Ceding the Center  —  There are two major political parties in America, but there are at least three major political tendencies.  The first is orthodox liberalism, a belief in using government to maximize equality.  The second is free-market conservatism, the belief in limiting government to maximize freedom.

Obama for president  —  Palin's rise captivates us but nation needs a steady hand  —  Alaska enters its 50th-anniversary year in the glow of an improbable and highly memorable event: the nomination of Gov. Sarah Palin as the Republican vice presidential candidate.

PIT BULL TURNS ON MCMAVERICK  —  NOW PALIN'S BUCKING HER OWN TICKET  —  By CARL CAMPANILE in Mesilla, NM, and GINGER ADAMS OTIS in NY  —  Sarah Palin is the rogue elephant in the GOP war room.  —  The maverick mom is distancing herself from John McCain and blowing off the advice …

Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby Poll: Obama 49.4%, McCain 44.1%  —  McCain gains as race continues to tighten  —  UTICA, New York - Republican John McCain continues to gain on Democrat Barack Obama, reducing Obama's lead to 5.3 points with just over a week to go before Election Day …

McCain guarantees victory  —  Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Sunday on NBC's “Meet the Press” that he can “guarantee” a win on Nov. 4 in a squeaker victory that won't be clear until late that night.  —  McCain spoke amid signs of a tightening race, and reports of renewed determination among his staff …

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Chuck Todd, Charlie Cook, Kelly O'Donnell  —  MR. TOM BROKAW: Our issues this Sunday: With just nine days to go, polls show Obama widening his lead over McCain while the Republican vice presidential nominee comes under increased criticism.  What will be McCain's final message to undecided voters?

The Precriminations  —  Like a lot of progressives, I've been enjoying the recent leaks out of conservoworld with different factions pointing fingers and accusing each other.  These are some decent precriminations, and if things go the way the polls indicate, they'll lead to some fantastic recriminations in November and December.

Sarah Palin, Going Rogue  —  Palin's Tampa rally this afternoon kicked off with an extended, sarcastic, eye-rolling diss at the $150,000 wardrobe supposedly foisted on her by others, particularly — and this is important — the evil RNC.  “I grabbed a jacket this morning — my own jacket,” she told the whooping crowd.

The Next New Deal  —  The huge opportunities—and huge risks—of a possible Obama administration.  —  On a bright, brisk, fat-pumpkin morning in mid-October—the kind of morning you would call glorious were the economy not cratering, the financial system not imploding …

A Party Without Members?  —  Have you ever heard of a political party that has no members?  Ben Smith has, and he believes.  Based on a claim by New Party co-founder Joel Rogers that “we didn't really have members,” Smith seems to think he's disposed of the issue of Barack Obama's ties to the “dread New Party.”

Jesse Jackson Jr. hopes to replace Obama in Senate  —  Illinois political insiders say Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., who defended Barack Obama after his father famously threatened to castrate him, is the favorite to replace the Democratic nominee in the Senate.  —  Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) …

Campaign Finance Gets New Scrutiny  —  Obama's Take Raises Questions About Web  —  Sen. Barack Obama's record-breaking $150 million fundraising performance in September has for the first time prompted questions about whether presidential candidates should be permitted to collect huge sums …

McCain brushes off polls, says 'we're doing fine'  —  (CNN) — Despite his sagging poll numbers, Sen. John McCain said Sunday that he is “very happy with where we are” and very proud of his campaign.  —  “We're doing fine,” the Arizona senator said in an interview on NBC's “Meet the Press.”

Could McCain lose his home state?  —  Democrats are circulating a poll showing Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) losing ground in his own state, an ominous sign for his beleaguered campaign as state after state turns blues.  —  Project New West, which aims to build the Democratic Party in the Intermountain West …

Inside McCain Camp, a Mood of Gritty Determination  —  Only a few hundred people were on hand at the New Mexico state fairgrounds Saturday morning to hear Sen. John McCain's acknowledgment that “we're a few points down” in the polls and to cheer loudly when he bellowed, “We've got them right where we want them!”

The High Rise of the First Metropolitan Candidate  —  Republicans, looking to frame Sen. Barack Obama as a candidate outside the mainstream, recently settled on a new tack: deriding him as an out of touch and corrupt urbanite.  —  At the GOP convention last month, Rudy Giuliani …

U.S. considers sending special ops to Afghanistan  —  Despite recent setbacks, a large-scale influx of conventional forces is unlikely because of troop commitments in Iraq.  But special operations forces could narrowly target the most violent insurgent ba  —  Reporting from Washington …