Woman Attacked At ATM, Assailant Carves Letter Into Her Face  —  Woman Robbed, Attacked With Knife At Bloomfield ATM  —  PITTSBURGH — A 20-year-old woman who was robbed at an ATM in Bloomfield was also maimed by her attacker, police said.  —  Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Diane Richard …

McCain: ‘She needed clothes’  —  John McCain defended the Republican National Committee's decision Thursday to spend more than $150,000 dollars on clothing and accessories for running mate Sarah Palin.  —  “She needed clothes at the time,” McCain told a group of Florida reporters.

Former Bush aide voting for Obama  —  (CNN) — Scott McClellan, the former White House press secretary who sharply criticized President Bush in his memoir last spring, told CNN Thursday he's voting for Barack Obama.  —  “From the very beginning I have said I am going to support the candidate …

McCain might skip his own election-night party  —  NEW YORK - Republican John McCain is not going to make his election night remarks in the traditional style — at a podium standing in front of a sea of campaign workers jammed into a hotel ballroom.  Oh, the throng of supporters will hold …

Wardrobe Mysteries Linger  —  About that wardrobe ...  There are still aspects of the Republican National Committee's shopping sprees on behalf of Gov. Sarah Palin and her family that are murky.  —  Some of the fashion experts consulted Wednesday, for instance, about the $150,000 in purchases …

MEDIA REFUSING TO REPORT, INSISTS CONTRIBUTIONS ARE REAL— DESPITE OCT. 9 NYT REPORT NOTING FICTITIOUS CONTRIBUTORS  —  Bumped; Sticky.  Will remain top story for an hour.  Updates linked at post's end.  Fresh posts follow this one.  —  Mark Steyn cautions, though: Stop donating just to test it out.

Greenspan Concedes to ‘Flaw’ in His Market Ideology  —  Oct. 23 (Bloomberg) — Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said a “once-in-a-century credit tsunami” has engulfed financial markets and conceded that his free-market ideology shunning regulation was flawed.

The Full Obama Interview  —  Q] I want to ask you some questions about the way you make decisions and then some questions about issues.  To me the signal decision of this election was the way you chose your vice-president and the way he chose his.  You are known for deliberation and being a rational decision-maker.

Gallup Daily: Obama Has Modest Lead Among Likely Voters  —  Size of margin four or six points depending on turnout assumptions  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Gallup Poll Daily tracking shows Barack Obama running ahead of John McCain among likely voters — 50% to 46% using the “traditional” …

Council Votes, 29 to 22, to Extend Term Limits  —  (Photos: James Estrin/The New York Times)  —  After a spirited, emotional and at times raucous debate, the New York City Council voted, 29 to 22, on Thursday afternoon to extend term limits, allowing Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg …

Joe McCain Calls 911 To Complain About Traffic  —  He called the police emergency line because he was angry he was stuck in traffic.  —  The 911 call came into the City of Alexandria on Oct. 21st That's creating some buzz because it appears to come from Joe McCain, John McCain's brother.

Far-right Austrian leader sacked for revealing gay affair with Jörg Haider  —  The successor of the Austrian far-right leader Jörg Haider was dismissed yesterday after he revealed a “special” relationship “far beyond” friendship with his former mentor.

DEFINING ‘ELITE’.... It's a little jarring to hear John McCain and Sarah Palin complain about “elites.”  We are, after all, talking about two wealthy and powerful Republican politicians.  And yet, complain they do.  —  In the second part of his interview with the members of the Republican ticket …

GOP ‘goner’ list warns of House rout  —  An internal document circulating among House Republicans warns of an impending congressional bloodbath, listing 58 Republican-held House seats being at risk, and 11 already considered as good as gone.  As many as 34 GOP-held seats are in serious jeopardy …

Times poll: Obama 49, McCain 42  —  Independent Florida voters are on the verge of killing John McCain's hopes for the presidency.  —  A new St. Petersburg Times/Bay News 9/Miami Herald poll shows Barack Obama leading McCain 49 percent to 42 percent in this state McCain cannot afford to lose.

EXCLUSIVE: McCain lambastes Bush years  —  ‘We just let things get completely out of hand’  —  NEWSMAKER INTERVIEW:  —  ABOARD THE STRAIGHT TALK AIR — Sen. John McCain on Wednesday blasted President Bush for building a mountain of debt for future generations, failing to pay for expanding Medicare …

Republican HQ Manager's Home Shot Up Over McCain Signs  —  ‘Democrats Far More Aggressive in Seminole County,’ Victim Says  —  LONGWOOD, Fla. — The home of a Central Florida Republican headquarters manager was shot up and damaged over his support of Sen. John McCain, the man told police.

Poll: Obama Maintains Double-Digit Lead  —  CBS News/NY Times Survey Shows Voters Feel More Comfortable With Democratic Nominee, Uneasy About Rival McCain  —  (CBS) With just twelve days left until Election Day, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama holds a 13-point lead …