Economic Fears Give Obama Clear Lead Over McCain in Poll  —  Turmoil in the financial industry and growing pessimism about the economy have altered the shape of the presidential race, giving Democratic nominee Barack Obama the first clear lead of the general-election campaign over Republican John McCain …

McCain Aide's Firm Was Paid by Freddie Mac  —  WASHINGTON— One of the giant mortgage companies at the heart of the credit crisis paid $15,000 a month to a firm owned by Senator John McCain's campaign manager from the end of 2005 through last month, according to two people with direct knowledge of the arrangement.

Pelosi won't jump alone  —  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is telling Democrats that she will not support President Bush's $700 billion bailout of the financial sector unless there is significant Republican support for the controversial plan.  —  The politics of the bailout are tricky and dangerous …

The Issue Is Payback, Not Bailout  —  So are you for the bailout or against it?  —  Many people, I'm guessing, don't have an immediate answer to the question.  They understand that the financial crisis is serious enough to require a big response from the government.

Oh, That Joe!  (No. 17 in a Series) — First Thing We Do, Let's Retain All the Lawyers  —  “I think we're going to be up very late counting votes,” Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., told a kettle of lawyers Tuesday night at a fundraiser for the Democratic Victory Fund hosted by the American Association …

Americans Oppose Bailouts, Favor Obama to Handle Market Crisis  —  Sept. 24 (Bloomberg) — Americans oppose government rescues of ailing financial companies by a decisive margin, and blame Wall Street and President George W. Bush for the credit crisis.  —  By a margin of 55 percent to 31 percent …

A Note to Bill Clinton  —  Given that we would never have had the odious George W. Bush in the White House in the first place if it wasn't for your blow jobs, Bill, it seems obvious that you owe it to the people of this country, and especially to the parents whose kids died in the Iraq War …

DOES CONGRESS THINK THAT PAULSON ASKED FOR NOT ENOUGH POWER?  You might think so from reading the Dodd bill and the news accounts (including this very helpful discussion by Steven Davidoff):  —  1. Under the Paulson bill, Treasury will have the power to purchase mortgage-related assets.

The Floundering Yes on 8 Campaign: One Million Missing Lawn Signs Found in China  —  This past weekend the Yes on 8 campaign had talked up passing out ONE MILLION lawn signs.  It was going to be their big splash event, something big and bold to get a bunch of earned media.

New voting glitches raise concerns in Florida  —  Palm Beach problems have officials worried about potential repeat of 2000  —  TAMPA, Fla. - Nearly a month after voters in Florida cast their ballots, opponents in the razor-close election head for court as a judge approves a third recount.

GOP's Shelby Leads Conservatives Against Bailout  —  Alabaman Opposed Rescue of Chrysler; Tough on Paulson  —  WASHINGTON — With anger mounting from the left and right against the Treasury Department's proposed financial bailout, one of the opponents' most powerful allies is Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby …

And the Media Worries about Palin's Experience and McCain's Age?  —  I think in the space of about the last 24 hours, Joe Biden claimed that the AIG bailout was bad, but then said it wasn't bad;  —  that his apology about the dirty McCain ad was, as they say, inoperative;

What is the McCain Camp Hiding?  —  If Sarah Palin becomes vice president, she will presumably have meetings with people who are scarier than Michael Cooper, the Times reporter who seems to have the misfortune of covering her today.  I know Michael Cooper; he's a good reporter, but not very mean at all.

Heart-ache: Tiny terrorist gives Bush speech thumbs down at the UN; Update: Obama rips UN, Ahmadinejad  —  A spontaneous gesture of disapproval?  Hardly.  ABC caught him waving at the White House press corps intermittently to get their attention.  He may be a cretin, but he's a media-savvy cretin.