RNC appears to shell out $150K for Palin fashion  —  The Republican National Committee appears to have spent more than $150,000 to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her family since her surprise pick by John McCain in late August.

Al-Qaida-linked Web site backs McCain as president  —  Featured Topics: - John McCain - Barack Obama  —  WASHINGTON - Al-Qaida supporters suggested in a Web site message this week they would welcome a pre-election terror attack on the U.S. as a way to usher in a McCain presidency.

THE END OF JOURNALISM AS WE KNEW IT  —  I'm not familiar with columnist Orson Scott Card, but his open letter to journalists is must reading.  It appeared first in The Rhinoceros Times of Greensboro, North Carolina.  Via InstaPundit: … But the mainstream media—which is to say …

Shame on McCain and Palin for using an old code word for black  —  The “socialist” label that Sen. John McCain and his GOP presidential running mate Sarah Palin are trying to attach to Sen. Barack Obama actually has long and very ugly historical roots.  —  J. Edgar Hoover …

Are the Polls Accurate?  —  Reading them right is more art than science.  —  Can we trust the polls this year?  That's a question many people have been asking as we approach the end of this long, long presidential campaign.  As a recovering pollster and continuing poll consumer, my answer is yes — with qualifications.

As clock ticks, hope dims for McCain savior  —  For the GOP, the cavalry apparently isn't coming.  —  Republicans attuned to conservative third-party efforts say that with less than two weeks to go until Election Day, the prospects for any 11th-hour, anti-Obama ad campaign are highly unlikely.

SURPRISE, SURPRISE  —  So Gov. Palin is giving her first interview to CNN to CNN's investigative reporter Drew Griffin.  —  Remember this is the guy they sent to Alaska to investigate Trooper-gate and came back snarking, “But please tell me if you think [Trooper Mike Wooten's] tale …

NYT Mag Lifts Curtain On Palin Choice, Angst With Schmidt, Worry In McCain Campaign  —  The New York Times Magazine is set to publish an explosive story this Sunday on the inner workings and combative personalities of what has been a wild few months for the McCain campaign.

Early voting a boost for Dems  —  Democrats are voting early in greater numbers than their Republican counterparts in several closely contested states, reversing a pattern that favored the GOP in past elections.  —  The trend is evident in Ohio, North Carolina and Iowa, Nevada and New Mexico, state and county figures show.

Obama's lead widens in latest Ipsos/McClatchy poll  —  WASHINGTON — Entering the homestretch, Barack Obama leads John McCain by 50 to 42 percent and appears to be gaining strength on key issues despite a barrage of criticism from his rival.  —  A new Ipsos/McClatchy poll out Tuesday found:

Police prepare for unrest  —  Police departments in cities across the country are beefing up their ranks for Election Day, preparing for possible civil unrest and riots after the historic presidential contest.  —  Public safety officials said in interviews with The Hill that the election …

In Endgame, Metrics Are Adding Up For Obama  —  It Ain't Over Till It's Over, But Several Key Factors Don't Look Good For McCain  —  One of the most unsettling aspects of this campaign is that for an election cycle so turbulent, with so many surprising twists and turns …

McCain Fights to Keep Crucial Blue State in Play  —  MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — People are scratching their heads: Why is Senator John McCain here?  —  Senator Barack Obama has a double-digit lead in recent Pennsylvania polls.  Senator John Kerry beat President Bush here in 2004.

A Closer Look At the State Polling  —  Alternate Title #1: Why the Democrats are still very nervous.  —  Alternate title #2: Why John McCain is touring PA today.  —  RCP is THE must-have resource for any election and this one is no different.  While I've been keeping a sharp eye on the state polling …