Obama: 'I'd appreciate a little break'  —  It's often remarked that President Obama has enjoyed a number of getaways, vacations, and mini-vacations during his 20 months in office.  But at a Democratic fundraiser Thursday night, the president said, “I'd appreciate a little break.”

Whitman's husband says ‘it is possible’ handwriting on letter is his [Updated]  —  Dr. Griff Harsh, Meg Whitman's husband, just released a statement saying that it may be his handwriting on a 2003 letter that raised the possibility that their housekeeper was undocumented.

Chambliss fires staffer over posting of anti-gay slur  —  Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) fired a staffer for having posted a threatening slur against gays on a blog.  —  Chambliss said that, following an investigation by the Senate Sergeant at Arms, he'd decided to fire the staffer …

Assistant AG suspended over gay-bashing blog  —  Attorney General Mike Cox changed his stance Thursday, suspending Andrew Shirvell after the assistant attorney general attracted national attention for a controversial blog that ridicules and denounces a University of Michigan student leader …

Why is Obama sending troops to Afghanistan?  —  From the beginning, the call to arms was highly uncertain.  On Dec. 1, 2009, commander in chief Barack Obama orders 30,000 more Americans into battle in Afghanistan.  But in the very next sentence, he announces that an American withdrawal will begin after 18 months.

Senate votes to turn down volume on TV commercials  —  WASHINGTON - Legislation to turn down the volume on those loud TV commercials that send couch potatoes diving for their remote controls looks like it'll soon become law.  —  The Senate unanimously passed a bill late Wednesday …

The Uncanny Accuracy of Polling Averages*, Part 2: What the Numbers Say  —  This is the second article in a three-part series in which I'm addressing a question from a reader whom I'm calling Skeptical Sam.  —  Sam wondered why our election forecasts seem so confident.

News Corp. gave $1 million to pro-GOP group  —  News Corp., the parent company of Fox News, contributed $1 million this summer to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the business lobby that has been running an aggressive campaign in support of the Republican effort to retake Congress, a source close to the company told POLITICO.

A GOP unknown is in striking range of Barney Frank  —  Sean Bielat, the Republican candidate for Congress in Massachusetts' 4th District, has had just one conversation with his Democratic opponent, Rep. Barney Frank.  —  It was in August, at a parade in New Bedford.

G.O.P. Stays on Upswing in Senate Forecast  —  Republican chances of taking over the Senate have improved again in this week's forecast.  They are now 22 percent — up from 18 percent last week and 15 percent two weeks ago.  Republican chances are now approaching the point where they stood prior …

“You Elected Me To Do What Was Right”  —  Obama's speech to Gen44 tonight knocked my socks off.  It's streaming on CSPAN here.  If you've forgotten why many of you worked your ass off for this guy, and felt hope for the first time in many years, watch it.  He deserves criticism when necessary …

Democrats will hold the House and Senate  —  For Democrats, it's Rove time: rally the base and save Congress  —  Maybe I'm wrong.  —  In fact, maybe I'm really, really wrong, which is the reaction I hear when I dare even to broach this notion to commentators and political strategists in both parties.

Angry Voters  —  Republicans in Congress are incredibly unpopular.  And many of the party's Senate nominees across the country are too.  Yet the party is still headed for a big election year.  The reason?  About 20% of the country is unhappy with both sides- and they're leaning strongly toward the GOP.

Report gives stimulus package high marks  —  The massive economic stimulus package President Obama pushed through Congress last year is coming in on time and under budget - and with strikingly few claims of fraud or abuse - according to a White House report to be released Friday.

Michele Bachmann raises $3.4M for quarter  —  Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) has raised more than $3.4 million in the third quarter of the year, doubling her haul from the previous quarter, POLITICO has learned.  —  Exact fundraising numbers will not be available for a few days.

Despite Annoying Ads, Scott Leads In Florida Gov Race, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Obama Approval 16 Points In The Hole  —  Republican Rick Scott holds a 49 - 43 percent lead over State Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, the Democrat, in the race to become Florida's next governor …

Gay rights killed Clementi  —  The body count of the gay rights movement grows by one. … It was obvious from the start that the orientationally-challenged activists would attempt to blame Clementi's death on his roommate.  But the surreptitious filming of sexual activity …

TARP Bailout to Cost Less Than Once Anticipated  —  WASHINGTON — Even as voters rage and candidates put up ads against government bailouts, the reviled mother of them all — the $700 billion lifeline to banks, insurance and auto companies — will expire after Sunday at a fraction of that cost …

Andrew Cuomo, Carl Paladino focus on the personal in N.Y. gubernatorial election  —  NEW YORK — New York is broke.  The state faces a $5.5 billion deficit.  An extraordinary exodus of residents could drain $4 billion in tax revenue and result in the loss of two congressional seats.

The Twister of 2010  —  America's political landscape will never be the same.  —  On a recent trip to Omaha, Neb., I found a note prominently displayed in my hotel room warning of the possibility of “extreme weather” including “tornadic activity.”  The clunky euphemism was no doubt meant …

Linda McMahon: ‘We Ought To Review’ The Minimum Wage  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  Linda McMahon, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Connecticut, suggested Thursday that the U.S. ought to take a second look at the federal minimum wage.  —  “The minimum wage now in our country …

Closing the book on Christine O'Donnell Oxford flap  —  By now you may have heard that the claim that Christine O'Donnell studied at Oxford has now turned up on a second O'Donnell online resume, this one from ZoomInfo.  —  I've got some more information on what happened from ZoomInfo …

The Austerity Caucus  —  If I had as much money as Meg Whitman, I'd probably have a more exuberant house.  Hers is perfectly nice.  But at a time when other Silicon Valley moguls were installing underground squash courts, arcade-size game rooms and other gewgaws, she stuck with a New England-style colonial.