McCain on banking and health  —  OK, a correspondent directs me to John McCain's article, Better Health Care at Lower Cost for Every American, in the Sept./Oct. issue of Contingencies, the magazine of the American Academy of Actuaries.  You might want to be seated before reading this.

Linking Obama to Ex-Fannie Mae Chief Is a Stretch  —  “Obama has no background in economics.  Who advises him?  The Post says it's Franklin Raines, for ‘advice on mortgage and housing policy.’ Shocking.  Under Raines, Fannie Mae committed ‘extensive financial fraud.’ Raines made millions.

Racial views steer some white Dems away from Obama  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Deep-seated racial misgivings could cost Barack Obama the White House if the election is close, according to an AP-Yahoo News poll that found one-third of white Democrats harbor negative views toward blacks …

U.S. Bailout Plan Calms Markets, But Struggle Looms Over Details  —  The nation's top economic generals pressed Congress to move with extraordinary speed — by next week — to authorize a plan to bail out the U.S. financial system, but are still working to iron out enormously complicated details likely to generate controversy.

Exclusive: New Doubts Over Palin's Troopergate Claims  —  Internal Government Document Contradicts Sarah Palin, Campaign  —  An internal government document obtained by ABC News appears to contradict Sarah Palin's most recent explanation for why she fired her public safety chief …

The Palin Effect  —  Her enemies are bellowing like a wounded moose.  —  Now that the dust is beginning to settle from the whirlwind descent of Hurricane Sarah, it may be time to stand back a little and assess in perspective what the moose-hunting beauty from Wasilla, Alaska, has wrought.

Charges Dropped Against DN!  Journalists - Investigation Needed  —  The St. Paul City Attorney's office announced Friday it will not prosecute Democracy Now! journalists Amy Goodman, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar.  St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman also issued a statement Friday that …

Army Alters Photographs, Issues Them To AP  —  The Associated Press retracted two government-issued photographs last night after a photographer in Texas alerted the agency that the photos in question appeared to be doctored.  —  Bob Owen, chief photographer of the San Antonio Express-News …

Obama votes ‘present’ on new economic rescue plan for now  —  CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Sen. Barack Obama today met with some of his many economic advisors and made an announcement that he was not going to make an announcement about any new plan to plan plans.  —  Obama did suggest a bipartisan effort …

Democrats threaten to kneecap Jewish nonprofits  —  Why is it, exactly, that so many Jews are Democrats?  That's right.  Because Democrats are the champions of liberal, social causes.  They're against tyranny and all for liberty, freedom, and especially, the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.

Congressional Leaders Stunned by Warnings  —  WASHINGTON — It was a room full of people who rarely hold their tongues.  But as the Fed chairman, Ben S. Bernanke, laid out the potentially devastating ramifications of the financial crisis before congressional leaders on Thursday night, there was a stunned silence at first.

Karzai Agrees To Meet With Palin  —  Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin will meet next week with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in New York, on the sidelines of the opening of the U.N. General Assembly, according to Afghan officials in Washington.

High Anxiety  —  We went from playing inflation-era Monopoly to playing depression-era Monopoly in mid-game.  —  Friends and tradesmen, not to mention clients, have all been asking me the same question in the past few weeks.  Is this 1929?  Are we headed for a depression?

Meanwhile, the Other No. 2 Keeps On Punching  —  FLAT ROCK, Mich. — As the economy reels, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. — the Other Running Mate — has been absolutely butchering Senator John McCain across the Rust Belt this week.  It is not clear who has noticed.