Top Items:
The Caucus:
Joe in the Spotlight — One week ago, Joe Wurzelbacher was just another working man living in a modest ranch house in Toledo, Ohio, thinking about how to expand his plumbing business. But when he stopped Senator Barack Obama during a visit to his block this weekend to ask about his taxes …
Discussion:
MSNBC, The Huffington Post, ABCNEWS, Political Punch, The Hill's Blog Briefing Room, Talking Points Memo, Tennessee Guerilla Women, D-Day, Fox News, Matthew Yglesias, CBS News, MoJoBlog, JammieWearingFool, Guardian, BAGnewsNotes, BlueOregon, VentureBeat, Stop The ACLU, NewsBusters.org, Political Insider, New York Times, Truthdig and www.redstate.com
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Marty / Martin Eisenstadt's Blog:
Joe “the Plumber” Wurzelbacher related to Charles “the Crook” Keating. Oops. — John McCain did great tonight in the debate. But every time John mentioned “Joe the Plumber,” some of us in the campaign banged our heads against the wall. If Steve Schmidt had any hair left, I hear he would have been pulling it out tonight.
Robert J. Elisberg / The Huffington Post:
The “Joe the Plumber” Story Hits an Amazing New Low — Just when you didn't think things could get worse for John McCain - they go in the toilet. — Literally. — So, you remember Joe the Plumber, who John McCain kept relentlessly bringing up. And up.
Discussion:
The Sundries Shack
James Pethokoukis / US News:
Money & Business — Did Barack “Spread the Wealth” Obama Just Blow the Election? — No. Really. You're kidding me. Barack Obama actually told that Joe the Plumber guy that he wants to “spread the wealth around.” What, did Obama just get done reading the Wikipedia entry on Huey “Share the Wealth” Long or something?
Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Good news: Toledo moves to shut down Joe the Plumber — Look on the bright side. The media's finally starting to vet acquaintances of Barack Obama. … Also revealed: His boss's business probably doesn't bring in anywhere near $250,000 a year so he should stop dreaming about turning …
Michelle Malkin:
Is Joe Wurzelbacher related to Charles Keating — and does it matter? — That's been the left-wing blogger obsession all day. It started with a post from GOP blogger Martin Eisenstadt, who says that Joe Wurzelbacher the Plumber is a “close relative” of Robert Wurzelbacher, who is the son-in-law of Charles Keating.
Toledo Blade:
‘Joe the Plumber’ is focus of presidential debate's first few minutes — The story of “Joe the Plumber” - Joe Wurzelbacher of Shrewsbury Street in Springfield Township - became a centerpiece of the early minutes of the presidential debate last night. — And Joe the Plumber became the subject of national and international interest.
Ryan J. Donmoyer / Bloomberg:
‘Joe the Plumber,’ Who Dislikes Obama Tax Plan, Owes Back Taxes — Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) — “Joe the plumber,” the Toledo, Ohio, man whose complaints about Barack Obama's tax plan were featured in the final presidential debate, owes the state of Ohio almost $1,200 in back income taxes.
The Campaign Spot:
After Targeting Joe the Plumber, Obamabots Pledge To Expose Scandals of Guy in Rockwell's ‘Four Freedoms’ Painting — Thank God we live in a free country, where you can speak your mind on public issues, without fear that those who disagree will respond by exposing anything you've ever done …
Tom Elia / The New Editor:
How the Left Works — By now everyone who follows politics …
How the Left Works — By now everyone who follows politics …
Discussion:
JustOneMinute, NewsBusters.org, The Anchoress, Daily Kos, Gateway Pundit, American Power and Wizbang
Jonathan Martin / Jonathan Martin's Blogs:
Joe not a licensed plumber, McCain's enthusiasm not diminished
Joe not a licensed plumber, McCain's enthusiasm not diminished
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Joe's registration — Joe Wurzelbacher doesn't immediately turn …
Joe's registration — Joe Wurzelbacher doesn't immediately turn …
Discussion:
The Campaign Spot, Think Progress, Stop The ACLU, Washington Monthly, The Jawa Report, Hot Air, D-Day and Newshoggers.com
Michelle DeArmond / PE Angels Baseball:
Inland GOP mailing depicts Obama's face on food stamp — Download story podcast — The Press-Enterprise — The latest newsletter by an Inland Republican women's group depicts Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama surrounded by a watermelon, ribs and a bucket of fried chicken, prompting outrage in political circles.
Discussion:
TPM Election Central, JammieWearingFool, Capitol Alert, Political Byline, Gawker, The Daily Dish, The Campaign Spot and Oliver Willis
RELATED:
Lara Jakes Jordan / Associated Press:
Officials: FBI investigates ACORN for voter fraud — WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI is investigating whether the community activist group ACORN helped foster voter registration fraud around the nation before the presidential election. A senior law enforcement official confirmed the investigation to The Associated Press on Thursday.
Discussion:
The Crypt's Blogs, MiamiHerald.com, The Huffington Post, The Democratic Daily, Hot Air, Donklephant, TPMMuckraker and Commentary
RELATED:
Brian Stelter / The Caucus:
McCain to Letterman: ‘I Screwed Up’ — He made it. — After a high-flying adventure, Senator John McCain finally sat down next to David Letterman on the set of “The Late Show” on Thursday and offered his mea culpa: “I screwed up.” — Anyone following Mr. McCain or watching Mr. Letterman knew exactly what Mr. McCain meant.
RELATED:
Jill Zuckman / The Swamp:
McCain helicopters to Letterman in N.Y.
McCain helicopters to Letterman in N.Y.
Discussion:
The Hill's Blog Briefing Room
Washington Post:
Barack Obama for President — THE NOMINATING process this year produced two unusually talented and qualified presidential candidates. There are few public figures we have respected more over the years than Sen. John McCain. Yet it is without ambivalence that we endorse Sen. Barack Obama for president.
Edward T. Pound / National Journal Online:
Lobbyist Speaks: Rumor Of McCain Affair False, Damaging — VICKI ISEMAN TALKS FOR THE FIRST TIME ABOUT THE GOP NOMINEE, THE NEW YORK TIMES, AND THE STORY THAT CHANGED HER LIFE. — In one of the most sensational stories of the presidential campaign, The New York Times published a 3,000-word …
Sol Stern / Wall Street Journal:
Ayers Is No Education ‘Reformer’ — The new media spin is worse than Obama's original evasion. — One of the most misleading statements during the presidential debates was when Barack Obama claimed that William Ayers was just “a guy in the neighborhood.”
Discussion:
The Corner, pushback, The Quick and the Ed, Atlas Shrugs, The Real Barack Obama and www.redstate.com
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Harsh GOP robo-call hits Ayers — A harsh new robocall (above) — at least the third in a series — attacks Obama for having “worked closely with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers” whose group “killed Americans.” — Robocalls are a relatively inexpensive way to deliver a negative message …
Discussion:
Washington Wire, TPM Election Central, The Huffington Post, Comments from Left Field and D-Day
RELATED:
Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:
Latest McCain Robocall Alleges That Obama Denied Babies Medical Care
Latest McCain Robocall Alleges That Obama Denied Babies Medical Care
Discussion:
Washington Monthly
Matt / Think Progress:
Confirmed: McCain To Appear With Virginia GOP Chairman Who Compared Obama To Osama Bin Laden — Earlier this week, Time magazine's Karen Tumulty reported on how Jeffrey Frederick, the chairman of the Virginia Republican party, gave GOP volunteers talking points on “the connection between Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden.”
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Joe Strupp / Editor and Publisher:
Shocker: Tribune Co. Gives Notice To Drop AP — NEW YORK Tribune Company has given a two-year notice to the Associated Press that its daily newspapers plan to drop the news service, becoming the first major newspaper chain to do so since the recent controversy over new rates began.
Discussion:
JammieWearingFool
zombietime:
The Left's Big Blunder — The disastrously counter-productive strategy of Obama's supporters — Two campaigns are being waged right now for the presidency of the United States. No, I'm not talking about the Obama campaign and the McCain campaign. I'm talking about the real-world campaign and the meta-campaign.
Africanpress / African Press International:
Recordings and information leading to recent API story on Michelle Obama's telephone call is now being cleared for release — API is disturbed by the way many have reacted to the story on Mrs Obama's call. Many have shown us by the way they have behaved towards API that they only think of …