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.

‘Hussein’ Chant at Palin Rally  —  NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - “John McCain!  Not Hussein!”  —  So goes the latest popular chant on the campaign trail with Gov. Sarah Palin, demonstrated at a morning rally in central Florida.  —  Ms. Palin was midway through her stump speech when a group …

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 …

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!

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 THOUGHTS: 72 HOURS  —  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?  It's amazing that the 2004 buzz phrase describing …

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 …

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.

AP poll shows Obama backers gleeful, McCain's glum  —  Featured Topics: - John McCain - Barack Obama  —  WASHINGTON - That smiling guy walking down the street?  Odds are he's a Barack Obama backer.  The grouchy looking one?  Don't ask, and don't necessarily count on him to vote next week, either.

Worst Anti-McConnell Ad Ever  —  AFSCME has released what could have been an amazing radio ad attacking Mitch McConnell.  It goes on and on about everything Mitch has done to ruin the world and then brings up his military record.  —  A deep and ominous-voiced announcer says: … Listen to it for yourself:

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.