Rick Sanchez Fired From CNN  —  CNN released this statement today:  —  “Rick Sanchez is no longer with the company.  We thank Rick for his years of service and we wish him well.”  —  They will broadcast CNN Newsroom from 3-5pm for the foreseeable future.  —  Here's more from the story earlier today:

Guv signs marijuana decriminalization bill  —  (10-01) 16:49 PDT Sacramento — Citing the need to reduce spending on prosecution and courts, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a measure that makes marijuana possession an infraction, on par with traffic and littering tickets.

Christine O'Donnell: After Witchcraft I Tried to Be A Hare Krishna — But Liked Meatballs Too Much (VIDEO)  —  In 1999 Christine O'Donnell told Bill Maher that she'd briefly tried Buddhism, and that she'd tried to be a Hare Krishna but couldn't take the vegetarianism.

The Political Wild Card  —  WILMINGTON — Before she was a Tea Party cause célèbre, liberal laughingstock and perhaps the embodiment of a can-you-top-this-for-bizarre political season, Christine O'Donnell grew up in a “Brady Bunch” household of six kids (three Democrats …

Palin jousts with Rouse  —  (CNN) - Pete Rouse was just installed as White House chief of staff on Friday, but he's already been facing fire from Sarah Palin for over a week.  —  Now White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs is hitting back, calling the former Alaska governor's accusations “fairly silly.”

O'Keefe Owes His Supporters an Explanation  —  I proudly stood behind James O'Keefe on his groundbreaking ACORN investigation.  I also defended him when the media, including CNN — during a previous regime, “the Rick Sanchez era” - falsely reported the Sen. Mary Landrieu story as a “wiretapping” plot gone wrong.

Paladino switches gears and course-corrects (Updated)  —  Carl Paladino, in interviews with the Buffalo News and NY1, says he wasn't alleging Andrew Cuomo had affairs in his interview with me on Tuesday, and also that he wasn't suggesting that he had evidence to release on the topic.

McConnell slams Dems for adjourning, warns tax increases are on horizon  —  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) used the Republicans' weekly radio address to criticize Democrats for adjourning to campaign without voting on a tax-cut extension and for failing to help boost the still-sagging economy.

French women cause a stir in niqab and hot pants in anti-burka ban protest  —  Two French female students have made a film of the pair of them strolling through the streets of Paris in a niqab, bare legs and mini-shorts as a critique of France's recently passed law.

Whitman within law, immigration lawyers say  —  (10-01) 04:00 PDT Washington - —  Whether or not Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman received a letter from the Social Security Administration saying her former housekeeper's false documents did not match its records …

Bin Laden criticises Pakistan relief mission  —  * Al Qaeda leader urges action against climate change  —  Osama bin Laden criticised relief efforts in Pakistan and called for action against climate change in what appeared to be a new audio tape from the al Qaeda leader issued on Friday in an Islamist forum.

DeMint targets Senate colleagues  —  Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) is planning to wage a television campaign against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) and other Democratic colleagues.  —  The Senate Conservatives Fund, a political action committee that DeMint helms, has produced …

Obama launches campaign recess with shots at GOP agenda  —  The Obama administration on Saturday continued to push a jobs offensive, portraying the February 2009 stimulus vote as a progressive move and arguing regressive movements would move the country backwards.

Liberals hope rally rivals Beck's  —  The rally liberal groups are staging at the National Mall on Saturday hasn't received nearly the media buzz of Glenn Beck's Aug. 28 rally, but organizers insist that their numbers will rival Beck's, which drew tens of thousands - or hundreds of thousands, depending on whose estimates you believe.