The Anatomy of a Smear  —  Here's how the right's big eleventh-hour smear on Obama was carried out.  —  First the Murdoch-owned Times of London reported Thursday that Obama's aunt, Zeituni Onyango, is living in a Boston public-housing complex.  It's unclear how the paper learned of the woman's presence in the U.S.

McCain's name nowhere to be seen at Palin rally  —  POLK CITY, Florida (CNN) — At a boisterous Sarah Palin rally in Polk City, Florida on Saturday afternoon, one name was surprisingly absent from the campaign décor — John McCain's.  —  Looking around the Fantasy of Flight aircraft hangar …

Obama knocks Cheney vote  —  From his prepared remarks in Pueblo, Colorado:

Gallup Daily: Obama 52%, McCain 42% Among Likely Voters  —  Largest lead for Obama among likely voters to date  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Barack Obama leads John McCain in Gallup Poll Daily tracking interviewing conducted Wednesday through Friday by an identical 52% to 42% margin among …

A McCain Campaign Memo  —  The last thing the McCain campaign needs on election day is demoralized Republicans.  Hence this memo, which recapitulates what Davis and co. said on a conference call with reporters this morning.

Sarah Palin meets a special friend in a Pennsylvania orchard  —  NEW PARIS, Pa.—Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin arrived at the Boyer Orchards here Friday afternoon, entering a sweet-smelling wooden barn full of crates of apples.  “This is gorgeous,” Palin said, greeting workers.

Why Wasn't This in an Ad?  —  Go Michelle!

Palin talks hunting, politics in prank call with notorious Quebec comedy duo  —  MONTREAL — A Quebec comedy duo notorious for prank calls to celebrities and heads of state has reached Sarah Palin, convincing the Republican vice-presidential nominee she was speaking with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

True Believers In McCain Flock to Pa.  —  STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — He hated the helplessness of watching John McCain's efforts from afar, so Joe White, 62, loaded up his trailer in South Carolina and drove here last weekend.  He set up camp in a Wal-Mart parking lot, bought a map of State College …

First Read: Follow candidates, not polls  —  From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Carrie Dann  —  *** 72 Hours To Go ... I Want To Be Sedated: Hey, wait a minute, there's something familiar about that number 72.  Remember the GOP's 72-hour program?

Crying Auntie  —  When first I heard about the Undocumented Auntie, I thought I'd finally figured out how this spread-the-wealth thing works: The government taxes Joe the Plumber to fund public housing agencies that illegally provide welfare and accommodation to illegal immigrants thereby freeing …

Boy Sent Home From School For Dressing As Jesus  —  Eighth Grader Told His Halloween Costume Was Offensive, Distracting  —  PARAMUS, N.J. (CBS) ― A Paramus middle school student was sent home Friday after he came to school dressed up as Jesus for Halloween.

McCain avoids trouble from volatile crowds  —  First, there was the angry man who told John McCain to hit Barack Obama “where it hurts.”  —  Then came the woman who called the Democratic nominee “an Arab.”  —  And don't forget the man who stood up before a packed crowd and said he was …