Analysis: Palin's words carry racial tinge … WASHINGTON (AP) - By claiming that Democrat Barack Obama is “palling around with terrorists” and doesn't see the U.S. like other Americans, vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin targeted key goals for a faltering campaign.

Obama clinches on Rove map  —  With 30 days until Nov. 4, Karl Rove projects that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) would get at least 273 electoral votes - three more than are needed to win - if the presidential election were held today.  —  But Rove warns that this race is “susceptible to rapid changes …

Hilarious Example of Media Bias  —  You've got to watch this video.  CNN's Soledad O' Brien ran a focus group of self declared Republicans, Democrats and undecideds during the Palin/Biden debate.  —  Soledad asked them immediately after the debate, “How many thought Joe Biden won the debate tonight?”

Minnesota Poll: Obama leaps ahead of McCain  —  The Democrat's lead in the state is tied to the economy, the debate and new party strength.  —  Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has opened up a commanding lead in Minnesota over Republican John McCain, according to a new Star Tribune Minnesota Poll.

Frank talk of Obama and race in Virginia  —  As Obama supporters push to win the dead-even battleground state, they are talking directly about race, betting that the best way to put neighbors at ease is to open up.  —  WHITEWOOD, VA. — The isolated towns of Virginia's Appalachian coal region …

Pitbull Palin Mauls McCain  —  SARAH PALIN'S post-Couric/Fey comeback at last week's vice presidential debate was a turning point in the campaign.  But if she “won,” as her indulgent partisans and press claque would have it, the loser was not Joe Biden.  It was her running mate.

Exclusive: Obama to preempt McCain assault  —  Branding his opponent as “erratic in a crisis,” Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is preempting plans by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to portray him as having sinister connections to controversial Chicagoans.  —  Obama officials call it political jujitsu - turning the attacks back on the attacker.

Ifill: Palin ‘blew me off’ during the debate.  —  During the vice presidential debate on Thursday, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin announced that she “may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear.”  In fact, “On at least 10 occasions, Palin gave answers that were nonspecific …

Porn producer invokes the Bush/Yoo defense — unsuccessfully  —  On Friday in Tampa, Florida, Paul F. Little was sentenced by a federal judge to 3 years and 10 months in a federal prison after being convicted of the grave and terrible crime of distributing pornography “over the Internet and through the mail” …

Palin Misquotes Albright: “Place In Hell Reserved For Women Who Don't Support Other Women”  —  At a rally today in California, Gov. Sarah Palin offered up a rather jarring argument for supporting the Republican ticket.  “There's a place in Hell reserved for women who don't support other women …

Obama's ‘Good Will’ Hunting  —  From the magazine issue dated Oct 13, 2008  —  The Obama campaign has shattered all fund-raising records, raking in $458 million so far, with about half the bounty coming from donors who contribute $200 or less.  Aides say that's an illustration of a truly democratic campaign.

Cubs' latest failure is worse than ever … It wasn't a collapse.  “Collapse” is too nice a word.  A collapse would mean the Chicago Cubs actually showed up for the National League Division Series.  —  It wasn't a choke.  A choke is what happened in 2003 when the Cubs were exactly five outs away …