Hidden Audio: Obama Tells SF Chronicle He Will Bankrupt Coal Industry  —  (Please read update about the San Francisco Chronicle neglecting to mention Obama's willingness to bankrupt the coal industry at bottom of this blog.)  —  Imagine if John McCain had whispered somewhere that he was willing to bankrupt a major industry?

FIRST THOUGHTS: OUR FINAL MAP  —  From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Carrie Dann  —  *** Our final map: With two days before Election Day, the final NBC News map shows Obama remaining above the 270 electoral-vote mark, with a 286-157 lead over McCain.  Last week, Obama held a 286-163 advantage.

Obama seven points ahead in CNN's final poll  —  (CNN) — Two and seven: With two days left until election day, a new national poll suggests that Barack Obama holds a seven-point lead over John McCain in the race for the White House.  —  In the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey …

The single worst expression in American politics  —  Joe Biden, speaking yesterday at a rally in Ohio (h/t Jonathan Schwarz): … As I wrote a couple of weeks ago (see the last few paragraphs): if I could be granted one small political wish, it would be the permanent elimination of this widespread …

Obama Leads McCain 52% to 46% in Campaign's Final Days  —  McCain Narrows Gap  —  Barack Obama holds a significant lead over John McCain in the final days of Campaign 2008.  The Pew Research Center's final pre-election poll of 2,587 likely voters, conducted Oct. 29-Nov. 1 …

Obama will answer questions ... Wednesday  —  ABC's Jake Tapper managed to get Sen. Barack Obama's attention on the tarmac in Springfield, Mo., this morning.  —  “What would you tell your Treasury secretary to do differently with the $700 billion?” he asked, according to the pool report.

OBAMA 2012: FOUR YEARS LATER  —  A LOOK BACK AT HIS PRESIDENCY  —  It's hard to believe that just four years ago, some were talking about Barack Obama as a national savior, a secular redeemer, a “light worker.”  Even more shocking, President Obama lost the nomination of his own party to none other than Hillary Clinton.

Gallup Daily: Obama Continues to Outpace McCain  —  Holds 8-point lead among “traditional likely voters”  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Voters' presidential preferences remain favorable to a Barack Obama win on Tuesday, with 51% of traditional likely voters supporting the Democratic nominee for president, and 43% backing John McCain.

Townsfolk stuff Palin effigy with explosives  —  BATTLE, England (CNN) — Townsfolk in England have delivered their explosive verdict on Sarah Palin, stuffing a giant effigy of the U.S. Republican vice presidential nominee with fireworks and blowing her up to raucous cheers.

Three Big Myths About The 2004 and 2008 Elections  —  When I tell people how well Obama is doing in the polls, here are three of the most common responses I receive:  — “Yeah, but Kerry was winning at the end of the campaign, too.”  — “Yeah, but Kerry was way ahead among early voters, too.”