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?

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 …

JOE THE SKINHEAD  —  When he was just the topic du jour because of his question to Barack Obama back in the neighborhood in Ohio, that was one thing.  But “Joe the Plumber” is now actively campaigning with and for John McCain, appearing on stage with him at multiple events, etc.

How soon will we know on election night?  —  Answer: Pretty soon, potentially.  Via CNN, a rundown of when the polls in various battleground states close (all times ET): … I didn't include Iowa because it's not a battleground anymore, assuming it ever was, but that's also a 10 p.m. close for what it's worth.

Times-Dispatch poll shows tight race for president in Va.  —  The presidential contest in Virginia is heading toward a photo finish.  —  The final Richmond Times-Dispatch Poll of the campaign shows Sen. Barack Obama at 47 percent and Sen. John McCain at 44 percent.

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.

McCain Did Not Disclose Keating Business Deal To Investigators  —  The New Republic published an explosive story Saturday evening detailing how John McCain, in all likelihood, leaked information to investigators of the Keating Five scandal that was designed to help his image at the expense of the other four Senators involved.

The Most Accurate Election Forecast?  Hardcore Gamblers  —  Recently I was in Kentucky, reporting on horseracing for Garden & Gun.  A “whale” (bettor of thousands of dollars per day) I interviewed, Mike Maloney, successfully traded securities, options and futures, but chose to go to the track every …

Morning Status Update for Sunday 11/02  —  The most important thing to keep in mind about pre-election polls is that they come with random variability built-in.  That mostly predictable variation — known to most of us as “the margin of error' — comes from interviewing what we hope amounts …

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.

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.

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.