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Agreement Reached on Bailout Ahead of High-Level Meeting — Proposal Breaks $700 Billion Into Installments — A bipartisan group of House and Senate lawmakers left a two-hour-plus meeting in the U.S. Capitol on Thursday saying they have a “fundamental agreement” on a $700 billion plan to bail out U.S. financial markets.
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House GOP: We have leverage on bailout — House Republicans say they have significant leverage on the revamped bailout package, claiming that Democrats will scramble for votes unless they make changes to it. — Republicans in the lower chamber are balking at the bailout package …

Frank: Republicans “winced” when McCain was mentioned in meeting — Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) said that “nobody mentioned McCain” during the several-hour-long meeting on the $700 billion market rescue plan, other than Frank and that his Republican colleagues “winced” when he did.

GOP, Democratic Negotiators Reach Agreement in Principle
Discussion:
The New Republic, The Crypt's Blogs, Democratic Strategist, All Spin Zone, Slog and Sadly, No!

Bush Meets With Obama and McCain, Details of Possible Deal Emerge
Discussion:
The Hill's Blog Briefing Room

Being Close To Russian Entails...... The next installment in Katie Couric's interview with Gov. Sarah Palin. — Watch CBS Videos Online — COURIC: You've cited Alaska's proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?
Discussion:
Jonathan Martin's Blogs, MyDD, The Washington Independent, Eunomia and Comments from Left Field
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Palin On Foreign Policy — “Exclusive”: Katie Couric talks with Gov. Sarah Palin about her foreign policy experience and Alaska's proximity to Russia.

PALIN'S UNIQUE SPIN ON THE BAILOUT.... When Sarah Palin sat down with ABC's Charlie Gibson a couple of weeks ago, it was a fairly dominant story. Palin's interview yesterday with CBS's Katie Couric is drawing significantly less attention, obviously because it's facing tougher competition from other news developments.

A Semi-Defense of Sarah Palin — Okay, maybe not even that. Let's call it a charitable interpretation of Sarah Palin. Matthew Yglesias is puzzled by her statement (in the interview Chris highlights below): … Yglesias wonders whether … But I think what she's actually talking …
Discussion:
Matthew Yglesias


In CBS Interview, Palin Calls For Surge In Afghanistan
Discussion:
Firedoglake


Obama Will Make Debate A Townhall If McCain Doesn't Show — UPDATE: An adviser Barack Obama says he expects John McCain to attend: … Barack Obama is committed to hosting a public, televised event Friday night in Mississippi even if John McCain does not show up, an official close to the Obama campaign tells the Huffington Post.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Marc Ambinder, Townhall.com, Crooks and Liars, Washington Monthly, Los Angeles Times, Hullabaloo, Gawker, TalkLeft, Hot Air, Open Left, Wonkette and The Politico
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Bill Clinton: Don't ‘Overly Parse’ McCain Request to Delay Debate — ABC News' Nitya Venkataraman Reports: Former President Bill Clinton defended Sen. John McCain's request to delay the first presidential debate, saying McCain did it in “good faith” and pushed organizers to reserve …


Palin takes questions from press corps for first time — NEW YORK (CNN) — Sarah Palin took questions from her traveling press corps Thursday for the first time since being tapped as John McCain's running mate. — Speaking to a small pool of reporters following a visit to Ground Zero in lower Manhattan …
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In a first, Palin takes press questions — NEW YORK — Sarah Palin fielded four questions from a small group of reporters Thursday after touring several Sept. 11-related sites, articulating a forceful approach to the war on terror but offering mostly evasive answers to specific questions.
Discussion:
The New Republic


O'Neill: Bush Doesn't Understand Crisis, ‘It Shows’ — The President's Former Treasury Secretary Speaks Out About $700 Billion Bailout — ABC NEWS Business Unit — Former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill said today that our nation's leaders — especially President Bush — are “in a panic” …
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Nope, nothing campaign-related here — McCain met with congressional leaders earlier today and has now returned to his Senate office. But it's increasingly implausible to think that what he's doing is anything different than he'd be doing on the campaign trail, except he's in person now instead of on his cell phone.
Discussion:
Salon
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McCain to do round of network interviews tonight — John McCain will appear on all three network newscasts tonight, a top aide said. — McCain is at the White House meeting with President Bush, Barack Obama and congressional leaders now and will tape interviews with NBC, ABC and CBS after the West Wing session.


Hugh Hefner to sack Playboy bunnies amid financial crisis — Playboy bunnies have become the latest victim of the credit crunch. — Tycoon Hugh Hefner has been advised to cut back on staff at his multi-million dollar glamour empire as it struggles to cope during the global economic turmoil.

Gallup Daily: Race Back to a Tie at 46% Each — PRINCETON, NJ — John McCain has gained ground and is now tied with Barack Obama among registered voters in the latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking update for Sept. 22-24, with each candidate getting 46% support.

McCain huddling with Boehner, Kyl to rally GOP support — The Senate clearly doesn't need McCain's help in pushing through the bailout deal, so McCain has returned to the Capitol and is meeting in Minority Leader John Boehner's office to discuss the legislation.


Obama grant being probed — A $100,000 state grant for a botanic garden in Englewood that then-state Sen. Barack Obama awarded in 2001 to a group headed by a onetime campaign volunteer is now under investigation by the Illinois attorney general amid new questions, prompted by Chicago Sun-Times reports …

McCain has not sponsored a banking bill this Congress — Republican presidential nominee John McCain has not introduced any banking or housing bills in the 110th Congress, while Democratic rival Barack Obama has proposed five. — Both candidates are traveling to Washington on Thursday …