Reid announces push for public option  —  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced this afternoon that he plans to push ahead with a public health insurance option that includes an opt-out provision for states - even though he's currently short several votes for passage, according to people close to the situation.

CNN Drops to Last Place Among Cable News Networks  —  CNN, which invented the cable news network more than two decades ago, will hit a new competitive low with its prime-time programs in October, finishing fourth - and last - among the cable news networks with the audience that all the networks rely on for their advertising.

CFG Poll: Hoffman Leading in NY-23  —  Hoffman Surges Into Lead in NY-23  —  New CFG Poll shows Hoffman 31.3%, Owens 27.0%, Scozzafava 19.7%  —  Washington - A poll released today by the Club for Growth shows Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman surging into the lead in the special election …

McDonnell has double-digit lead in Va. governor's race, Post poll says  —  Republican Robert F. McDonnell carries a double-digit lead over Democrat R. Creigh Deeds into the final week of the campaign for Virginia governor, according to a new Washington Post poll.

RNC keeps racist pics on Facebook for nearly a week  —  Perhaps no one noticed.  Perhaps no one cared.  But hours after a liberal news forum brought attention to a series of days old controversial photos on the Republican National Committee's Facebook page, the photos were finally taken down.

More on the Minneapolis “overflight”  —  According to numerous accounts in the last hour — AP here, Reuters here, WSJ here — the current story from the Northwest flight crew that forgot to land in Minneapolis is that they were so absorbed in using laptops in the cockpit that they neglected …

Conservatives Maintain Edge as Top Ideological Group  —  Compared with 2008, more Americans “conservative” in general, and on issues  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Conservatives continue to outnumber moderates and liberals in the American populace in 2009, confirming a finding that Gallup first noted in June.

Decline is a choice.  But is it America's choice?  —  First of two parts.  Tomorrow: Retreat abroad begins at home.  —  The weathervanes of conventional wisdom are engaged in another round of angst about America in decline.  New theories, old slogans: imperial overstretch.  The Asian awakening.

AP IMPACT: Statisticians reject global cooling  —  WASHINGTON — Have you heard that the world is now cooling instead of warming?  You may have seen some news reports on the Internet or heard about it from a provocative new book.  —  Only one problem: It's not true, according to an analysis …

N.J. independent candidate Daggett says GOP rival Christie won't win … TRENTON — An independent candidate running for New Jersey governor has made a bold prediction: Republican challenger Chris Christie will not win the race.  —  Chris Daggett believes he'll pull the upset victory on Nov. 3.

The conservative public option  —  Was out of the office for a few hours at C-SPAN world headquarters, but early reports were accurate and Sen. Reid will include a national public option that states could choose to offer to their residents — or not! — in his bill.

Anchors sink on ‘Jeopardy’  —  CNN should consider banning its anchors from appearing on “Celebrity Jeopardy” after the humiliating defeats of  —  Soledad O'Brien.  Wolf was blitzed last month, coming in last with minus-$4,600, behind comic  —  Andy Richter, a past winner who racked up $68,000 for charity.