The Two-Man Race  —  Only Rudy and Mitt have credible scenarios.  —  Ron Paul has been a striking presence in the Republican presidential debates.  One result is he's raised an unimaginable amount of money—$5.1 million in the third quarter—for an obscure congressman from Texas.

A bizarre, unsolicited email from Gen. Petraeus' spokesman  —  I received this morning an unsolicited email from Col. Steven A. Boylan, the Public Affairs Officer and personal spokesman for Gen. David G. Petraeus.  The subject line of the email — which I am publishing in full, unedited form here …

Walking Into Iran's Trap  —  ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Is the United States going to war with Iran?  That's what a Lebanese businessman here wants to know from a visiting American.  If it's war, he doesn't want to make a big new investment in the region.

Colbert campaigns in S.C.; Edwards camp attacks Doritos link  —  COLUMBIA, South Carolina (CNN) — Comedian Stephen Colbert brought his mock presidential campaign to the capital of South Carolina Sunday, where he was declared "favorite son" by the mayor of Columbia and given the key to the city.

Fox heralds Bush as a World Series 'hero.'  —  Last night, Fox aired a montage prior its airing of the Red Sox/Rockies game that celebrated great moments in World Series history.  "The story of the World Series is told in seven chapters," the narrator said, "each with their old tale, each with their own hero.

Edwards plans big for presidency  —  Candidate: Sacrifice must be priority, too  —  October 26.  —  John Edwards says if he's elected president, he'll institute a New Deal-like suite of programs to fight poverty and stem growing wealth disparity.  To do it, he said, he'll ask many Americans …

Newser's book: Ford saw Clinton as a sex 'addict'  —  Gerald Ford was disturbed by Bill Clinton's skirt-chasing ways - and thought he should check into a sex addiction clinic.  —  A new book on the late 38th President reveals he had strong views about the Clintons: He thought Hillary wore …

War, like life, is not a movie  —  As far as I know, the movie "Deliverance" has been featured in political discourse just the once.  Back in 1996, Pat Buchanan, hot from his triumph over Bob Dole in the New Hampshire primary, warned the country-club Republicans that he was coming to get them "like a character out of Deliverance."

Sheiks kidnapped after reconciliation meetings  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — Gunmen kidnapped 10 tribal sheiks in Baghdad as the men were heading home Sunday after meetings with Iraqi officials on the nation's contentious reconciliation process, an Interior Ministry official said.

Fred Thompson vs. the moonshiners  —  WOODBURY, TENN — .  — The case appeared to be open and shut.  —  The county sheriff had been caught selling an illegal whiskey still from the back of the county jail.  The buyers were a federal informant and an undercover federal investigator.

Governor Accused of Betraying Principles  —  Gov. Eliot Spitzer's retreat from his plan to permit illegal immigrants to obtain the same kind of driver's licenses as other New Yorkers drew angry reactions yesterday from civil liberties advocates and immigrant groups, some of whom described the shift as a stunning betrayal.

Michael Hirsh: Bush is taking the Israeli Line  —  I don't normally read Time or Newsweek, but I surfed into this attempt to blame the presumably now-inevitable-forthcoming-war-with- Iran on Bush.  It's sort of like Seymour Hersh without such fabulous sources as "former Pentagon consultants" and others around the Star Trek bar.