First Thoughts: How to spot a GOP wave  —  How to spot a GOP wave on Election Night: Watch the early races in IN-9, GA-8, and KY-6... Tomorrow's midterm topic: How to see if Democrats are on their way toward pulling off the upset and holding the House... If John Dingell's in trouble …

NPR CEO apologizes for handling of Williams firing  —  Vivian Schiller, the NPR CEO who has gotten criticism from all sides about NPR's decision to fire Juan Williams, apologized to her colleagues Sunday evening for the way the firing was handled.  —  Among the most problematic aspects …

Early Voter ‘Enthusiasm Gap’ Appears Consistent With Polls  —  There's been a lot of discussion recently about early voting data, which is already available in a number of states.  In most parts of the country, indeed, a voter is already able to cast a ballot if she wants do.

Debt Has Increased $5 Trillion Since Speaker Pelosi Vowed, ‘No New Deficit Spending’  —  (CNSNews.com) - When Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) gave her inaugural address as speaker of the House in 2007, she vowed there would be “no new deficit spending.”  Since that day, the national debt …

Pro-Republican Groups Prepare Big Push at End of Races  —  OVIEDO, Fla. — The anonymously financed conservative groups that have played such a crucial role this campaign year are starting a carefully coordinated final push to deliver control of Congress to Republicans, shifting money among …

Democrats hold edge in two key House contests  —  But lead slim in 10th; GOP finds new vigor  —  With the election just a week away, Democrats lead in two of the state's most closely watched congressional races but are battling to hold on amid far greater enthusiasm among Republican voters, according to new Boston Globe polls.

Companies that received bailout money giving generously to candidates  —  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) was a fierce critic of the federal bailout of General Motors and Chrysler last year, saying he could not “ask the American taxpayer to subsidize failure.”  —  But GM doesn't seem to hold a grudge.

Christine O'Donnell Interview With The Brody File  —  In an exclusive sit-down interview with The Brody File, Christine O'Donnell says first time voters in Delaware will propel her to victory on November 2nd despite the media's “double standard” against conservative women.

Bob Schieffer to Karl Rove: Are You Saying Rush Limbaugh Takes Things Out Of Context?  —  Bob Schieffer attempted a nice little gotcha on Sunday when he asked former Bush adviser Karl Rove, “Have you come on ‘Face the Nation’ this morning and said for the record that Rush Limbaugh takes things out of context?”

2012: How Sarah Barracuda Becomes President  —  Why do you think Barack Obama is being so nice to Michael Bloomberg?  —  On a pale-gold mid-October afternoon, Sarah Palin takes the stage at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, and the faithful are ready for her.

America's Worst Politician  —  The short, ugly career of Alan Grayson.  —  ORLANDO—There are hundreds of plausible nominees for the title of America's Second-Smarmiest Politician, but surely the top spot is un-contested.  Americans of all political persuasions can come together in affirming …

Just who does Jon Stewart think he is?  —  These days, he can claim to be many things: political satirist, pseudo-anchorman, media critic, author, successful businessman, philanthropist, Emmy Award magnet.  On Monday he arrives in Washington in a new, self-anointed role: as our national voice of reason …

Poll: Independents siding with GOP  —  Republicans are on the verge of broad wins next week for one big reason: independent voters are ready to boot Democrats from office, according to a new POLITICO/George Washington University Battleground Poll.  —  Expressing deep dissatisfaction …

The Next Boom  —  Patrick Doherty and Christopher Leinberger have a great piece in the Washington Monthly about the potentially bright future for walkable urban real estate development.  They observe that population growth plus the declining proportion of Americans who have kids …

America hasn't improved much over past 3 decades, Jimmy Carter says  —  America is no better off now than it was in the late 1970s and early 1980s, says former President Jimmy Carter.  From national politics to relationships with other nations, there is a lot of room for improvement.

Scalia takes Kagan to gun range, sources say  —  According to two witnesses, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia took fellow Justice Elena Kagan out for a lesson in skeet shooting at his shooting club in Virginia last week.  —  The witnesses saw Scalia at the Fairfax Rod and Gun Club …

The 2010 campaign, in an alternate universe  —  Newsflash!  Democrats are panicking and will pump out lie after lie...  Oh Christ, Democrat cretins resorting to the same old mantra, “Republicans are gonna starve old people and eat babies...” only Eight More Days... tick tick tick tick...

Omar Khadr pleads guilty to all terrorism charges  —  U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba— Globe and Mail Update  —  Omar Khadr, the only Canadian, only child soldier and only Guantanamo Bay detainee charged with battlefield homicide in the killing of a U.S. soldier, pleaded guilty to all terrorism and murder charges on Monday.

The day after: leadership drama  —  Voters will do much more than decide control of Congress next week: They will determine whether the most powerful political figures in Washington are up, out or ousted from their leadership jobs.  —  Nancy Pelosi, the most powerful House speaker in decades …

Shocking Video: 60 Minutes Admits Unemployment is Actually 17%, 22% in California  —  I nearly fell out of my chair tonight when 60 Minutes admitted this.  Yes, 60 Minutes.  —  You can bet the White House and their lackeys will be all over them tomorrow.  This isn't news the Democrats need America …

Voters are in the dark on campaign spending  —  Imagine an election in a Third World nation where a small number of millionaires and billionaires spent massive sums to push the outcome in their preferred direction.  Wouldn't many people here condescendingly tut-tut over such a country's …

Secrecy flip-flop fueled Crossroads  —  When it comes to the anonymous contributions fueling the tens of millions of dollars in advertising this year boosting Republican candidates, you could say that American Crossroads was against them before it was for them.