Obama's Grandmother Dies  —  CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A tragic turn of events for Sen. Barack Obama: his ailing grandmother died today.  —  Here's a statement from Obama and his sister Maya Soetoro-Ng:  —  “It is with great sadness that we announce that our grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has died peacefully after a battle with cancer.

New Troopergate report clears Palin  —  A new report just released — hours before the polls open on Election Day — exonerates Gov. Sarah Palin in the Troopergate controversy.  —  The state Personnel Board-sanctioned investigation is the second into whether Palin violated state ethics law …

Rove's Final Map: Obama 338, McCain 200  —  Karl Rove's final Electoral College map...

Networks May Call Race Before Voting Is Complete  —  At least one broadcast network and one Web site said Monday that they could foresee signaling to viewers early Tuesday evening which candidate appeared to have won the presidency, despite the unreliability of some early exit polls in the last presidential election.

California GOP Files FEC Complaint Over Obama Visit to Grandmother  —  Perhaps the most ill-timed press release of the 2008 campaign arrived shortly after 1:30 p.m. today, sent by the Republican National Committee.  —  The release forwarded word that the California Republican Party filed …

Today's Polls, 11/3 (PM Edition)  —  With fewer than six hours until voting begins in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, the national polling picture has cleared up considerably.  Barack Obama is on the verge of a victory, perhaps a decisive victory, in the race for the White House.

McCain's Crowd Disturbingly Small, Ten Times Less Than Planned For  —  Something was missing from the first of John McCain's seven campaign stops today: the crowd.  —  Kicking off the last day of the election in Tampa, Florida, John McCain was welcomed by a roughly 1,000 voters.

Obama's Attack Ad On Himself  —  I should have gotten this out earlier, but just didn't get all the video clips together quick enough.  In putting this together, it's been surprising, even to someone who's followed the entire presidential race in great detail, the extent to which Obama has gotten away …

THE NEW POLL TAX.  —  This is why Rachel Maddow matters:  —  The poll tax was a sly system of disenfranchisement used in the Jim Crow era to disenfranchise Southern blacks.  Aware that the Constitution now assured everyone the “right” to vote, Southern states imposed a voting fee heavy enough …

Aunt Zeituni's Protectors  —  ALL IN THE FAMILY  —  Senior aides to Sen. Barack Obama and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick were aware that Obama's aunt, Zeituni Onyango, was living in the United States illegally and in a South Boston public-housing project, and were monitoring her at the request …

First town weighs in on election at midnight  —  (CNN) — The first wave of election returns won't flow in until 7 p.m. ET Tuesday night, but the results in one precinct will be known much sooner.  —  Dixville Notch, a village in New Hampshire's northeast corner, will begin voting at the stroke …

All Barack Obama Statements Come With an Expiration Date.  All Of Them.  —  By popular demand, the list of expired Obama statements...  Consumers should be aware that promises, pledged, and soul-healing rhetoric are only effective for a limited time; upon expiration they become “just words.”

The Republicans' appalling attack on Rashid Khalidi.  —  On the clouded synapses of Sen. John McCain, it became clear as his campaign limped and lurched to its close, the termites had been dining long and dining well.  However much one might have admired the low comedy of his closing routine …

“Yavelow Study Confirms Ayers Hand In Obama's ‘Dreams’”  —  For what it's worth: … The Yavelow analysis — and a lot more from Cashill — is available at the link.  —  I report, you decide.  But do read the whole thing.  —  Having not done an analysis myself, I can only point …

Biden Offers His Take on Girls  —  In what has become noted and typical fashion, the Delaware senator isn't shy to express his view of the origin of women's strength.  —  FOXNews.com  —  LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. — “Hey folks, 37 more hours!”  —  Joe Biden greeted a crowd primed for the home stretch …

McCain Rally: Salter Is Smiling  —  Elizabeth Holmes reports from Blountville, Tenn., on the presidential race.  —  You know it's a big day on the McCain campaign when Mark Salter is smiling.  —  The senior aide to John McCain, known for his gruff demeanor, was practically giddy this morning on the campaign plane.

Bush Praised By Both Parties for Transition Planning  —  Nov. 3 (Bloomberg) — President George W. Bush is leaving office with some of the lowest job-approval ratings in history.  He's being assailed by both of his would-be successors, one of whom will inherit two wars and the most severe financial crisis since the Great Depression.