Sarah's magic in Southern California (exclusive pictures)
October 05, 2008
Sarah Palin was campaigning yesterday in Southern California and drew enormous, highly enthusiastic crowds. Two AT correspondents provide exclusive pictures that you will not find in the MSM. More

Samantha Power Uncut
October 05, 2008
A new video of Power reminds us of why she would be a diaster in an Obama Administration. More

Podcast of Richard Baehr's debate with Ira Foreman
October 05, 2008
A podcast is now available of the debate between AT's chief political correspondent and Ira Foreman, executive director of the National Jewish Democratic Council. More

Palin gets "nasty:" Reuters
October 05, 2008
Is it "negative campaigning" if you state the facts? More

Michigan Republicans want to fight
October 05, 2008
Not only Sarah Palin, but Michigan GOP leaders don't want the McCain campaign to abandon the state. More

NY Times Kristoff smears conservatives
October 05, 2008
Statistics show African Americans are the most racist group in America. Who do they support? More

Why Barney Frank resisted additional regulation of Fannie Mae
October 05, 2008
Barney Frank's conflict of interest at Fannie Mae: His male lover More

Deregulation properly understood
October 04, 2008
Neither McCain nor Palin stepped up to explain the difference between Deregulation (which is a good thing) and the fact that, in a deregulated environment, the government's appropriate role is as a policeman. More

They're Stealing from You and Me -- Where's the Outrage?

By Garrison Keillor, International Herald Tribune

Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace: It wasn't their money Wall Street was playing with. It was ours.

The Ultimate 9/11 'Truth' Showdown: David Ray Griffin vs. Matt Taibbi

Matt Taibbi, David Ray Griffin, AlterNet

The two writers lock horns over the accuracy of Griffin's recent book, 9/11 Contradictions.


The New Corporate Threat to Our Water Supplies

Alan Snitow, Deborah Kaufman, Tomdispatch.com

Water: Neglect of public infrastructure has private companies swooping in to buy public systems, like water, with grave consequences.


A List of McCain's Nastiest Moments

Melissa McEwan, Shakesville

PEEK: Think there's no way that John's actually that bad? You haven't seen this list.

The Age of Unbridled Consumption Just Ended

Lisa Wise, The Women's Media Center

Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace: The economic crisis, however painful, will lead to at least one positive outcome.


Sarah Palin's Almost Creepy Ambition Should Worry McCain

Frank Rich, The New York Times

Election 2008: Sarah Palin is the only hope for saving a ticket headed by a warrior who is out of juice and out of ideas. It seems she knows this only too well.


Working for Peanuts -- Downturn Hits the Streets of New York

Russell Morse, New America Media

Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace: New York City is ripe with reminders of our current economic disaster.

The Way to the New World
David Roberts
October 3, 2008
Did Sarah Palin's discussion of climate change last night have you grinding your teeth? She is not the only politician to employ the rhetoric of environmentalism without much of the substance.

David Roberts reviews three new books on our environmental crisis, and wonders why newly minted greens sound more ambitious about the future than movement insiders.

(iStock photo)

The group blog of The American Prospect
The passion of Jackie Mason.
Posted at 5:28 p.m.



A respectable liberal blog
Obama's health-care ad.
Posted at 1:05 p.m.



Dean Baker's economic commentary
The problem is house prices, not interest rates.
Posted at 6:25 a.m.

A Long Term Strategy for a Free Market Bailout
Larrey Anderson
This bailout legislation is the first step in an effort to socialize debt -- while it attempts to keep profits private. Markets work because they reward good investments and punish bad ones. More

Gwen Ifill's VP Debate Bias
Lee Cary
A careful reading of the questions Gwen Ifill asked during the VP debate reveals several that displayed her bias. More

The postman always rings twice
Bob Weir
It's called schadenfreude -- getting satisfaction out of someone else's troubles. It's not something to be proud of, but I must admit to having enjoyed every second of O. J. Simpson's agony as the court clerk read off a succession of guilty verdicts More

It's always racist to criticize Obama
October 06, 2008
Patterico deftly skewers the ridiculous claims of racism made when Obama is criticized More

Pro-Obama Jewish PAC uses deception to create political ad
October 06, 2008
Left-leaning Israeli newspaper Haaretz reveals that a pro-Obama PAC deceived Israeli officials into issuing flattering comments about the candidate without revealing that it was to be used on political advertising. More

William Ayers and Hugo Chavez
October 06, 2008
Barack Obama's original political sponsor Wiliam Ayers has ties to the Hugo Chavez regime that apparently continue today. More

Plame update
October 05, 2008
A veteran CIA covert ops guys writes of Valerie Plame's real job at the CIA. More

Hillary's Texas Money Bundler: the rest of the story
October 05, 2008
Since last November, we've tracked presidential campaign fund-raising efforts in and around the heavily-Hispanic, Texas border town of McAllen, Texas. The money trends there have shifted in the last two months. More

Weathermen for Obama (updated with video)
October 05, 2008
Doug Ross of Director Blue notes at least four top leaders of the Weathermen terrorist organization have signed on as members of a "grassroots effort" to support the election of Barack Obama. More

Utterly chilling video of Obama Freikorps
October 05, 2008
First came the disturbing video of very young children singing the praises of Obama. Now comes equally or more disturbing video of older children, this time in uniforms More

Important documentary on the financial crisis
October 05, 2008
A financially sophisticated friend highly recommends the Fox News special called "Saving the Economy", which will be rebroadcast tonight at 10PM Eastern, and again at 1 AM Eastern. More

Sarah's magic in Southern California (exclusive pictures)
October 05, 2008
Sarah Palin was campaigning yesterday in Southern California and drew enormous, highly enthusiastic crowds. Two AT correspondents provide exclusive pictures that you will not find in the MSM. More

Samantha Power Uncut
October 05, 2008
A new video of Power reminds us of why she would be a diaster in an Obama Administration. More

Podcast of Richard Baehr's debate with Ira Foreman
October 05, 2008
A podcast is now available of the debate between AT's chief political correspondent and Ira Foreman, executive director of the National Jewish Democratic Council. More

Palin gets "nasty:" Reuters
October 05, 2008
Is it "negative campaigning" if you state the facts? More

SPENGLER
Hockey moms and capital markets

Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, derided outside the United States as a mere country bumpkin unfit for higher office, personifies why Asian investors continue to pour money into the US, even as its financial sector nears breakdown. (Oct 6, '08)

Is Era of Dominance Over for Conservatives? - John Harwood, NY Times
Palin, McCain and the Weeks Ahead - Karl Rove, Newsweek
The Choice: Barack Obama for President - The New Yorker
Obama's Words Contradict Deeds - Ralph Reiland, Pittsburgh Trib-Review
Supreme Court Fate Hinges on '08 Race - Robert Barnes, Washington Post
McCain's Health Care Destruction - Paul Krugman, New York Times
Obama's Payoff to Unions - Mark Skousen, Human Events
Economic Woes Dim GOP Chances - Reid Wilson, Politics Nation
The Wright Stuff - William Kristol, New York Times
This Election Will Be Decided on the Issues - Michael Tomasky, Guardian
Honor versus Unity - Laurence Cooper, Commentary
Is This a Replay of 1929? - Robert Samuelson, Newsweek
America & the New Financial World - Zachary Karabell, Wall Street Journal
Reversal of Fortune - Joseph Stiglitz, Vanity Fair
Blaming Deregulation is Nonsense - Sebastian Mallaby, Washington Post
The Children of Gordon Gekko - Kevin Rudd, The Australian
Can Petraeus Bring Order to Afghanistan? - Michael Evans, London Times
RCP Blog: Mac Ad: Dangerous | AM Report / Politics Nation: Strat Memo
Editorials
Nation Can't Afford Candidates' Big Plans - Chicago Sun-Times
Joe Biden's Fantasy World - Wall Street Journal
Bankrupt - The New Republic
The Mortgage Scandal Roots - Washington Times

Transcripts & Speeches


Obama Says McCain Wants to Distract from Issues - Barack Obama
Guests: Sens. Lieberman and McCaskill - Fox News Sunday
Guests: Reps. Emanuel & Blackburn; Mayor Bloomberg - Late Edition
Guests: Gov. Granholm & Sen. Feinstein (PDF) - Face the Nation
Strategists and Roundtable on "Meet the Press" - Meet the Press

Best of the Blogs
Why Bill Ayers Won't Save McCain - Howard Wolfson, The Flack
Obama a Terrorist! McCain a Crook! - James Joyner, OTB
Barney Frank as Doctor Who - Roger Kimball, Roger's Rules
Reregulation - Kevin Drum, Mother Jones
Palin and Sudan - Matthew Yglesias, Think Progress

Political News & Analysis
Obama Accuses Republicans of Distracting Voters - Los Angeles Times
Obama to Hit McCain on Keating Five - The Politico
Obama Pushing in Red States - Chicago Tribune
McCain's Townhall Prowess Faces Test on Tuesday - Wall Street Journal

Barracuda
The resentments of Sarah Palin.
by Noam Scheiber

• Wolfson: The Race Is Over!
• Joe L.: Palin To Win 'With God's Help'
• Chait: One Of John McCain's Many Houses Is Made Of Glass
• Mac Channels Gingrich On Medicare
• Peretz: Assigning Blame For The Crisis

Obama Camp: John McCain And The Making Of A Financial Crisis... KeatingEconomics.com
<h4 class="subhead">HuffPost's John McCain BigNews Page

FINANCIAL CRISIS UPDATES: US Stocks Open Sharply Lower...World Markets Plunge... "Scant Comfort" From The Passage Of US Bailout Package... Failure Of European Bailouts... "Everyone Is Losing Confidence"... Congress To Hold Public Hearings This Week: Lehman CEO Dick Fuld Goes First...</h4> Quick Read

IRAQ
House Of Cards
Last month, when Gen. David Petraeus handed command of coalition forces in Iraq to Gen. Ray Odierno, the new top U.S. commander announced that while "Iraq is now a different country from the one" he first saw, the "gains are fragile and reversible." Odierno's sentiments were reflected earlier this month when the Pentagon released a report detailing how violence had continued to decline over the summer. At the same time, the report warned of "several problems that could rekindle violence among competing groups and upset the recent progress on security." These concerns include the reintegration of "the nearly 100,000 predominantly Sunni volunteer fighters known as the Sons of Iraq into the army, police or other jobs," continued "Iranian influence in funding, training and arming militias," and expected sectarian tensions ahead of provincial elections. Other "flash points that could lead to violence" include "friction between Arabs and Kurds" over Kurdish control of areas in Northern Iraq and disputes over "how to divide its oil revenue among the different regions." A recent spate of bombings have underscored the fact that "Iraq is on a knife's edge between war and peace." After five bomb attacks struck Baghdad late last month, the New York Times reported that the incidents "reinforced fears among a growing number of residents that the security situation in Baghdad was deteriorating." "The surge has set up a political house of cards," wrote Brian Katulis, Marc Lynch, Peter Juul recently for the Center for American Progress. "The United States needs to rebalance its overall national security approach by stepping outside of the trenches of intra-Iraqi disputes over power and putting the focus back on its core national security interests."

SONS OF IRAQ: Last Wednesday, the Shi'ite-led Iraqi government took command of the first wave of 54,000 members of the Sons of Iraq as part of "a U.S.-backed effort to ease sectarian mistrust and offer Sunnis a stronger stake in the country's future." But the transition from U.S. control to Iraqi control is rife with tension. "Some leaders of the Sons of Iraq feel that the transition represents a betrayal by the U.S. The government of Prime Minister Nouri Maliki also questioned the Sunni fighters' loyalty to Iraqi forces and whether it can provide jobs and training for all of them," the Los Angeles Times reported last week. "US officers are nervous that the government will not keep its word when the first salaries are due early November" and "some US units have reportedly set aside cash to pay the SOI for a few months, just in case." Before the handover of authority, Wahab al-Zubaie, a spokesman for one of the Sunni groups, told the Associated Press "that security could deteriorate if Sunni fighters are sidelined." Some Sunnis "draw comparisons between the dissolution of the Sons of Iraq and the disbanding of the Iraqi army," which was "a key strategic blunder that gave a massive boost to the insurgency." American leaders like Petraeus reject this comparison.

PROVINCIAL ELECTIONS: On Friday, Iraq's presidency council approved "a long-delayed law that will allow most of the country to hold provincial elections early next year." The Iraqi parliament "approved the law unanimously on Sept. 24 following months of deadlock" after they "agreed to set aside the divisive issues of power-sharing in an oil-rich northern region and the representation of minorities." Before the presidency council approved the law, the U.N. special representative to Iraq, Staffan de Mistura, criticized the parliament for scrapping the "key clause that would have guaranteed seats for Christians and other minorities." De Mistura urged that the provision "be reinstated into the legislation as soon as possible." A staff aide to one of Iraq's vice presidents told McClatchy that the presidency council will ask parliament to reinstate the provision, which is supported by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Though the "elections law is seen as a key step toward bringing underrepresented groups back into Iraqi politics," Lynch says the elections will not be a "magic bullet that's going to solve all the problems." "It's going to reshuffle the deck in terms of who's in and who's out, but I don't think it's going to be a magic bullet that is suddenly going to resolve all the political problems in Iraq," Lynch told the Council on Foreign Relations. "The problems run deep."

ABOVE PRE-SURGE TROOP LEVELS: During the vice presidential debate last Thursday, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin ® declared that "with the surge that has worked we're now down to pre-surge numbers in Iraq." Palin's claim about current troop levels in Iraq is not true. As ABC News noted in a fact-check of the debate, "the number of troops on the ground is still higher and the number of combat brigades is the same as at the start of the surge in January 2007, according to Pentagon figures. Iraq troop levels before the surge were at 133,500. While U.S. troop levels in Iraq have been in the 142,000 range recently, today they are at around 150,000 because of an ongoing troop rotation." The day after the debate, Palin was given an opportunity by Fox News's Carl Cameron to correct her false claim. But Palin "did not apologize nor did she retract her assertion that U.S. forces in Iraq are at pre-surge levels." Palin's running mate, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), made a similar misstatement in May, saying that "we have drawn down to pre-surge levels." Like Palin, McCain refused to admit that he made mistake. Instead, McCain subtly changed his language to say "we are drawing back down from the surge."

ENVIRONMENT -- HURRICANE IKE CAUSES HALF A MILLION GALLONS OF OIL SPILLS: A new AP analysis shows that Hurricane Ike "destroyed oil platforms, tossed storage tanks and punctured pipelines," resulting in "[a]t least a half millions gallons of crude oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico and the marshes, bayous and bays of Louisiana and Texas." The Coast Guard has responded to more than 3,000 pollution reports. "At times, a new spill or release was reported to the Coast Guard every five minutes to 10 minutes." Ike's enormously destructive wreckage adds further proof that conservatives' claims regarding the safety of offshore oil drilling are totally false. As they pushed for expanded drilling this summer, conservatives repeatedly insisted that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita "didn't spill a drop" of oil. Even Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman claimed that during Katrina and Rita, "there was not one case where we had a situation with oil or gas being spilled in the environment." This is a lie: Those hurricanes caused 124 offshore oil spills releasing over 700,000 gallons of oil. The clear evidence of Ike's environmental damage comes just days after A6D76" allowed the ban on offshore oil drilling to expire, potentially clearing the way for hundreds of new rigs to be built -- and for destructive new oil spills to be created.


CIVIL RIGHTS -- FOX'S '24' PRODUCER WITHDRAWS ENDORSEMENT OF ANTI-MUSLIM FILM 'OBESSION': The executive producer of Fox's "24," Howard Gordon, has "withdrawn his endorsement" of an anti-Muslim film "currently being distributed to some 28 million households in presidential election swing states." The film -- entitled "Obession: Radical Islam's War Against the West" -- features "graphic images of terrorism, video of anti-American speeches from Mideast television and comparisons with Nazi Germany." The Council on American-Islamic Relations noted that "those interviewed in 'Obsession' constitute a veritable who's who of Muslim-bashers," including one individual who said last year, "Islam is not the religion of God -- Islam is the devil." About 70 different new papers, including the New York times, agreed to distribute the film "on the grounds that rejecting it would violate the sponsor's right to free speech." The "great majority of the reaction" that papers have received from their readers has been negative. A spokesperson for The News & Observer in Raleigh, NC, one of the distributors of the film, said that "the paper received about 500 e-mail and phone messages and had some 50 cancellations." The DVD is being distributed by the Clarion fund, "a nonprofit founded in 2006 to address 'the most urgent threat of radical Islam.'"

MEDIA -- TRADITIONAL MEDIA STAND TO RECEIVE $1.44 BILLION FROM McCAIN'S TAX CUTS: Prior to and following the vice-presidential debates, several prominent conservatives on Fox News purported that the "mainstream media" has a preference for an Obama presidency. Fox pundits Bill Kristol, Kirsten Powers, and Bernard Goldberg all agreed on the "obvious fact" of the "transparent agenda" of liberal media bias. These claims fly in the face of reality. The multinational corporations that run the mainstream media -- GE (NBC), Time Warner (CNN), Walt Disney (ABC), News Corporation (FOX), and Viacom (CBS) -- stand to benefit hugely under a Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) presidency, however. The centerpiece of McCain's economic plan -- actually, the whole plan -- is large tax cuts for corporations. It would deliver $1.44 billion in tax cuts to the five largest media companies, according to an analysis by the Center for American Progress Action Fund. These giveaways are just one result of McCain's doubling of the Bush tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy, which would create the largest deficits in 25 years and drive the United States into the deepest debt since World War II. McCain and Palin have promised that the recent $700 billion bailout would not threaten these tax cuts.

Lobbyists are angling to play a greater role as Treasury implements the bailout and Congress debates "how best to strengthen financial market oversight," The Hill reports. Several law and lobbying firms "announced the creation of financial services task forces that they are marketing to clients and potential clients as multi-disciplinary, one-stop shops for legislative, regulatory and legal advice."

Over the weekend, both Bill Maher's film "Religulous" and David Zucker's right-wing "An American Carol" opened up at the box office. Although "An American Carol" was playing on three times as many screens as "Religulous," three times as many people went to see Maher's film, and box office receipts were roughly the same.

The Supreme Court opens a new term today, with one of the first orders of business hearing arguments about limiting lawsuits against tobacco companies. The "business-friendly" court has so far agreed to hear 41 cases for the 2008-2009 term, with "at least 16 of these as business cases."

A "record-breaking season for voter registration drives" ends today with Democrats adding over 800,000 voters to the rolls and Republicans losing 300,000 “in eight of the most tightly fought states in the presidential race: Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Colorado, Iowa, Nevada, New Mexico and New Hampshire."

House Republicans are defending deregulation in a new report, as the House Oversight Committee prepares to examine the causes of the financial crisis. "In the midst of the most serious financial crisis in a generation, some claim that deregulation is entirely to blame," the report says. "This is simply not true."

"Cowed by the financial crisis, American consumers are pulling back on their spending, all but guaranteeing that the economic situation will get worse before it gets better. ... When the final tally is in, consumer spending for the quarter just ended will almost certainly shrink, the first quarterly decline in nearly two decades."

Stocks tumbled in Europe and Asia today, a day after Germany and Belgium were “left scrambling to prevent the collapse of two lenders." "Trading on banking shares were halted in Iceland and Russia suspended both of its exchanges after indexes fell more than 14 percent."

And finally: Although Congress had been working around the clock on bailout legislation, "some Senators clearly tried to sneak in some fun amid all the pressures of meetings, briefings and cable news appearances." Roll Call reports that Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) "was spotted stocking up on celebratory libations" at a Capitol Hill bar, and on Thursday morning, Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) managed to get in some golfing.

AMES GRANT
Bad Medicine washingtonpost.com — The unblinkable fact is that Americans own too much house. We overpaid and overborrowed, and many of us are "upside down," as the car dealers say. What to do? Recognize the losses and write them off. What not to do? Inflate the currency and debase accounting standards.

DAVID ROTHKOPF
9/11 Was Big. This Is Bigger. washingtonpost.com — Two September shocks will define the presidency of George W. Bush. Stunningly enough, it already seems clear that the second may well have far greater and more lasting ramifications than the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. That's because while 9/11 changed the way we view the world, the current financial crisis has changed the way the world views us. And it will also change, in some very fundamental ways, the way the world works.


DEAN BAKER
Did Paulson Mislead Bush on the Bailout? tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com — According to the Washington Post, after the initial defeat of the bailout package in the House, President Bush asked Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson about "Plan B." Paulson told Bush "there is no Plan B." Of course this was not true.

MIKE ILLIS
The Golden Parachute Survives washingtonindependent.com — For supporters of the Bush administration's $700-billion Wall Street bailout, it stands as a key selling point: a provision that limits pay packages for the heads of companies helped by the taxpayer-funded rescue program. There's just one problem: It would do little to cap executive pay or rein in the enormous retirement packages — the golden parachutes — that have come to symbolize corporate excess.

GARRISON KEILLOR
They're Steailing from You and Me — Where's the Outrage? alternet.org — It wasn't their money Wall Street was playing with. It was ours.

NICK TURSE
Pentagon Hands Iraq Oil Deal to Shell alternet.org — The U.S. government secretly facilitated dealings between Shell and the Iraqi Oil Ministry for no-bid contracts.

KEN BROCINER
Internationalism and the Progressive Movement inthesetimes.com — One of the finest traditions of the American left has been its historic commitment to solidarity with the oppressed and poverty-stricken peoples of the world. In the last few years, however, the progressive movement has become far too insular. We have too often neglected our internationalist responsibilities–especially when it comes to confronting the ravages of world poverty.

MICHAEL MOYNIHAN
The Bailout and Support for Renewable Energy ndnblog.org — It was stagnant wages and falling living standards for the middle class over the last eight years, as much as anything else, that drove Americans to try to compensate with their own version of structured finance in the form of questionable mortgages and home equity loans on their homes. And more generally, it was a preoccupation with financial engineering over real engineering that drove our society, especially our financial sector, to mortgage itself to the hilt. Going forward, America must first stimulate the economy by investing in clean infrastructure.

DAVID SIROTA
On the Bailout Vote: A Final Good, Bad & Ugly Analysis The House has voted, the bill is signed, and the deal is basically done. And so, I wanted to just post a few final thoughts on the bailout. Here they are in a good, bad and ugly sequence.

ISAIAH J. POOLE
Beyond The Bailout: What We Must Do Now Now that the president has signed a $700 billion bailout bill for Wall Street, the work of grassroots activists who fought for a Main Street recovery has just begun. In this interview, co-director Robert Borosage and The Nation's Washington correspondent, William Greider lay out the agenda and the challenges for progressives in the coming weeks. Hear their advice on where bailout opponents should channel their energy.

How Do We Get Credit Flowing Again? - Randall Forsyth, Barron's
Cut To 1%--Now! - Brian Wesbury & Robert Stein, Forbes
John McCain's Act III - Peter Wehner, Commentary
The Race is Over - Howard Wolfson, The New Republic
The Ayers Question - Yuval Levin, National Review
Does Race Really Matter? - Michael Cohen, New York Times
A Reporter Accuses Palin of Racism - James Taranto, Wall Street Journal
5 Questions About the New Electorate - Tom Schaller, American Prospect
How To Win Afghanistan's Opium War - Christopher Hitchens, Slate
RCP Nat'l Average: Obama +6.4% / RCP Electoral Map: Obama +101 EVs
RCP Blog: McCain Fires Back Against Keating 5 / Politics Nation: Kirk

Newman Inspired a Generation of Entrepreneurs
Jonathan Greenblatt, 10.06.2008

Economy in Shambles; Markets Crashing
Hale "Bonddad" Stewart, 10.06.2008

Meet the $700 Billion Bailout Czar, Neel Kashkari
Rob Kall, 10.06.2008

Fox News: Barney Frank Escaped Blame for Fannie Mae's Problems Because He Is Gay
David Fiderer, 10.06.2008

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Dow?
Max Keiser, 10.06.2008

The End of American Capitalism? 5 Short Takes on Where the Financial Crisis Might Be Headed

By Al Jazeera

Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace: Five prominent economists share their thoughts on what's happening and how bad the situation really is.

Women's Health: Yet Another Issue Sarah Palin is Out of Touch On

Cecile Richards, Huffington Post

Reproductive Justice and Gender: Women voting for McCain-Palin is like chickens voting for Col. Sanders.


If We Get Through This Crisis, We'll Face Another in 5 to 10 Years -- Here's Why

Joshua Holland, AlterNet

Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace: You don't need a crystal ball -- history is repeating itself.


A Country in Shambles, Under GOP Rule

Glenn Greenwald, Salon

Election 2008: The overarching reality of the country is that we've lived under unchallenged Republican rule, and the country has virtually collapsed on every level.

Obama's Flimsy Ties to Bill Ayers

Ari Berman, The Nation

Election 2008: The McCain campaign is attacking Barack Obama for his minor ties in Chicago to former '60s radical Bill Ayers -- here's the real story.


Democratic Election Protection Strategy's Missing Link: Electronic Vote Counts

Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet

Democracy and Elections: As Democrats sense victory in November, they are betting a record turnout will overcome partisan interference with the vote count.


How Bad Is McCain's Melanoma?

Sam Stein, Huffington Post

Health and Wellness: The public deserves to know how advanced McCain's skin cancer is. If pilots have to release medical records, so should would-be presidents.

Corporations Have Big Plans to Profit from Global Warming

Jill Richardson, AlterNet

Environment: A bunch of multinationals have figured out how to make their pollution-based businesses seem like the solution to the climate crisis.


Iraq to Give 82% of Proven Oil Reserves to International Oil Companies

Staff, Iraq Oil Report

PEEK: Oil companies to benefit from war? Say it ain't so.

When Their Supporters Call Obama a Terrorist and Demand His Assassination, McCain and Palin Remain Silent

Post by Staff
Election 2008: McCain and Palin condone the most viral Obama smears. More »

• Full Post

• Why McCain’s Time With Council Of World Freedom Matters
• McCain Linked to Private Extremist Group in Iran-Contra Case
• Campaigns Shift to Attack Mode on Eve of Debate
• Hagel’s Wife To Back Obama
• NY Gov. David Paterson Formally Declares Plans For Reelection

The Strange Case of the Colorado Labor-Business Coalition
Dana Goldstein
October 6, 2008 | web only
In the Rocky Mountain swing state, business leaders are working alongside unions to defeat a right-to-work ballot initiative. But that doesn't mean Colorado is friendly to organized labor. Inside one of the wackiest political compromises in American history.

Union volunteers verify signatures on a Colorado ballot initiative on Sept. 3, 2008. (AP Photo/Kristen Wyatt)

The group blog of The American Prospect
Is McCain oblivious?
Posted at 9:04 a.m.



A respectable liberal blog
The problem with air strikes.
Posted at 9:14 a.m.



Dean Baker's economic commentary
The Fed's plan B.
Posted at 6:03 a.m.

Five Questions About the New Electorate
Thomas F. Schaller
October 6, 2008
For a decade or more, we've been promised an electoral transformation: Younger voters, minorities, and women will prevail over the older, conservative majority. Is this the year the predictions come true?

Will the November Surprise Be Disenfranchised Voters?
Paul Waldman
October 7, 2008 | web only
Don't expect everything to go smoothly on Election Day. Make no mistake: the problems that existed in 2000 and 2004 haven't gone away. There could be millions of Americans who will be prevented from exercising their franchise on November 4th.

What Comes After Paulson?
Robert Kuttner
October 6, 2008 | web only
The Paulson plan will take weeks to implement, and markets are already declaring a resounding vote of no-confidence.

What if McCain knows what he's doing?
Charlie Martin
Sometimes, if I'm puzzled by someone's actions, I like to ask myself "if he's really smarter than I am, why would he be doing what he's doing?" More

Sowing ACORNs to reap the biggest oak tree in Washington, DC
James Lewis
"From tiny ACORNs mighty oaks do grow" is the old slogan, from which the revolutionary organization ACORN derives its name More

The Great American Crapshoot
Jim H. Ainsworth
Well, they passed it. Wall Street bailout, Main Street Rescue, or whatever you want to call it, is now law. Now we will roll the dice 700 times, a billion on the table each time. More

Waxman won't hold hearings on Fannie, Freddie
October 07, 2008
Are you shocked, shocked to find out from Dan Blatt that his Congressman Rep. Henry Waxman isn't planning any hearings on Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae? More

California to recognize 'bride' and 'groom' again
October 07, 2008
Rachel Bird married Gideon Codding in church last month, but discovered that "Party A" or "Party B" have replaced "bride" and "groom" on California marriage licenses. More

Obama keeps some earmarks 'All in the Family'
October 07, 2008
Simple, basic corruption - enriching those closest to you. More

ETA Terrorist released to undergo fertility treatment
October 07, 2008
Apparently the Spanish birth rate is low that the country desperately needs new babies to continue. Really desperately. More

NBC pulls video of SNL skit embarrassing Dems
October 07, 2008
NBC has pulled the video of the Saturday Night Live skit satirizing the role of George Soros and the Sandlers in the collapse of Wachovia Bank off the internet and is deleting comments on its message boards asking about it. More

Democrat profile in courage ignored by US media
October 07, 2008
The American media largely ignores a brave and honest Democrat telling the truth about the financial crisis. It takes Dominic Lawson of the left-leaning UK Independent to tell the truth: More

Obama's Father Figure
October 07, 2008
It is refreshing to see Sarah Palin going after Obama's radical, America-hating intimates. This is Obama's most vulnerable point. More

It's official: Rezko's talking
October 06, 2008
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, prosecutors have formally requested an indefinite delay in sentencing convicted-felon Anthony Rezko so they may question him concerning political corruption in Illinois. More

Democrats attack their benefactor
October 06, 2008
Henry Waxman waxed righteously indignant, as the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee grilled Richard Fuld of Lehman Brothers. Kind of funny if you follow the money. More

More Gore Sham Shock and Awe
October 06, 2008
Any guesses where Al Gore points the blame for the June floods and tornadoes that ravaged Iowa? Yep! More

Where was Congressman's Henry Waxman's Oversight Committee during all this turmoil?
October 06, 2008
The Oversight and Government Reform Committee of the House of Representatives is grilling financial company executives this week What have they been up to for the past year? More

Teacher suspended in Obama video scandal
October 06, 2008
The shocking video of uniformed youngsters marching and chanting about Obama we blogged yesterday turns out to have been organized during school hours by a middle school teacher at a (taxpayer funded) charter school in Kansas City. More

• A Long Term Strategy for a Free Market Bailout - Larrey Anderson

• Gwen Ifill's VP Debate Bias - Lee Cary

• The postman always rings twice - Bob Weir

Palin Goes Ballistic: Philip Giraldi

Regime Change: Promise and Peril: S. Kinzer

Iran, the IAEA, and the Laptop: M. Sahimi

Pakistan, US on Brink of War? Mustafa Qadri

Brits: No Win in Afghanistan: Robert Dreyfuss

Ann Wright:
'My Daughter’s Dream Became a Nightmare': The Murder of Military Women Continues


Norman Solomon:
Projecting an Obama Victory


Chris Hedges:
Dennis Kucinich on the Democrats’ Bailout Betrayal


Johann Hari:
McCain Is Deluding Himself Over the 'Surge'


James Carroll:
Making Some Sense of $700b


Jeffrey Locke:
Population, Family Planning and Presidential Priorities


Tom Engelhardt:
Spying on the Future


Sunday, October 5
Caroline Arnold:
A High Price for Looking the Other Way

Robert Fisk:
When It Comes to Palestine and Israel, the US Simply Doesn't Get It


Glenn Greenwald:
A Country in Shambles, Under GOP Rule


Donna Smith:
Trickle Down Has Finally Trickled Up

Syria's Nuclear Revival by Robert Maginnis The New Rogue Nuclear Troika: North Korea, Iran, and Syria.

One Last Chance for McCainby Newt GingrichCan McCain offer a path to economic growth and prosperity?

Campaign Rhetoric Heats Up Before Debateby Connie HairIn a speech McCain supporters have been waiting for since the suspension of his campaign to deal with the financial crisis McCain said...

Of Generals and Victories by Patrick J. Buchanan"Once war is forced upon us, there is no other alternative than to apply every available means to bring it to a swift end."

Fit for A King -- Or At Least a Crown Princeby John McCaslinPalin's 2006 dinner invitation to Prince Charles ... this week's Washington Rumor Mill

Stealing Ohioby Erick EricksonObama's campaign and its surrogates are leaving nothing to chance in Ohio.

Top Ten Federal Bailoutsby Human EventsThe top federal government bailouts.

Michigan's Walberg on Feedback for Opposing Bailoutby John GizziAlthough 25 Republicans and 33 Democrats who had initially voted to kill the package switched to "aye," Walberg remained "no."

Anyone Else Want To Run Away To A Tropical Island?by Rachel MarsdenIn not opposing the bailout, McCain and the GOP risk two things: Alienating the undecideds, and...

Caption Contest: Palin vs. Bidenby Human EventsSend your own clever and funny (yet tasteful) captions that best fit the photo...

Can McCain Recover?by Jed BabbinMcCain can't afford to miss any more opportunities.

Sarah Barracuda Visits Nebraskaby Doug PattonThe Left would likely be shocked to see how purple their blue states really are.

No Palin Boost, But It's Not Overby Michelle OddisPalin's charming performance debating Joe Biden did nothing more than stop the bleeding after a brutal week of economic crisis and...

Town-Hall Debates Can Go Very Wrong - John Dickerson, Slate
Can John McCain Pull This One Off? - Roger Simon, The Politico
McCain Campaign and the Financial Crisis - Jay Cost, RealClearPolitics
Low Road to the White House - Walter Shapiro, Salon
The Bomber as School Reformer - Sol Stern, City Journal
The Real Obama - Thomas Sowell, RealClearPolitics
Media Gives Palin a Pass - Richard Cohen, Washington Post
Biden's No Expert - He Just Plays One on TV - Jonah Goldberg, LA Times
Bailout Vote is Proof: The Center Holds - Mark Penn, The Politico
McCain Must Talk Growth and Recovery - Larry Kudlow, RealClearMarkets
The Twilight of Conservative Rule - Jonathan Chait, The New Republic
The Testing Time - David Brooks, New York Times
We're Not Headed for a Depression - Gary Becker, Wall Street Journal
Financial System Needs Emergency Surgery - Gerard Baker, London Times
Catholics & Abortion (Again) - Cal Thomas, Sacramento Bee
The Candidates and the Supreme Court - Erwin Chemerinsky, LA Times
There's a Job to Finish in Baghdad - Bret Stephens, Wall Street Journal
RCP Blog: AM Report / Politics Nation: Strat Memo: Night in Nashville
Editorials
The Crisis Agenda - New York Times
Barney Frank's Bankrupt Ideas - Investor's Business Daily
Obama, McCain Must Have the Guts to Tell Truth - Dallas Morning News
The Hour of Europe - Times of London

Political News & Analysis
Campaigns Shift to Attack Mode on Eve of Debate - New York Times
As Palin Brings Up Ayers, Obama Cites Keating - Washington Post
McCain's Electoral Options Shrinking - Los Angeles Times
Doubts Grow Over Rescue, More Measures Possible - The Hill

Transcripts & Speeches


McCain Attacks Obama in Albquerque Speech - John McCain
Obama Says McCain Wants to Distract from Issues - Barack Obama
Guests: Sens. Lieberman and McCaskill - Fox News Sunday
Guests: Reps. Emanuel & Blackburn; Mayor Bloomberg - Late Edition
Guests: Gov. Granholm & Sen. Feinstein (PDF) - Face the Nation

Best of the Blogs
A Non-Ayers, Non-Wright Strategy for McCain - Patrick Ruffini, Next Right
The William Ayers He Knows - Ross Douthat, Atlantic
Is Now the Time to Talk About Keating? - Jason Zengerle, The Plank
The Missing SNL Bailout Skit - Michelle Malkin
Obama's Tipping Point Has Been Reached - BooMan, Booman Tribune

ECONOMY
The Page That Won't Turn
According to September polling from Gallup, the percentage of Americans who have "negative" feelings about the economy is now at 81 percent. But Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) campaign admitted this weekend that it is trying to distract the country from focusing on the nation's economic woes. "We are looking for a very aggressive last 30 days," said Greg Strimple, one of McCain's top advisers. "We are looking forward to turning a page on this financial crisis and getting back to discussing Mr. Obama's aggressively liberal record and how he will be too risky for Americans." "If we keep talking about the economic crisis, we're going to lose," admitted another aide. The issue has for months been the number one area of concern to voters. While McCain hopes to avoid talking about the economy -- perhaps because of his poor understanding of economics -- the crisis is quickly altering the lifestyles of working and middle-class Americans and is not going away soon. Consumers are pulling back on their spending, for example, "all but guaranteeing that the economic situation will get worse before it gets better," the New York Times reported yesterday.

AMERICANS HIT HARD: The poor flow of credit in the U.S. economy is affecting virtually all aspects of American life. The Washington Post reports today that "unemployment claims are at a seven-year high, and factory orders are sharply down. ... Small businesses can't get financing." The landscapes of American cities are changing. Because of the rise in foreclosures, the number of homeless people in Massachusetts, for example, is at a record high. The country is seeing a rise in "tent cities" because of rising homelessness. Hourly and weekly wages in July 2008 were at their lowest levels since October 2005. As a "result of the worsening economy," Medicaid enrollment has risen 2.1 percent this year, with a projected 3.6 percent increase for next year -- the highest rate in five years. In the meantime, the McCain campaign announced yesterday that it would cut $1.3 trillion from Medicaid and Medicare.

STATE-LEVEL FINANCIAL CRISIS: The slow economy is also paralyzing the spending of state governments, forcing massive budget cuts. According to a July survey by the National Conference of State Legislatures, states are being forced to slash spending and cut jobs "in order to close a projected $40 billion shortfall in the current fiscal year," more than triple the size of the previous year's. New York Gov. David Paterson (D) predicted that the 2009-10 state deficit will be a record $8 billion, calling on lawmakers to make $2 billion in cuts. With concerns about their states' ability to access credit markets for short-term borrowing, both California and Massachusetts have asked the U.S. treasury for similar bailouts as given to Wall Street banks. The Department of Labor reported last week that the country shed 159,000 jobs in September, and the unemployment rate has increased to its highest level in five years. "The increase in the rate of job loss may well be rooted in credit market tightening," Michael Ettlinger and Amanda Logan of the Center for American Progress observed. The worker is hit doubly hard, as state jobless funds are drying out, too. According to the National Employment Law Project at least 11 states are facing financial challenges paying their jobless benefits.

STIMULUS NEEDED: Last week, Congress passed a financial rescue package that failed to sufficiently address the underlying problem of creating a mechanism that ensures the restructuring of home mortgages to help homeowners. Today, the country needs a second stimulus package, as CAP has outlined, which would help stimulate the economy and stem the tide of job loss. The second stimulus package should jump-start a low-carbon economy, invest in infrastructure, expand unemployment insurance, increase energy assistance, and boost food stamp support. Contrary to McCain's plan to cut Medicaid, the stimulus package should also expand Medicaid aid to the states. "A proactive Medicaid policy would help preserve health coverage, jobs, and state financial stability -- all of which will help an economic recovery," Ettlinger and Logan noted.

ECONOMY -- YOUNG ADULTS' OPINIONS ON ECONOMIC POLICY ARE BECOMING MORE ALIKE AND MORE PROGRESSIVE: According to a new report by the Center for American Progress, "[W]hites, blacks, and Hispanics in the Millennial Generation -- Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 -- are more diverse and share more similar attitudes about the economy than any previous generation of young people." The report, authored by David Madland and Amanda Logan, notes that "young whites today are closing the progressive gap with minorities on most of the economic issues...and on some issues have become more progressive." The study found that "over the past 20 years, an average of 86 percent of blacks aged 18 to 29 agreed that labor unions are necessary to protect workers, while 72 percent of young whites agreed -- a 14 percentage-point progressive gap. Today the gap is just 2 percentage points." Furthermore, "young whites are slightly more supportive of universal government-provided health care than young Hispanics and nearly as supportive as young blacks," and the opinion gap has closed on issues such as federal funding for education and federal support for the poor. A previous report found that, overall, voters under 30 "have decidedly progressive views on the economy, possibly more so than any previous generation."

ENVIRONMENT -- GM EXEC STANDS BY DENIAL OF GLOBAL WARMING: Last February, General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz dismissed global warming as a "total crock of sh*t." He later defended his comments saying his "thoughts on what has or hasn't been the cause of climate change have nothing to do with the decisions I make." Last month during an appearance on the Colbert Report, Lutz even attacked GM's new next-generation hybrid automobile, the Chevy Volt, which can run entirely on electricity for trips of 40 miles or less -- as a weak and unattractive car. During a CBS 60 Minutes interview aired on CBS last Sunday, Lutz refused to back away from his global warming denial. "Well they don't like what you said about global warming," correspondent Leslie Stahl said. "Do you want to repeat what you said about global warming?" "Of course not, because this is a family network," Lutz said. "You don't think there's global warming? Is that really true?" Stahl asked. "I'm not going to get into this," Lutz answered. "Speaking about his own personal carbon footprint, Lutz acknowledges he and his wife own two helicopters and two jets," CBS noted.

CIVIL RIGHTS -- THE NUMBER OF GAY MARRIAGES IN CALIFORNIA SURPASS THOSE IN MASSACHUSETTS: A new study released today by UCLA's Williams Institute finds that "more gay couples were married in California in the first three months that same-sex marriages were legal than were married in the first four years it was legal in Massachusetts." The report comes just a month before California voters will decide "whether gay couples can continue to marry when they vote on Proposition 8, which would amend the state Constitution to define marriage as between only a man and a woman." While opponents of Proposition 8 welcomed the finding, supporters dismissed the significance of thousands of married couples. "There are enormous numbers of people doing cocaine right now. ... Simply because large numbers of people are doing something does not make it right," Pastor Jim Garlow told the Los Angeles Times. The debate over the gay marriage ban in California is highly competitive as both sides have "poured $41.2 million into the race, more than the combined total spent in the 24 states where similar measures have gone before voters since 2004." Polls of public opinion have been all over the place with some showing significant opposition to the ban and others indicating a slight majority support for it.

ROBERT KUTTNER
What Comes After Paulson? prospect.org — The Paulson plan will take weeks to implement, and markets are already declaring a resounding vote of no-confidence.

KATRINA VANDEN HEUVEL
Who's Watching the Fox at Treasury? thenation.com — As the Bush administration outsources management of the bailout bonanza, how many more Goldman Sachs alums will fill critical posts? And with the fox guarding the henhouse — who's watching the fox?

TOM FRANK
Five Aspects of the Conservative State tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com — Conservatism's only failing, its defenders moan, is that it has never been tried. All corruption is hence traceable to some residual liberalism; conservative doctrines remain utterly pure and innocent. The conservative state? There is no such thing. Really?

ARTHUR BLAUSTEIN
Republican Economic Theories Don't Add Up truthdig.com — Here's the Economic Sweepstakes Quiz. The rules are simple. Guess which president since World War II did best on eight most generally accepted measures of good management of the nation's economy. You can choose among six Republicans: Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Bushes I and II; and five Democrats: Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, Carter and Clinton. (No peeking.)

GLENN GREENWALD
A Country in Shambles, Under Conservative Rule alternet.org — The overarching reality of the country is that we've lived under unchallenged conservative rule, and the country has virtually collapsed on every level.

TREMAYNE
Republican Intellectuals: Voters are Polluting our Democracy openleft.com — Conservatives are now taking their frustration to its logical conclusion: blaming our system of representative government. Basically their argument is this: Too many damn voters!

MARIO ROY
Field of Ruins truthout.org — Americans will recover one way or another from the present financial crisis, whatever remedy they finally come up with. They'll recover because they still make up a nation that never counts itself defeated, that is still inventive, determined, and powerful. But something of the crisis will persist...

JONATHAN COHN
When You Are Denied Health Insurance msnbc.msn.com — Sometimes even healthy people — who fill out all the right forms, fill them out truthfully, and do everything else right — can't get a company to sell them a health insurance policy.

Obama vs. McCain: Who Won? Short Takes on the Debate

By AlterNet

Election 2008: Liliana Segura, Don Hazen, Joshua Holland, David Sirota, Jill Tubman, Arianna Huffington, Andrew Sullivan and others share the