama wore an earpiece that was clearly visible on HDTV.  —  (Enlarge.)  —  ADDED: Scrolling around and looking in different frames, I don't see it.  I think this picture creates an illusion of a clear plastic earpiece, but I can't see it in other frames.

Live Blogging: Third Half Hour  —  10:29: Here's a YouTube of “That One.”  —  10:24: McCain uses question about whether US would defend Israel military if Iran attacks to bring up “without preconditions” vow, but McCain does not answer question...neither does Obama...smart of them both not to answer this question.

ACORN office in Vegas raided in voter-fraud probe  —  LAS VEGAS (AP) - Nevada state authorities are raiding the Las Vegas headquarters of an organization that works to get low-income people to vote.  —  A Nevada secretary of state's office spokesman said Tuesday that investigators are looking …

“That One”  —  The moment the contempt spilled over:

SECRET SERVICE LOOKING INTO POTENTIAL THREAT AGAINST OBAMA  —  The Secret Service is following up on media reports today that someone in the crowd at a McCain/Palin event suggested killing Barack Obama, according to Secret Service spokesman Malcolm Wiley.  The shout of “kill him” …

Cindy McCain makes appearance at Children's Hospital  —  Cindy McCain said today that she expects her husband to clear the record at tonight's debate and let America know where he truly stands.  —  McCain, who stopped to visit a half-dozen children at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital …

That One?!  —  They say that Senator McCain's strong suit is the town hall debate.  If this was, in fact, Senator McCain's strength, he might as well go home.  Sorry... homes.  —  While not as smirky as the first debate, Senator McCain was jittery, reptilian (the darting tongue), scattered and overall just plain creepy.

Chris Matthews Post-Debate Drooling  —  This is not a parody: … Update: Olbermann keeps it classy: “McCain, and I'm trying to say this as nicely as possible, didn't look like a well man wandering around on that stage tonight.”

Let's Face It, the Only Candidate This Year Who Has What It Takes to be President Is...  Because she's the only one who is young enough and idealistic enough and man enough for the job.

The ‘Fact Checking’ Fad  —  It's opinion journalism thinly disguised as straight reporting.  —  In a September 1984 campaign speech, Walter Mondale, the Democratic presidential nominee and former vice president, asked, “Do you really want Jerry Falwell to pick the next two judges to the Supreme Court?”

THE “HANDSHAKE” THAT WASN'T  —  You can see our initial comments on this below.  And here's the video — make your own judgments ...  Late Update: A few readers say the two shook hands right after the conclusion of the debate, at that moment where Brokaw told them they were in the way of his teleprompter.

Advisers worry about ‘grumpy McCain’  —  When Politico's Ryan Grim approached Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) after the evening of the Senate bailout vote, the reporter didn't even get his question out.  —  “Excuse me, you're bothering me,” McCain said.  —  It was a surprising rebuke …

Luntz's Focus Group  —  This is purely a methodological question.  If the reporting on blacks said they were torn between the candidates I wouldn't be asking this question.  But his focus group is allegedly a collection of “swing voters” from Virginia.  And it appears there are a relatively large number of blacks in the focus group.