A HISTORIC TICKET.... Now that Sarah Palin has been found to have abused her powers, violated state ethics, and lied about it, I did a little digging and found an interesting historical footnote.  —  The McCain/Palin ticket is the first in American history in which both candidates were found …

Obama fundraiser, convicted of fraud, spills beans  —  CHICAGO - Jailed political fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko, the Chicago real estate developer who helped launch Barack Obama on his political career, is whispering secrets to federal prosecutors about corruption in Illinois and the political fallout could be explosive.

McCain and Palin Are Playing With Fire  —  I prefer to discuss politics through my novels, but I am truly dismayed these days.  Twice last week alone, speakers at McCain-Palin rallies have referred to Sen. Barack Obama, with unveiled scorn, as Barack Hussein Obama.

Bigger Than Ayers  —  I've stayed largely silent on the William Ayers controversy because, while associating with someone of that nature is completely reprehensible, I'm not altogether convinced it's a poltically effective attack.  (I also wish McCain was putting a better economic message on the table right now as well.)

Nutroots use my SAT scoresheet to forge ‘Palin Grades’  —  Gawker—the same online rag that called me a “Crazed Christ-Loving Re-Virgin”—is engaging in some craziness of its own: It's asking readers to judge the validity of what it says may be 'Sarah Palin's High-School Grades' …

John McCain: Davenport Liveblog  —  Why is John McCain in Iowa when polls show him trailing?  Will he again defend his opponent Barack Obama from personal attacks as he did Friday?  What is his response to an Alaska legislative report changing his running mate Sarah Palin with abuse of power?

Gallup Daily: Obama Ahead by 9 Points  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Gallup Poll Daily tracking from Oct. 8-10 finds Barack Obama holding a sizeable lead over John McCain in national voter preferences, as he has continuously for the past six days.  Today's report puts Obama ahead by nine percentage points, 51% to 42%.

Supporters jeer as McCain calls Obama ‘a decent person’  —  Promises civility after days of harsh attacks on rival  —  Senator John McCain took a question from a supporter who called Senator Barack Obama an Arab during a town hall meeting in Lakeville, Minn., yesterday.

John Lewis, invoking George Wallace, says McCain and Palin ‘playing with fire’  —  Civil rights icon and Georgia congressman John Lewis is accusing John McCain and Sarah Palin of stoking hate, likening the atmosphere at Republican campaign events to those featuring George Wallace …

Dear Old Golden Dog Days  —  I miss the good old days.  Remember when the presidential campaign was all about oil drilling?  That sure was fun.  —  I miss August.  August was neat.  The Dow was over 10,000 and nobody had ever heard of Sarah Palin.  —  Remember how we used to joke …

Investors' Real Fear: A Socialist Tsunami  —  The Crash: “Why has the market dropped so much?” everyone asks.  What is it about the specter of our first socialist president and the end of capitalism as we know it that they don't understand?  —  Business & Regulation

Appeals Court Sides With Ohio Secretary of State  —  Court sets aside federal judge's order that Jennifer Brunner institute the means to verify voter registration information.  —  CINCINNATI - A federal appeals court sided with Ohio's top elections official Friday in her running battle …

The Maddow Era  —  Check out Sam Boyd's American Prospect cover story on Rachel Maddow.  It's been out in print for a while, but for some reason the powers that be didn't see fit to put it online to dovetail with the premiere.  —  One issue I'm interested in that I think hasn't been aired yet …

Did Obama Write “Dreams from My Father” ... Or Did Ayers?  —  There has been speculation about this which I've ignored, no doubt because there are enough policy reasons to oppose Barack Obama and I don't want to feed into what sounds, at first blush, like Vince Fosteresque paranoia.

WEIRD.  SAD.  SURREAL  —  This afternoon on the campaign trail, John McCain began dialing back (or began trying to appear to be dialing back) the rising tide of hatred and verbal violence he and his running mate have been whipping up over recent weeks.  After all we've seen over recent months …