‘Joe the Plumber’ Backs Claim That Obama Would Bring ‘Death to Israel’  —  Joe Wurzelbacher, on his first campaign trail appearance for John McCain, says he agrees that a vote for Barack Obama would be “a vote for the death to Israel.”  —  FOXNews.com  —  Joe Wurzelbacher, a.k.a. …

McCain Support Continues Downward Spiral  —  Obama Leads by 19 Among Those Who Have Already Voted  —  Barack Obama leads John McCain by a 52% to 36% margin in Pew's latest nationwide survey of 1,325 registered voters.  This is the fourth consecutive survey that has found support for the Republican candidate edging down.

News Orgs Investigate Possibly Fatal McCain '64 Car Crash  —  For the past two months, a major American magazine and an allied news service have been engaged in a legal battle with the United States Navy over records that they believe show that John McCain once was involved in an automobile accident …

Palin, Alone Aboard the Bus  —  Almost from the very beginning, the Palin pick created tension.  —  An armada of handlers descended on McCain's running mate like the flying monkeys in The Wizard Of Oz.  The day after the ticket made its debut, it was August 30 and the campaign staged …

Crist extends voting hours  —  This is a very big deal: Florida Governor Charlie Crist, to the shock and dismay of Florida Republicans, just moved to extend early voting hours, a move likely to widen the Democrats' lead under a program on which the Obama campaign has intensely focused.

McCain camp demands L.A. Times release video  —  John McCain's campaign is demanding that the Los Angeles Times release a video of a party for a prominent Palestinian activist that Barack Obama attended in 2003.  —  The Times described the going-away party for former University of Chicago professor …

McCain pollster: Black vote locked in in polls  —  In a memo making the case for McCain's viability — the sort of memo that both sides will always write, regardless of reality — McCain pollster Bill McInturff argues that the polls are accurately reflecting Obama's overwhelming black support …

Obama Makes Hay of McCain Adviser's Health Care Comment  —  HARRISONBURG, Va. — Democrat Barack Obama seized on remarks made by Republican John McCain's top economic adviser today to call McCain's health care plan “radical” and “unaffordable.”  —  On CNN today, McCain adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin …

Slate Votes  —  Obama wins this magazine in a rout.  —  We asked Slate's staff and contributors to tell us whom they're voting for on Election Day and why.  These are their responses.  Click here to read Editor David Plotz's explanation for why we share this information with you.

The Seven Reasons McCain-Palin Are a Lock to Win  —  Dan Perrin dared me to front this.  Gladly.  Dan, btw, is a Republican strategist, in addition to writing wonky books on health care.  — Erick.  —  There are seven serious, historic, demographic and other wise culturally compelling reasons Senator John …

Why McCain is getting hosed in the press  —  Politico political editor Charles Mahtesian was e-mailing the other day with a Republican lobbyist who signed off with a plea that sounded more like a taunt: “Keep it balanced.”  —  A reader e-mailed us with the same sentiment in different language.

As McCain Cancels, Obama Rallies  —  CHESTER, PA - Dressed in blue jeans and a black jacket, Barack Obama braved the cold rain falling in Pennsylvania, and held his scheduled rally - outdoors.  “A little bit of rain never hurt anybody,” he quipped to the 9,000 who showed up in ponchos and futilely holding umbrellas.

Gallup Daily: Presidential Race Narrows Slightly  —  Obama leads by two to seven points among likely voters  —  PRINCETON, NJ — The gap between Barack Obama and John McCain in Gallup Poll Daily tracking from Saturday through Monday has narrowed slightly, and Obama is now at 49% of the vote …

My Choice: Obama  —  In one week, Americans will face a momentous choice.  We must decide which of two talented, patriotic individuals is better suited to set the course for the nation and steer it through a stormy sea.  —  I have known John McCain for many years, even before he was first elected …

A tour of Jeremiah Wright's new mansion  —  Fox News producer Jesse Watters takes you on a tour of Rev. Jeremiah Wright's new mansion — including Greek columns, endless garages, golf course, and more...  God damn America!  Here's your wealth-spreading, redistributive change in action:

Will Obama's Uncle Sam scare swing voters?  —  Dem still needs to convince some he favors smarter, not bigger government  —  CHICAGO - Here's my advice to Sen. Barack Obama's supporters: Stop predicting that the Democrats will sweep into the White House and Congress come January with a mandate to expand Big Government.

NRSC celeb thinks Obama may be anti-Christ, ‘sooooo evil’  —  Jonathan Martin noted with some amusement a new video from the NRSC video featuring celebrities you may not have heard of, plus Pat Boone in a swimming pool, attacking Al Franken.  —  A reader adds an odd note: One of those …

Twilight Struggle  —  In its closing days, the Bush administration escalates the war on terror.  —  On Sunday, U.S. helicopters accompanied by a special forces team struck in Sukkariyeh, Syria, just over the border from Iraq.  It was a raid with enormous implications for the war in Iraq and the broader war on terror.

VW driven to top spot by surge in share price  —  Volkswagen briefly became the world's largest company by market capitalisation on Tuesday after an extraordinary share price surge that raised fears that hedge funds and other traders could collapse after betting on a fall in the stock.

Obama leads McCain in Florida and Ohio, poll says  —  Voters see the economy as the chief issue and Obama as the best man to handle it, according to a Times/Bloomberg poll.  In Ohio, Obama leads 49% to 40%; in Florida, 50% to 43%.  —  Reporting from Washington — Barack …

A wave for GOP staffers?  —  A glance at the Republican job bank page on Texas Rep. John R. Carter's website paints the whole, bleak picture with what it doesn't show: real jobs.  —  So far, the only postings this month for paid employment have been for a staff assistant job in the office of Rep. Paul Ryan …

Transcript: Charles Barkley tells Brown ‘racism is a cancer’  —  (CNN) — Former NBA star Charles Barkley spoke Monday to CNN's Campbell Brown about politics, race and his plans to run for governor in his boyhood home state of Alabama.  Here is a transcript:

Obama Affinity to Marxists Dates Back to College Days  —  Barack Obama shrugs off charges of socialism, but noted in his own memoir that he carefully chose Marxist professors as friends in college.  —  FOXNews.com  —  Barack Obama laughs off charges of socialism.  Joe Biden scoffs at references to Marxism.