Top Items:
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Obama's Ayers ad — Here's the audio of Obama's new radio spot responding to attacks on his relationship to Bill Ayers. It's a version of his television spot accusing McCain of using “smears” to avoid talking about the economy, but — unlike the TV spot — mentions Ayers by name and discusses him at some length:
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Randyj / TIME.com:
McCain: Last Debate Will Probably Include Ayers — Speaking on St. Louis radio, the candidate says Obama's recent comments have “probably ensured” the former Weather Underground leader will come up in Wednesday's debate. — “I was astonished to hear him say that he was surprised I didn't have the guts” to talk about Ayers last week.
Discussion:
The New Republic, The Moderate Voice, Comments from Left Field, pandagon.net, MyDD and The Washington Independent
Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
Republicans Who Fund Bill Ayers — I think Obama's relatively weak but nonetheless real interactions with William Ayers are a legitimate campaign issue. But Obama's best response, after telling the facts of the relationship, is to point out who else supported him.
Discussion:
Cafe Talk Aggregator
Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:
McCain: If I Bring Up Ayers At Debate, It Will Be Obama's Fault
McCain: If I Bring Up Ayers At Debate, It Will Be Obama's Fault
Adam Hanft / The Daily Beast:
Buckley Bows Out of National Review — Obama: Better to Be Lucky Than Smart by Tina Brown — Christopher Buckley, in an exclusive for The Daily Beast, explains why he left The National Review, the magazine his father founded. — I seem to have picked an apt title for my Daily Beast column …
Discussion:
The Corner, Washington Wire, The Opinionator, The Caucus, Pajamas Media, The XX Factor, Gawker and Spin Cycle
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Patrick Beach / The Reader:
A little scoop on Christopher Buckley — Christopher Buckley, author and son of late conservative icon William F. Buckley, last week surprised readers of the magazine his father founded, the National Review: “Sorry, Dad, I'm voting for Obama” was the headline on The Daily Beast blog.
Wall Street Journal:
Obama and Acorn — Community organizers, phony voters, and your tax dollars. — At the recent Emmy Awards, historian Laura Linney averred that America's Founders had been “community organizers” — like Barack Obama. Too bad they aren't like that any more.
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Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
DISGRACE — I always used to think former Sen. John Danforth (R-MO) was a respectable guy. So why is he prostituting himself for the McCain campaign phony ‘vote fraud’ scam. Just disgraceful. — Let's be clear about what this is. These are random stories about fake vote registrations.
The Huffington Post:
Bush Strategist: McCain Knows He Put Country At Risk With Palin Pick — Matthew Dowd, a prominent political consultant and chief strategist for George W. Bush's reelection campaign eviscerated John McCain on Tuesday for his choice of Sarah Palin as vice president.
Anchorage Daily News:
Palin vindicated? — Governor offers Orwellian spin — Sarah Palin's reaction to the Legislature's Troopergate report is an embarrassment to Alaskans and the nation. — She claims the report “vindicates” her. She said that the investigation found “no unlawful or unethical activity on my part.”
Stanley Kurtz / National Review:
Wright 101 — Obama funded extremist Afrocentrists who shared Rev. Wright's anti-Americanism — It looks like Jeremiah Wright was just the tip of the iceberg. Not only did Barack Obama savor Wright's sermons, Obama gave legitimacy — and a whole lot of money — to education programs built around …
Discussion:
The Real Barack Obama, protein wisdom, Hot Air, QandO, Israpundit, Dean's World, Flopping Aces, Dr. Sanity, YID With LID and Confederate Yankee
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The Huffington Post:
McCain Transition Chief Aided Saddam In Lobbying Effort — William Timmons, the Washington lobbyist who John McCain has named to head his presidential transition team, aided an influence effort on behalf of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to ease international sanctions against his regime.
The Times-Tribune:
Palin concludes Scranton appearance — STAFF REPORT — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, made her first Scranton appearance today at Riverfront Sports Complex. She took the stage joined by her husband Todd and country singer Lee Greenwood.
Discussion:
The New Republic
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The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions:
Buckeye Institute Files State Rico Action Against ACORN — COLUMBUS - The Buckeye Institute, a Columbus-based think tank, today filed a state RICO action against the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) on behalf of two Warren County voters.
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Jeff Murray / Star-Gazette:
Halloween display aims for ‘shock value’ — Democratic backer sends message by showing McCain, in KKK robe, chasing Obama — CATHARINE — Ron Havens has a reputation for provocative Halloween displays that reflect his strong political views. — But even Havens was pretty sure his latest effort was over the top.
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Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
“Monty Python Could Have Written This” — John Cleese on Sarah Palin:
New York Post:
THE O JESSE KNOWS — JACKSON ON OBAMA'S AMERICA — EVIAN, FRANCE — PREPARE for a new America: That's the message that the Rev. Jesse Jackson conveyed to participants in the first World Policy Forum, held at this French lakeside resort last week. — He promised “fundamental changes” …
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs, Israpundit, Israel Matzav, A Blog For All, Jihad Watch, HillBuzz, YID With LID, StephenBainbridge.com and Don Surber
Mary Katharine Ham / Weekly Standard:
No One Ever Said ‘Kill Him’ About Obama — A look back at the original language used by Palin at the rally in question makes it nearly impossible for the exclamation to be misunderstood as an attack on Obama unless you happen to be a MSM member just dying to think the worst of the Right.
Discussion:
Raleigh News & Observer
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Real Debate Wisconsin:
Racine schools hand out textbook with 15 page Obama love-fest... This comes from the mother of a Racine Unified School District 8th grader. She has asked to keep her name out of this but frankly I can't add much to what she has said here but I do have one question.
Wagner James Au / GigaOM:
Confirmed: Obama Is Campaigning on Xbox 360! — Last week we noted unconfirmed sightings of an “Obama for President” billboard in the Xbox 360 racing game Burnout Paradise. Today we're able to report that it is, in fact, an official advertisement placed by the senator's campaign team.
Wall Street Journal:
America Will Remain the Superpower — When the tide laps at Gulliver's waistline, it usually means the Lilliputians are already 10 feet under. — Constantinople fell to the Ottomans after two centuries of retreat and decline. It took two world wars, a global depression and the onset of the Cold War to lay the British Empire low.
Discussion:
Don Surber
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Plouffe on Fox: ‘24-hour ACORN channel’ — Obama campaign manager David Plouffe, making the case that the charges against ACORN aren't relevant, called them a “smokescreen” and a “permission structure” for attempts to disenfranchise voters. — “This is just the start of what is going to …