Fake pimp from ACORN videos tries to ‘punk’ CNN correspondent  —  Editor's note: CNN takes an unprecedented look inside the young conservative activist movement in the documentary “Right On The Edge,” which airs Oct. 2 and 3 at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. EST.  —  Lusby, Maryland (CNN) …

Tea-Party Movement Gathers Strength  —  The tea party has emerged as a potent force in American politics and a center of gravity within the Republican Party, with a large majority of Republicans showing an affinity for the movement that has repeatedly bucked the GOP leadership this year …

Poll: Obama, Dems Poised to Lose Grayson House Seat  —  Republican Dan Webster jumps to a 7-point lead  —  In one of the most closely watched U.S. House races in the nation, Republican Daniel Webster now holds a 7-point lead over Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson in Central Florida's 8th Congressional District …

Meg Whitman's Housekeeper — ‘Explosive’ Allegations  —  UPDATE: Meg Whitman's campaign chairman, former California Governor Pete Wilson, tells TMZ he is unaware of any claim by Whitman's former housekeeper, but “The timing of this is highly suspect.”  —  The former housekeeper for Meg Whitman …

‘Credible But Not Specific’: Threat of New Terrorist Attack  —  Officials in Europe, US on High Alert for Commando-Style Raids After Capture of Suspected German Terrorist  —  US and European officials said Tuesday they have detected a plot to carry out a major, coordinated series …

Assistant attorney general blogs against gay student body president  —  (CNN) — For nearly six months, Andrew Shirvell, an assistant attorney general for the state of Michigan, has waged an internet campaign against college student Chris Armstrong, the openly gay student assembly president at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Distrust in U.S. Media Edges Up to Record High  —  Perceptions of liberal bias still far outnumber perceptions of conservative bias  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — For the fourth straight year, the majority of Americans say they have little or no trust in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly.

Sen. Nelson: GOP worries over Tea Party impeding tax-cut deal  —  Centrist Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) said Wednesday that GOP senators' fear of the Tea Party has made it difficult for them to reach a deal with Democrats on the expiring Bush tax cuts.  —  Speaking at the conservative Heritage Foundation …

Another School Says Christine O'Donnell Did Not Attend  —  Claremont Graduate University tells TPM that Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell did not attend the Southern California school despite listing it under education on her LinkedIn profile.  —  Rod Leveque, a spokesman for the school, told TPM tonight:

Being Glenn Beck  —  Glenn Beck was sprawled out on his office couch a couple of weeks ago, taking — as self-helpers like to say ­— an inventory.  “I think what the country is going through right now is, in a way, what I went through with my alcoholism,” he told me.  “You can either live or die.

Dems retreat to coasts as GOP rules vast interior  —  Here's an exercise for some evening when you're curious about big nationwide trends in this year's elections.  —  Get an outline map showing the 50 states and take a look at the latest poll averages in pollster.com in each race for senator and governor.

Your Bad Economic News for the Morning  —  Earlier this year, government bond spreads in several European countries ballooned dangerously in response to the Greek debt crisis.  In May the EU came to the rescue, Greece agreed to a combined loan/austerity package, and spreads settled down.

Young People And Minorities Are All The President Has Left  —  Americans between ages 18 and 29 are significantly more likely to be satisfied with the overall state of the country than those who are 65 and older, according to the latest Society for Human Resource Management/National Journal …

AIPAC disputes Sestak ad  —  The pro-Israel group AIPAC says a campaign ad from Rep. Joe Sestak that claims that, “According to AIPAC, Joe Sestak has a 100% pro-Israel voting record” is inaccurate.  —  The group, a spokesman said, does not not issue such evaluations.

More on “No Wedding, No Womb.”  —  Today on the Michael Eric Dyson show, bloggers Christelyn Karazin and Jamilah Lemieux talked about the “No Wedding, No Womb” campaign.  Karazin, who is spearheading the effort, started it to “raise awareness” about high rates of out-of-wedlock births among black women.

Paladino Has Aides With Tainted Pasts  —  As he mounts an outrage-filled campaign for governor of New York, Carl P. Paladino has vowed to forcibly rid Albany of the wayward officials and misbehaving bureaucrats who he says have demeaned state government, promising to “take out the trash.”

Dinesh D'Souza's poison  —  Forbes magazine has now “fact-checked” Dinesh D'Souza's infamous September 27 cover story, “How Obama Thinks,” and has uncovered one “slight” misrepresentation, it says, of an Obama speech on the BP oil spill.  Such a “fact-checking” feint is irrelevant to this travesty …

Obama's University Visit Was Not Simple  —  Would it be all right if the Leader of the Free World stopped by your campus for a little while?  —  He wants to surround himself with hordes of enthusiastic young people, toss out a few oratorical gems — as you know, he's got the gift — and reinvigorate his anxious political party.

Dukakis shared his strategy for midterm elections at the White House  —  WASHINGTON — Former Massachusetts Governor Michael S. Dukakis, the failed 1988 presidential nominee, recently visited the White House and delivered his strategy for the midterm elections: pound key precincts across …

No Charges For Cops Who Tasered Inmate to Death  —  Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey announced yesterday there will be no criminal charges brought against the four deputy sheriffs who tased jail inmate Marvin Booker, put him face down in a cell, and sat on his back for 90 seconds, after which Booker died.

Meredith Whitney's new target: The states  —  The housing crash not yet realized its full impact on budgets in the most vulnerable states.  It's the banking crisis all over again - and it's time to stop ignoring it.  —  Meredith Whitney, the superstar analyst who famously forecast disaster …

A One-to-Two-State Solution  —  This week's bad news from the West Bank — the resumption of settlement construction after a 10-month moratorium, just as a new round of peace talks had gotten underway — didn't much dampen optimism among seasoned Middle East watchers.  —  That's because there wasn't much optimism to dampen.

Florida Dems aim death blow at Charlie Crist  —  Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is getting the full Arlen Specter treatment as he struggles to hold on to Democratic support in his independent bid for the U.S. Senate.  —  The Florida Democratic Party is throwing money behind a crushing new ad …

Progressives: Obama remarks are ‘condescending’  —  Activist: ‘The least he could do is acknowledge that progressives have legitimate concerns’  —  President Barack Obama's lecture to his supporters to snap out of their lethargy is getting a frosty reception from some on the left side of the Democratic coalition.