 Debate in McCain's favorite style
 Associated Press
Tonight's presidential debate offers Republican John McCain one of his last best chances to stop Democrat Barack Obama's recent surge in the race and turn it in his favor.
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Personal beliefs fuel Prop. 8 fundraising
$48 million contributed on same-sex marriage issue
SACRAMENTO, Oct. 7
California ballot measure campaigns are usually money magnets, drawing huge sums from special interests that often have a financial stake in the outcome.
But Proposition 8 is an anomaly. It's attracting tens of millions of dollars in contributions large and small from those who are motivated not by money but by their personal beliefs on same-sex marriage.
More Politics & Elections News
WASHINGTON, 11:30 a.m. Oct. 7 (AP)
McCain linked to group in Iran-Contra affair: Barack Obama has his William Ayers connection. Now John McCain may have an Iran-Contra connection. In the 1980s, McCain served on the advisory board to the U.S. chapter of an international group linked to ultra-right-wing death squads in Central America.
HARRISBURG, Pa., 8:46 a.m. Oct. 7 (AP)
Record Pa. voter registration pads Democrats' edge: Democratic registration has surged by 13 percent and Republican ranks have shrunk by 1 percent as a record 8.6 million people registered to vote in battleground Pennsylvania in the 2008 presidential election.
WASHINGTON, 1:49 p.m. Oct. 6 (AP)
Debate stakes higher for McCain: Running short on time, John McCain has the most riding on the second presidential debate, though Barack Obama will be out of his scripted comfort zone in the town hall-style confrontation. It could be ugly if Monday's tussling is any indication.
RICHMOND, Va., 8:08 p.m. Oct. 6 (AP)
Hagel's wife to back Obama: The wife of Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel plans to endorse Democrat Barack Obama. Lilibet Hagel has scheduled a 10 a.m. news conference in Alexandria, Va., on Tuesday with Susan Eisenhower, the granddaughter of Republican President Eisenhower. Susan Eisenhower also is an Obama supporter.
8:03 a.m. Oct. 7 (AP)
Polls: Obama leads in Ohio and Wis., tied in Ind.: THE POLL: Washington Post-ABC News poll of 772 likely Ohio voters (20 electoral votes). THE NUMBERS: Barack Obama, 51 percent; John McCain, 45 percent.
NEW YORK, 5:56 a.m. Oct. 7 (AP)
Campaign Comedy: Monday's late-night TV wrap-up: You'd hardly know the Democrats have even chosen a presidential candidate, judging from late-night comedy monologues. It was Republican John McCain and – oh, by the way – his vice presidential running mate, Sarah Palin, who claimed most of the jokesters' attention.
WASHINGTON, 5:33 a.m. Oct. 7 (AP)
McCain revisiting Keating 5 banking scandal again: Nearly two decades later, John McCain is still haunted by his role in the Keating Five scandal.
SANTA FE, N.M., 2:52 a.m. Oct. 7 (AP)
Officials find, fix glitch in NM voting machine: A glitch that would have kept votes from being counted in the presidential and other top-of-the-ticket races was discovered during a pre-election check of a voting machine in Santa Fe County, officials said.
HELENA, Mont., 1:44 a.m. Oct. 7 (AP)
Montana governor's race features old foes: Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer and his Republican challenger have both called for increased energy development, lower taxes and a more open state government.
BOSTON, 12:21 a.m. Oct. 7 (AP)
Tax-cutting questions appear on ballots next month: For years, Massachusetts was known derisively as “Taxachusetts.” But voters could help shed that label in November by completely eliminating the state's income tax in a single stroke.
12:20 a.m. Oct. 7 (AP)
Palin pledges of Alaska sunshine marred by secrets: Sarah Palin's promise for a new era of government openness as the reform governor of Alaska started to crack even before Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign built a wall of protectiveness around her.
NASHVILLE, Tenn., 10:00 p.m. Oct. 6 (REUTERS)
POLL-Obama has 3-point national lead on McCain: Democrat Barack Obama has a narrow 3-point lead in the U.S. presidential race on Republican John McCain less than a month before the election, according to a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll released Tuesday.
CLEARWATER, Fla., 9:34 p.m. Oct. 6 (REUTERS)
Palin warns Florida voters of 'rough' campaigning: Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin told Florida's voters Monday to expect “rough” campaigning as she seeks to halt a slide in opinion polls in a state that could make or break Sen. John McCain's White House bid.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, 12:13 a.m. Oct. 7 (AP)
McCain's stance against pork a balancing act: It's one of Republican presidential candidate John McCain's most surefire applause lines, a vow to veto pork barrel spending like the road and bridge projects that lawmakers hold dear.
ASHLAND, Va., 12:12 a.m. Oct. 7 (AP)
Ex-DNC chief stumps for Obama but eyes Va. race: Barnstorming Virginia to fire up Democrats for Barack Obama's presidential bid is something Terry McAuliffe says comes naturally for him.
NEW YORK, 8:17 p.m. Oct. 6 (AP)
NYC council takes up term limit change this week: Mayor Michael Bloomberg's crusade to change term limits law so he can run again gets its first official test this week with a bill in the City Council, where it will compete with legislation intended to stop him.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., 8:06 p.m. Oct. 6 (REUTERS)
U.S. candidates advisers debate approach on energy: John McCain and Barack Obama both believe the United States should reduce carbon emissions and cut its oil dependence, but differ on how active a role the government should play in energy policy, their advisors said Monday.
Oct. 7 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Eager voters cast ballots: In 2000, with an out-of-country trip planned on Election Day, Terry and Christi McCabe headed to the Registrar of Voters Office a week before the election to cast their ballots early for president. When they arrived, the line of voters stretched several hundred yards all the way to the street. They didn't have the time to wait and never got to vote in the election between Al Gore and George W. Bush – a huge regret for them.
Oct. 7 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Whether for it or against it, donors are from all walks of life:Not everybody has deep pockets. But deep commitments? That's another story. The vast majority of people donating money to support or defeat Proposition 8 – the Nov. 4 ballot measure that would ban same-sex marriage in California – aren't like San Diego hotel owner Doug Manchester (he's for it) or Hollywood star Brad Pitt (he's against it).
Oct. 7 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Candidate: City officials abused credit cards:
Carlsbad City Council candidate Glenn Bernard alleged at a candidates forum yesterday that a former councilwoman resigned last year because she feared a brewing credit-card scandal, and she had wanted to see a new council member on the panel.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., 5:00 p.m. Oct. 6 (AP)McCain calls Obama a liar: Behind in the polls, Republican John McCain on Monday called Democratic rival Barack Obama a liar as he leveled his harshest criticism yet, and said the campaign boils down to one basic question: Who is Obama really? WASHINGTON, 5:14 p.m. Oct. 6 (AP)
T-shirt story gets a stretch in McCain hands: Republican John McCain on Monday raised the specter of illegal foreign contributions to rival Democrat Barack Obama by suggesting that a bulk purchase of T-shirts was sinister. WASHINGTON, 5:15 p.m. Oct. 6 (AP)
GOP files FEC complaint about Obama's fundraising: The Republican National Committee filed a complaint Monday alleging that Democrat Barack Obama's presidential campaign has received illegal contributions from foreigners and donations that exceed federal limits. SPRINGFIELD, Ill., 5:38 p.m. Oct. 6 (AP)
Obama awarded Illinois grants to relative's group: As a state senator, Democrat Barack Obama awarded $75,000 in government grants to a Chicago social service organization led by a rabbi who is also his wife's cousin, records show. ANCHORAGE, Alaska, 6:12 p.m. Oct. 6 (AP)
Palin ethics probes beset by secrecy and lawsuit: Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin says she's an open book regarding an abuse-of-power investigation. Apparently her staff doesn't feel the same way.
ASHEVILLE, N.C., 4:38 a.m. Oct. 6 (AP)
Old events fuel new campaign attacks: The McCain and Obama presidential campaigns traded accusations of mudslinging Monday in the wake of new ads dredging up infamous events from 20, 30, even 40 years ago.
ASHEVILLE, N.C., 2:47 p.m. Oct. 6 (AP)Character attacks emerge in McCain-Obama race: The two men who supposedly exemplified a different kind of politics are engaged in an increasingly bitter campaign as character attacks are emerging to compete with issues like the troubled economy. CLEARWATER, Fla., 2:09 p.m. Oct. 6 (AP)
Palin criticizes Obama's ties to Wright, Ayers: Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin expanded her attack on Democrat Barack Obama's character Monday to include his relationship with an incendiary former pastor as well as his ties to 1960s-era radical Bill Ayers. WASHINGTON, 2:15 p.m. Oct. 6 (AP)
McCain, Obama promise federal money to fight crime: Both presidential candidates are promising federal dollars to help local governments fight crime and a review panel to examine the nation's crime-fighting priorities. Democrat Barack Obama would increase federal spending on programs popular with local law enforcement to put more cops on the beat and hire additional officers. COLUMBUS, Ohio, 2:49 p.m. Oct. 6 (AP)
Turnout light in Ohio early voting window: A weeklong period in which Ohioans could register to vote and immediately cast a ballot ended Monday with turnout that didn't quite match the expectations of election officials – or the campaign predictions that preceded it.
ASHEVILLE, N.C., 10:04 p.m. Oct. 5 (REUTERS)
Obama accuses McCain of smear campaign: Democrat Barack Obama counterattacked Sunday against a new Republican tactic by saying rival John McCain was more interested in a smear campaign than fixing the U.S. economy.
ASHEVILLE, N.C., 11:14 a.m. Oct. 6 (AP)
Today on the presidential campaign trail: Barack Obama said Monday that John McCain is trying to shift attention from the troubled economy because the issue is bad for the Republican presidential nominee's campaign.
7:20 a.m. Oct. 6 (AP)
McCain, Obama on the issues: A look at where Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain stand on a selection of issues:
ANCHORAGE, 4:28 p.m. Oct. 5 (AP)
Employees will testify in Palin probe: Seven Alaska state employees have reversed course and agreed to testify in an abuse-of-power investigation against Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.
WILMINGTON, Del, 3:08 p.m. Oct. 5 (REUTERS)
Biden cancels campaign events for another two days: With a month to go before the U.S. election on Nov. 4, Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden canceled campaign events for another two days Sunday after the death of his mother-in-law.
BURLINGAME, 1:16 p.m. Oct. 5 (AP)
Palin defends terrorist comment against Obama: Sarah Palin defended her claim that Barack Obama “pals around with terrorists,” saying the Democratic presidential nominee's association with a 1960s radical is an issue that is “fair to talk about.”
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 6 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Two energy initiatives in California under fire: Californians will vote on two ballot initiatives this fall that at first glance would seem shoo-ins for approval in a state long associated with environmental activism.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Oct. 5 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Democrats see opening in 3 states on GOP turf: Once a virtually impenetrable Republican fortress in presidential elections, the Rocky Mountain West is one of the top targets in the nation for Democrats as they seek to reclaim the White House next month.
ASHEVILLE, N.C., 12:33 p.m. Oct. 5 (AP)Obama allies warn GOP to back off attacks.: Barack Obama's allies warn that John McCain's attacks on the Democrat's character will lead to the political equivalent of mutual assured destruction: fire your big weapon at your own peril. ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, 8:07 a.m. Oct. 5 (AP)
Pakistanis eye U.S. presidential candidates: A Pakistani wish list for the next U.S. president might read something like this: an end to cross-border strikes on militants, more aid for the country's battered economy and greater support for its elected government.
Oct. 5 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Attorneys make their case: San Diego City Attorney Mike Aguirre is seeking a second four-year term. He is being challenged by Superior Court Judge Jan Goldsmith. Each man sat down separately recently to speak with the Union-Tribune editorial board. Below are edited transcripts of those interviews.
Oct. 5 (UNION-TRIBUNE)Palin: Obama 'pals' with terrorists: “This is not a man who sees America as you and I see America. We see America as a force for good in this world,” the Alaska governor said in her first California campaign appearance. “We see an America of exceptionalism. “Our opponent is someone who sees America as imperfect enough to pal around with terrorists who targeted their own country.” WASHINGTON, 8:49 a.m. Oct. 5 (AP)
McCain's brother says N. Va. 'Communist country': Republican presidential candidate John McCain's brother made an apparent joke at a campaign rally this weekend that might not play well in parts of newly competitive Virginia.
WASHINGTON, 4:12 p.m. Oct. 4 (AP)
Onus on McCain to turn race around: One month before Election Day, Barack Obama sits atop battleground polls in a shrinking playing field, the economic crisis is breaking his way and he has made progress toward winning the White House.
Oct. 5 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Challenges, controversy stir real interest in races:Campaigns for community college board elections aren't known for getting the pulse racing. They usually draw about as much excitement as water district races. Until now.
Oct. 5 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Road to White House: Where they stand:
Oct. 5 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Populist label isn't for everyone in Congress:Rep. Darrell Issa didn't care that he was bucking his own president and party leadership when he led a rump group of back-bench Republicans against the financial bailout package last week.
Oct. 5 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Improving Escondido is focus of the race:In Escondido, where median income is the lowest of any North County city, candidates vying for two City Council seats are promising a better quality of life even as the nation faces a financial crisis.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va., 12:42 p.m. Oct. 4 (AP)
Obama assails McCain over health care proposal: Democrat Barack Obama sharply criticized Republican John McCain's health care proposals Saturday, saying they could force millions of Americans to struggle to buy medical insurance.
SEDONA, Ariz., 10:22 a.m. Oct. 4 (AP)
McCain preps for debate at resort hotel in Ariz.: Republican presidential candidate John McCain is spending Saturday at a resort hotel in Sedona, Ariz., preparing for his second debate with Democratic nominee Barack Obama.
WASILLA, Alaska, 9:17 a.m. Oct. 4 (AP)
Back home, Palin lives model life in Last Frontier: To people in this hard-scrabble region tucked between two soaring mountain ranges, Gov. Sarah Palin is a working-class heroine. As the Republican vice presidential candidate's star rises nationally, she's increasingly held up as the model for life in the Last Frontier.
Oct. 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Candidates, propositions to be focus of four forums: Several forums are scheduled in East County next week to educate voters about political candidates and propositions on the Nov. 4 ballot.
Oct. 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Views vary vastly for two candidates vying for same seat: CHULA VISTA – Pamela Bensoussan and Russ Hall have about the same amount of civic experience to qualify them for a seat on the City Council. But the two are near opposites in their ideologies.
Oct. 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Citing heavy workload, candidate Kratcoski has dropped out of race: OCEANSIDE – The first candidate to sign up to run for Oceanside City Council in the Nov. 4 election has bowed out of the race.
Oct. 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Parent, two incumbents squaring off over two positions: San Dieguito Union High School District is one of the highest performing in the state, but the next school board will be focusing on several areas of improvement.
Oct. 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Trustees pose questions on La Costa land proposal: NORTH COUNTY – San Dieguito Union High School District trustees have gotten their first look at a proposal from La Costa Valley residents to restrict how the district uses vacant land off Calle Barcelona.
Oct. 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Democrat, Republican vie for District 1 council seat: San Diego's most affluent City Council district, where growth pains top the community agenda, is facing a choice between a Republican entrepreneur making a second run for office and a grass-roots Democrat who says she is surprised to find herself in politics.
RICHMOND, Va., 7:28 a.m. Oct. 4 (AP)
Push to register felons to vote could aid Obama: Undaunted by the heat, James Bailey spent his late-summer afternoons walking Virginia's bleakest neighborhoods on the hunt for ex-cons – each a potential voter who might cast the decisive ballot in this hotly contested state.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, 2:14 a.m. Oct. 4 (AP)
Alaska Supreme Court takes up 'Troopergate' case: The Alaska Supreme Court will decide whether to block the findings of an abuse-of-power investigation due to be released next week that could be potentially damaging to Gov. Sarah Palin's vice presidential candidacy.
HARRISBURG, Pa., 1:42 a.m. Oct. 4 (AP)
GOP, Democrats battle in Pa. over voter dress code: Sue Nace thought election volunteers were joking when they told her she would have to remove her T-shirt to vote in the presidential primary last spring.
3:11 p.m. Oct. 3Most local reps opposed financial bailout bill: WASHINGTON – Members of the House from San Diego County held firm in their positions on the financial bailout bill that was approved Friday, four days after its defeat triggered a steep stock market decline.
11:14 a.m. Oct. 3 (AP)
Palin says debate went well as polls favor Biden: Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin defended John McCain as a reform-minded maverick while Democratic rival Joe Biden sought to tie his longtime Senate colleague to unpopular Bush administration policies during their first face-to-face encounter and only debate.
DALLAS, 1:21 p.m. Oct. 3 (REUTERS)
Republicans seek 'Palin Power' revival after debate: Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's confident debate performance, following a series of widely ridiculed television interviews, is stoking Republican hopes that “Palin Power” is back.
ST. LOUIS, 10:39 a.m. Oct. 3 (AP)
Officer in Palin motorcade injured: A St. Louis police officer in the motorcade escorting Sarah Palin to the airport has been injured in an accident.
NEW YORK, 10:40 a.m. Oct. 3 (AP)
Big audience for Joe Biden-Sarah Palin TV debate: Who's running for president, anyway? Far more people watched Thursday's vice presidential debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin on television than watched the first presidential debate.
DOVER, Del., 9:58 a.m. Oct. 3 (AP)
Biden sends son, Delaware troops off for Iraq: Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden told his son and other Delaware National Guardsmen “my heart is full of love and pride” as their unit prepared Friday to leave for an assignment in Iraq.
ABINGTON, Pa., 8:40 a.m. Oct. 3 (AP)
Obama turns bad job news on McCain: Democrat Barack Obama is trying to turn bad news about new job losses against presidential rival John McCain.
ST. LOUIS, 10:47 a.m. Oct. 3 (REUTERS)
McCain's path to White House narrows as Obama gains: With one month left in the campaign, Republican John McCain's path to the White House has become perilously narrow as Democratic rival Barack Obama gains momentum in crucial battleground states.
6:38 a.m. Oct. 3 (REUTERS)
FACTBOX-McCain, Obama reaction to jobless data: – U.S. employers cut payrolls at the steepest rate in 5-1/2 years in September, slashing 159,000 jobs as employment contracted for a ninth straight month.
6:36 a.m. Oct. 3 (AP)
In statements, McCain and Obama decry job losses: Statements by Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama on Friday's jobs report from the Labor Department. In a sign that the economy is hurtling toward a deep recession, employers slashed payrolls by 159,000 in September, the most in more than five years.
LOS ANGELES, 5:48 a.m. Oct. 3 (AP)
Campaign Comedy: Thursday's late-night TV wrap-up: The vice presidential debate was the toast – make that roast – of late-night television, and that was before the event was held.
ST. LOUIS, 5:24 a.m. Oct. 3 (AP)
Analysis: Palin eases the hurt in McCain-land: John McCain's campaign aches needed a tonic. On a day when he abandoned the fight with rival Barack Obama in one battleground state and national polls showed him trailing overall, running mate Sarah Palin put on a debate performance that soothed the pain.
WASHINGTON, 4:58 a.m. Oct. 3 (AP)
Some facts adrift in veep debate: Republican Sarah Palin criticized a version of a Barack Obama health care plan that doesn't exist and Democrat Joe Biden clung to a misleading charge about Republicans and big oil when the two clashed in the vice presidential debate Thursday.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, 2:02 a.m. Oct. 3 (AP)
Palin Troopergate probe goes on after suit tossed: An investigator hired by Alaskan lawmakers to probe abuse-of-power allegations against Gov. Sarah Palin was free to finish his work by a deadline set for a week from Friday after a state judge dismissed a lawsuit seeking to block the probe.
ST. LOUIS, 12:04 a.m. Oct. 3 (AP)
Today on the presidential campaign trail: Under intense scrutiny, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin stood her ground against a vastly more experienced Joe Biden, debating the economy, energy and global warming, then challenging him on Iraq, “especially with your son in the National Guard.”
NEW YORK, 10:13 p.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
Folksy Palin, disciplined Biden get the job done: Even before she reached the podium, the first words out of Sarah Palin's mouth set the tone for her debate night: “Hey, can I call ya Joe?”
FEDERAL COURT, Oct. 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Probation for minor figure in bribe case:
A peripheral figure in the bribery scandal that ensnared former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham was sentenced to five years' probation by a San Diego federal judge yesterday, bringing the three-year-old case closer to finality.
WARNER SPRINGS, Oct. 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Incumbent, 3 challengers are vying for two seats on rural district school board: WARNER SPRINGS
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Four people are seeking two Warner Unified school board seats.
Warner Unified, a small district in rural northeast San Diego County, has about 250 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
Oct. 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
10 contending for 8 spots on Valley Center planning group:Ten candidates, including three incumbents, are vying for eight seats on the Valley Center planning group.
Issues in the election include the quality of planning; high-density development in the semirural community, retaining Valley Center's character, designing a fair community plan, and the proposed Road 3-A and a 3,000-unit development that had been associated with it.
9:15 p.m. Oct. 2 (AP)For many, Palin exceeded expectations, but by enough?: From a bowling alley called the Lucky Strike in Miami Beach to a smoky barroom in Wasilla, Alaska, many Americans watching the vice presidential candidates' debate agreed that Gov. Sarah Palin's performance exceeded their generally low expectations. Whether she did well enough against Sen. Joe Biden is another matter. 8:49 p.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
Vice presidential debate quotes from Biden, Palin: Quotes from Democratic Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware and Republican Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska during their vice presidential debate Thursday at Washington University in St. Louis: WASHINGTON, 8:34 p.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
Some facts adrift in veep debate: Facts went adrift on taxes, deregulation and more Thursday when Republican Sarah Palin and Democrat Joe Biden clashed in the vice presidential debate. WASHINGTON, 7:59 p.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
Analysis: Stakes high, Palin tops expectations: Joe Biden's task was to attack. Sarah Palin's was to attack, connect and stick to her folksy script. ANCHORAGE, Alaska, 8:10 p.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
Judge refuses to block Alaska Troopergate probe: An Alaska judge on Thursday refused to block a state investigation into whether Gov. Sarah Palin abused her power when she fired her public safety commissioner this summer.
WASHINGTON, 2:39 p.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
For GOP, a grim week in D.C., elsewhere: A month before Election Day, things are hardly grand for the Grand Old Party. Presidential nominee John McCain is lagging in key polls. Party officials are bracing for likely losses of House and Senate seats, which would put them even deeper into minority status. And the economy, for which voters trust Democrats more than Republicans, is by far the top campaign issue.
DENVER, 6:21 p.m. Oct. 2 (AP)McCain struggles with support for bailout bill: Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who insists he would veto any pork barrel bills to come across his desk as president, is struggling to explain his vote for the revised financial bailout plan that contained a number of those pet projects. WASHINGTON, 3:36 p.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
McCain campaign writes off Michigan: Republican presidential candidate John McCain conceded battleground Michigan to Democrat Barack Obama on Thursday, a major retreat as he struggles to regain his footing in a campaign increasingly dominated by economic issues. EAST LANSING, Mich., 4:14 p.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
Obama says McCain out of touch on jobs: Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Thursday that his rival John McCain is out of touch with the economic struggles of Americans and doesn't understand that there's nothing more fundamental than a job. NEW YORK, 2:39 p.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
NYC mayor: City challenges inspired 3rd-term push: Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Thursday that he's pushing for changes that would allow him to seek a third term leading the nation's largest city, saying he wants to handle unfinished business including the “unprecedented challenges” brought on by the recent financial crisis. WASHINGTON, 2:23 p.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
Pelosi paying thousands to husband's firm: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that it's “just foolish” to suggest that her husband is benefiting from tens of thousands of dollars one of her political committees is paying a firm he owns.
BOSTON, 6:34 a.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
October remains the month for political surprises: Heading into the final weekend of the 2004 presidential campaign, John Kerry was feeling good about his chances of winning the White House.
12:13 p.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
Mason-Dixon poll: Close race in Va.: THE POLL: Mason-Dixon Polling and Research Inc., survey of 625 registered voters in Virginia. (13 electoral votes.)
WASHINGTON, 10:37 a.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
Today on the presidential campaign trail: Asked why he has been falling in polls since the financial crisis, Republican John McCain sums it up this way: “Cause life isn't fair.”
WASHINGTON, 7:54 a.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
Campaign Comedy: Wednesday's late-night TV wrap-up: Shooting a donkey, debating a tree stump and checking out Mexico from across the Arizona border were just some of the ways comedians suggested Sarah Palin was preparing for the vice presidential debate.
9:51 a.m. Oct. 2 (REUTERS)
FACTBOX-Main states in U.S. presidential race: – The U.S. presidential race between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama ultimately will be decided in about 10 battleground states where both candidates have struggled to gain a substantial lead.
WASHINGTON, 8:28 a.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
Obama adviser suggests Gates as possible holdover: A senior adviser to Sen. Barack Obama said Thursday that the Democrat might see Defense Secretary Robert Gates as a candidate to remain at the Pentagon if Obama wins the White House.
WASHINGTON, 8:15 p.m. Oct. 1 (AP)
Obama, McCain vote for bailout bill: The Republican presidential candidate who took the economic bailout so seriously that he suspended many campaign activities last week stayed quiet in the Senate when it came time to vote on it.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala., 12:15 a.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
Palin draws skepticism even in conservative South: John Thomas has lots of reasons to support John McCain for president. Like McCain, Thomas is a former Navy officer. They're about the same age, and Thomas considers himself a political independent with a conservative bent.
WASILLA, Alaska, 12:14 a.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
Estimates show Palin assets top $1 million: Sarah Palin and her husband have pieced together a uniquely Alaskan income that reached comfortably into six figures even before she became governor, capitalizing on valuable fishing rights, a series of land deals and a patchwork of other ventures to build an above-average lifestyle.
NEW YORK, 11:47 p.m. Oct. 1 (AP)
Today on the presidential campaign trail: Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin enters her debate Thursday with Joe Biden needing to make a strong positive impression on voters, many of whom are expressing serious doubts about her readiness.
2:03 a.m. Oct. 2 (REUTERS)
FACTBOX-Sarah Palin, Republican vice presidential candidate: – Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin debates her Democratic rival, Joe Biden, Thursday in their only face-off before the Nov. 4 presidential election.
2:02 a.m. Oct. 2 (REUTERS)
FACTBOX-Joe Biden, Democratic vice presidential candidate: – Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden debates his Republican rival Sarah Palin Thursday in their sole face-to-face confrontation before the Nov. 4 election.
10:01 p.m. Oct. 1 (REUTERS)
SCENARIOS-How the Palin-Biden debate could play out: – The showdown Thursday between Republican Sarah Palin and Democrat Joe Biden is the only vice presidential debate of the White House race, and it has attracted more attention than usual because of high interest in Palin.
8:24 p.m. Oct. 1 (AP)
McCain and Obama on the issues: A look at where Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain stand on a selection of issues:
6:35 a.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
Some examples from the 'October surprise' files: A few examples from the October surprise files:
NEW YORK, 2:07 p.m. Oct. 1 (AP)
Palin-Biden debate gives her chance to come back: Sarah Palin is heading into her debate with Joe Biden, easily the most-anticipated vice presidential faceoff ever, weighed down by fresh evidence that voters are developing serious doubts about her readiness for the job.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, 5:16 a.m. Oct. 2 (AP)
Alaskans cringe after month of listening to Palin: Alaskans' two-year honeymoon with Gov. Sarah Palin may have ended around the time the Republican vice presidential candidate started saying that she told Congress “thanks but no thanks” on the Bridge to Nowhere.
Oct. 2 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Candidates tout experience, business success:CHULA VISTA –
In the final month before Chula Vista voters decide between Councilman Steve Castaneda and challenger Scott Vinson, the incumbent is citing his experience and tenacity while his challenger says his strength is his business success.
SAN MARCOS, Oct. 2 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Growth big issue facing 3 candidates for 2 council seats:SAN MARCOS
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Three candidates are running for two seats on the San Marcos City Council, where future development, redevelopment and the outcome of a growth-management initiative are the major issues.
CORONADO, Oct. 2 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
5 hopefuls find common ground on hospital-property plan: CORONADO
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Five candidates, including one former and two current council members, hope to replace Coronado Mayor Tom Smisek, who will not seek a fourth term.
ALPINE, Oct. 2 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Fire board draws five candidates for 2 seats: ALPINE
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Two seats on the five-member Alpine Fire Protection District board are up for election on the Nov. 4 ballot. The fire district covers 27.5 square miles east of Alpine and Lakeside, serving more than 16,000 residents with an annual budget of $3.4 million.
VALLEY CENTER, Oct. 2 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
1 incumbent, 3 challengers are vying for 2 seats on board:VALLEY CENTER
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One incumbent, Don Martin, is seeking re-election to the Valley Center Pauma school board; a second, Wendy Zeugschmidt, is not running; and there are three challengers.
OCEANSIDE, Oct. 2 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
City's gang problem dominates City Council candidates forum: OCEANSIDE
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More money and effort need to be directed to Oceanside's gang problem, Oceanside City Council candidates and most of the audience agreed at a forum Tuesday night.
Oct. 2 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Mayoral candidates:
SACRAMENTO, 4:00 p.m. Oct. 1 (AP)Calif. Prop 5 pushes drug treatment over prison: Eight years ago, 61 percent of California voters passed a novel initiative requiring treatment instead of jail or prison for tens of thousands of drug offenders. SACRAMENTO, 4:34 p.m. Oct. 1 (AP)
Vets group runs ad in Calif. attacking Obama: A group that claims 30,000 veterans as members has begun running a television ad in California criticizing Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's record on Iraq and Afghanistan. WASHINGTON, 1:46 p.m. Oct. 1 (AP)
AP Poll: Obama pulls away to 7-point lead: Barack Obama has surged to a seven-point lead over John McCain one month before the presidential election, lifted by voters who think the Democrat is better suited to lead the nation through its sudden financial crisis, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll that underscores the mounting concerns of some McCain backers.
RALEIGH, N.C., 8:02 a.m. Oct. 1 (AP)
Palin a challenge to So. Baptist view of women: Within the nation's largest Protestant denomination, a woman may not lead a church or a home. But prominent Southern Baptists see nothing wrong with Sarah Palin serving as vice president – or perhaps even commander-in-chief someday.
INDEPENDENCE, Mo., 11:36 a.m. Oct. 1 (AP)McCain calls revamped bailout bill an improvement: Republican presidential candidate John McCain said Wednesday the resurrected financial bailout bill isn't perfect but warned that the nation's financial crisis will become a full-fledged disaster if the plan fails. NEW YORK, 11:50 a.m. Oct. 1 (AP)
Obama tells Vibe readers 'I need you' in letter: Barack Obama has a message for the readers of Vibe: “I need you.” In a letter to be published in the November issue, the Democratic presidential candidate is given a page to address the readers of the urban music monthly magazine. In it, Obama urges them to register to vote, saying, “We are at a defining moment in our history.” ORLANDO, Fla., 1:12 p.m. Oct. 1 (AP)
Bill Clinton: Obama has better answers on economy: Former President Clinton set aside his cool relationship with Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Wednesday to condemn Republican economic policies as well as endorse his wife's ex-rival. NEW YORK, 1:49 p.m. Oct. 1 (AP)
Questions raised about moderator's impartiality: PBS journalist Gwen Ifill, moderator of the upcoming vice presidential debate, dismissed conservative questions about her impartiality because she is writing a book that includes material on Barack Obama. WASHINGTON, 2:33 p.m. Oct. 1 (AP)
Fact check: Biden spins a helicopter tale: When Joe Biden tells voters he understands the threat posed by Afghan extremists, he dramatically illustrates one reason why: His helicopter was “forced down” on “the superhighway of terror.” Actually, snow, not the enemy, persuaded the helicopter pilot to land and wait out a storm.
NEW YORK, 6:08 p.m. Sept. 30 (AP)
Debate offers Palin, Biden high risks, big rewards: For an audition to be second fiddle, Thursday's debate between often ill-informed newcomer Sarah Palin and often gaffe-prone veteran Joe Biden offers unusually large pitfalls – and promise.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, 9:47 p.m. Sept. 30 (AP)
Palin says she represents 'Joe Six-pack': Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin portrayed herself Tuesday as a champion of everyday people while noting her family's stock portfolio took a $20,000 hit last week.
DES MOINES, Iowa, 10:33 a.m. Oct. 1 (AP)
McCain turns irritable, sarcastic in interview: Republican presidential candidate John McCain, once renowned for his jocular sessions with journalists, appeared irritable and at times sarcastic in an interview in which he defended running mate Sarah Palin's experience and campaign ads critical of rival Barack Obama.
WASHINGTON, 8:29 a.m. Oct. 1 (AP)
Palin doesn't specify where she gets her news: Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin repeatedly failed to cite a newspaper or magazine when asked what she had read regularly before John McCain picked her as his running mate, saying only that she had read “most of them.”
WASHINGTON, 3:30 a.m. Oct. 1 (AP)
Polls: Obama leads in critical trio of states: Recently trailing or tied, Democrat Barack Obama now leads Republican John McCain in a trio of the most critical, vote-rich states five weeks before the election, according to presidential poll results released Wednesday.
3:30 a.m. Oct. 1 (AP)
Polls: More see Obama as helpful on economy: THE POLL: Quinnipiac University poll, presidential race in Florida among likely voters. (The state has 27 electoral votes.)
WASHINGTON, 12:17 a.m. Oct. 1 (AP)
Wildlife group expands reach of anti-Palin wolf ad: These are not the typical wolves of political ads – not the menaces depicted by George W. Bush in 2004 or John McCain just a couple of weeks ago. These animals are bloodied, gruesome victims.
12:17 a.m. Oct. 1 (AP)
Palin's foreign negotiations limited to Canada: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who touts her state's proximity to Russia as part of her foreign policy experience, has not met with Russian leaders or delegations, negotiated any Russian issues or visited the country, according to an Associated Press review of records from the governor's office.
NEW YORK, 4:12 a.m. Oct. 1 (AP)
AP source: New York mayor wants a 3rd term: For a long time, Mayor Michael Bloomberg seemed to despise the very notion of changing a voter-approved law restricting elected officeholders to two terms in office.
9:00 p.m. Sept. 30 (AP)Campaigns differ on how to help with college costs: The price of college continues to surge, and financial aid isn't keeping up. The Wall Street meltdown has hammered the stock market and college savings. And a college degree is ever more essential for finding a good job. CHICAGO, 7:04 p.m. Sept. 30 (AP)
Springfield to bill Obama $50,000 for rally: The city of Springfield plans to bill Barack Obama's presidential campaign about $50,000 to cover expenses related to the August rally he held to introduce Delaware Sen. Joe Biden as his running mate, officials said Tuesday. DES MOINES, Iowa, 5:16 p.m. Sept. 30 (AP)
Obama, McCain seek political gain in credit crisis: White House rivals John McCain and Barack Obama combined televised attack ads with statesmanlike appeals for bipartisanship on Tuesday as they vied for political gain in the shadow of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. NEW YORK, 5:14 p.m. Sept. 30 (AP)
CBS' Katie Couric is making news – with her work: After two years of stories about bad ratings and an uncertain future, Katie Couric is back to making news the old-fashioned way – with her work. SAN DIEGO, 3:29 p.m. Sept. 30 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Lobbyists contributed nearly a quarter million to city candidates: Lobbyists and their clients contributed more than $245,000 to candidates for city office during the first six months of the year, with one fundraising event producing more than $57,000 for City Council Brian Maienschein's unsuccessful campaign for city attorney.
CLEVELAND, 12:49 p.m. Sept. 30 (AP)
Voting for president begins in pivotal Ohio: Five weeks before the election, Ohioans started casting their ballots Tuesday in the perennial battleground that tipped the election to President Bush four years ago and may determine his successor.
WASHINGTON, 12:22 p.m. Sept. 30 (AP)
One-in-four chance McCain may not survive 2nd term: If John McCain is elected and goes on to win a second term, there's as much as a one-in-four chance America could see its first woman president – Sarah Palin.
Sept. 30 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Democrat faces uphill battle in Republican district: The Democratic candidate in Duncan Hunter's heavily Republican congressional district takes some positions more typical of the GOP, but his odds to win the seat remain long.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, 11:36 a.m. Sept. 30 (AP)
Judge to hear arguments in 'Troopergate' case: A judge in Alaska is set to hear arguments this week on whether he should halt an abuse-of-power investigation of Gov. Sarah Palin by the Alaska Legislature.
RENO, Nev., 11:15 a.m. Sept. 30 (AP)
Obama calls on Americans to support rescue plan: Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Tuesday called for Americans to get behind attempts to salvage a $700 billion rescue plan for the financial sector, saying that if Wall Street fails ordinary people will also be hurt.
5:15 a.m. Sept. 30 (AP)
Campaign Comedy: Monday's late-night TV wrap-up: By actual count, it's five weeks until Election Day. How many laughs will TV wisecrackers log at the expense of the presidential candidates between now and then? That's not so easy to project. But Monday, as usual, the late-night wags were upping the total. Along the way, they also had a woebegone baseball team and a market meltdown in their sights.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30
Foggo pleads guilty in Wilkes case: Kyle “Dusty” Foggo, the former No. 3 official in the CIA, pleaded guilty yesterday to fraudulently steering intelligence contracts to his lifelong friend, former Poway defense contractor Brent Wilkes.
WASHINGTON, 7:52 a.m. Sept. 30 (REUTERS)
An unusual vice presidential debate – it matters: Vice presidential debates rarely play a role in White House races, but the showdown between Republican Gov. Sarah Palin and Democratic Sen. Joe Biden will be different – it could matter.
WASHINGTON, 5:34 a.m. Sept. 30 (AP)
Analysis: With bailout, McCain reaches dead end: Republican John McCain has maneuvered himself into a political dead end and has five weeks to find his way out.
WASHINGTON, 5:32 a.m. Sept. 30 (AP)
Many vulnerable lawmakers said 'no' to bailout: Two-thirds of Congress' most vulnerable members – Republicans and Democrats alike – chose to protect their seats on Election Day rather than follow their party leaders and vote for an unpopular economic bailout plan.
WASHINGTON, 4:54 a.m. Sept. 30 (AP)
Fingerpointing continues on bailout failure: Members of Congress traded more recriminations Tuesday over the stunning House vote that killed a $700 billion financial system, while insisting there's still time to get an acceptable deal.
CHICAGO, 2:34 a.m. Sept. 30 (AP)
Ill. congressional candidate capitalizing on Obama: As a young black candidate with little political experience, Dan Seals can't avoid the comparisons to the man heading his party's ticket: Barack Obama.
PHOENIX, 12:23 a.m. Sept. 30 (AP)
Arizona offers military online voting: Starting Thursday, voters who are registered in Arizona but live overseas will be able to vote online through a unique Web-based system.
DES MOINES, Iowa, 12:11 a.m. Sept. 30 (AP)
McCain focusing on Iowa despite polls: John McCain's second visit to Iowa in less than a month is heartening Republicans who say it is proof their presidential candidate intends to compete for the state, despite polls showing him behind Democrat Barack Obama.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 29
Four of five S.D. Congress members vote against bailout: Undeterred by heavy lobbying and threats of reprisals, four out of five members of San Diego County's congressional delegation voted against the Wall Street bailout hammered out by the Bush administration and the bipartisan leadership of the Congress.
WASHINGTON, 1:47 p.m. Sept. 29 (AP)
Analysis: Obama bolsters readiness claim: Barack Obama bolstered his case that he's ready to be chief executive with a calmly assured response to the economic crisis and a solid debate performance.
DES MOINES, Iowa, 2:34 p.m. Sept. 29 (AP)McCain faults Obama, allies for partisanship: Republican presidential candidate John McCain says Barack Obama and his allies have injected unnecessary partisanship into efforts to pass bailout legislation for the financial industry. WESTMINSTER, Colo., 2:00 p.m. Sept. 29 (AP)
Obama: McCain's deregulation too risky for economy: Democrat Barack Obama said Republican John McCain's long advocacy of deregulation contributed to the current financial crisis and letting his GOP rival continue those policies as president would be a gamble “we can't afford.”
DETROIT, 9:01 p.m. Sept. 28 (AP)
Blacks, whites show prejudices along racial divide: The Classic Creations barber shop sits empty, surrounded by drunks and shuttered storefronts just two blocks from the manicured lawns of Grosse Pointe Park. The contrast isn't lost on LaVar Anthony, a young barber who speaks in riddles of race, class and politics.
WASHINGTON, 1:08 p.m. Sept. 29 (AP)Palin still excites GOP but her luster dims a bit: Has Sarah Palin become a liability for John McCain? Since joining his ticket, the overnight political celebrity has seen the shine come off her poll standings and doubts surface among some conservatives once excited about her candidacy. WASHINGTON, 1:53 p.m. Sept. 29 (AP)
Pastors' political endorsements draw complaints: A church-state separation group filed complaints Monday with the Internal Revenue Service against six churches whose pastors either endorsed or made pointed comments about political candidates from their pulpits Sunday in defiance of federal tax law. COLUMBUS, Ohio, 2:30 p.m. Sept. 29 (AP)
Three courts clear way for early voting in Ohio: In a defeat for Republican challenges, state and federal courts have cleared the way for a weeklong period in which new voters can register and cast an absentee ballot on the same day in Ohio. ALEXANDRIA, VA, 12:20 p.m. Sept. 29 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Foggo pleads guilty to fraud: A former high-ranking CIA official pleaded guilty Monday to one count of fraud stemming from the Randall “Duke” Cunningham bribery scandal that landed the former congressman and a Poway defense contractor in prison.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, 10:01 a.m. Sept. 29 (AP)
McCain says Obama policies will deepen recession: Lagging in the polls, Republican presidential candidate John McCain unleashed a blistering attack Monday on his Democratic rival, saying the race comes down to a simple question: “Country first or Obama first?”
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, 9:25 a.m. Sept. 29 (AP)
Alaska Natives question Palin's support: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin routinely notes her husband's Yup'ik Eskimo roots. But those connections haven't erased doubts about her in a community long slighted by the white settlers who flocked to Alaska and dominate its government.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, 7:23 a.m. Sept. 29 (AP)
Today on the presidential campaign trail: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin routinely notes her husband's Yup'ik Eskimo roots. But those connections haven't erased doubts about her in a community long slighted by the white settlers who flocked to Alaska and dominate its government.
KANSAS CITY, Mo., 1:48 a.m. Sept. 29 (AP)
Key U.S. House seat race in Missouri heats up: She accuses her opponent of being too close to Big Oil and says he stood by for eight years while the economy crumbled. Her opponent says she's an “extreme liberal” who has more support in California than Missouri.
SACRAMENTO, Sept. 28
Egg producers at odds over Proposition 2: Ryan Armstrong is a third-generation egg farmer in Valley Center but fears he could be the last in his family.
MILWAUKEE, 5:09 p.m. Sept. 28 (AP)
Soldier's mother 'ecstatic' about Obama's bracelet: The mother of a Wisconsin soldier who died in Iraq says she was “ecstatic” when Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama mentioned during Friday's debate the bracelet she gave him in honor of her son.
WASHINGTON, 5:41 p.m. Sept. 28 (REUTERS)
Too early to tip next Treasury chief-McCain adviser: Republican presidential candidate John McCain would choose a Treasury Secretary with expertise and experience in financial markets, but now is too early to identify potential picks, an adviser said Sunday.
GREENBELT, Md., 9:07 p.m. Sept. 28 (AP)
Liberal DC suburb faces minority voting questions: In the racially diverse Washington suburb of Greenbelt, the term “progressive” is a badge of honor. But the city that began as a New Deal-era cooperative and overwhelmingly voted for Barack Obama has never had a minority serve on its council in its 71-year history.
Sep. 29 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Hopefuls for 78th map out platforms:Republican Shirley Horton barely survived three elections to wrest the 78th Assembly District from Democrats. Now her exit due to term limits has set up one of the hottest legislative battles on the Nov. 4 ballot. The Democrats want the seat back. The Republicans want to keep it.
BEDFORD, N.H., Sep. 29 U-T WASHINGTON BUREAU
Economy worries swing voters in New Hampshire: Jane Descoteau is a lifelong Republican. But she says that the stock market's recent stomach-churning gyrations may sway her to vote for Democrat Sen. Barack Obama five weeks from now.
PHILADELPHIA, 1:14 p.m. Sept. 28 (AP)Palin talks with military moms at Philly shop: Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin met Sunday with a group of military mothers at a downtown eatery, the third day of a swing through this Democratic stronghold. WASHINGTON, 1:23 p.m. Sept. 28 (AP)
Style and substance at stake for Biden, Palin: One talks too much. The other hasn't talked enough. For voters, Thursday's vice presidential debate promises a transfixing match between the loquacious veteran Sen. Joe Biden and the still-underexposed Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. WASHINGTON, 1:36 p.m. Sept. 28 (AP)
McCain defends Palin's contradiction on Pakistan: Republican presidential nominee John McCain defended running mate Sarah Palin on Sunday, even as she contradicted his policy against talking publicly about attacking terrorist targets in Pakistan. WASILLA, Alaska, 8:52 a.m. Sept. 28 (AP)
AP Investigation: Palin got zoning aid, gifts: Though Sarah Palin depicts herself as a pit bull fighting good-old-boy politics, in her years as mayor she and her friends received special benefits more typical of small-town politics as usual, an Associated Press investigation shows. WASHINGTON, 8:32 a.m. Sept. 28 (AP)
Earmarks aside, McCain would have said yes to bill: Republican presidential candidate John McCain said Sunday he probably would have voted for legislation to keep the federal government running after midweek, even though it was packed with the kind of “outrageous pork-barrel spending” he has long opposed. WASHINGTON, 9:14 a.m. Sept. 28 (AP)
Obama inclined to support Wall Street bailout: Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama said Sunday his Republican rival deserves no credit for helping to forge a tentative agreement on the $700 billion bailout of Wall Street.
Sep. 28 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Continuing credit crisis could cripple economy:As politicians struggle to patch up the nation's ailing financial system, credit – the grease that keeps the global economic machine running – has been drying up to a dangerous extent. Over the past two weeks, many banks have ceased lending money to one another – or to corporate clients that need loans to cover their cash flow.
Sep. 28 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Amid crisis, candidates are staying in character:There's nothing like a financial meltdown to force candidates to get serious and stop talking about the trivia that too often dominates modern presidential campaigns.
OCEANSIDE, Sep. 28 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
8 people vying for 2 seats, but seen mostly as 2 vs. 2: The mathematics in the Oceanside City Council race may boil down to this: 2 against 2 equals 2.
Sep. 28 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Road to White House: Where they stand :
ANAHEIM, 10:18 p.m. Sept. 27 (AP)
Wilson to GOP: Fight Schwarzenegger recall: Former Gov. Pete Wilson on Saturday urged his fellow Republicans not to make light of a recall drive against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
WEEHAWKEN, N.J., 9:17 p.m. Sept. 27 (AP)
VP: A second banana in a country of firsts: Beside a mighty river, tucked away in the shadow of a towering ribbon of asphalt that leads drivers into the Lincoln Tunnel and Manhattan beyond, sits a plot of land notable because of a two-century-old event that, for most Americans, is largely forgotten.
LAS VEGAS, 8:34 p.m. Sept. 27 (AP)
County GOP official removed for remarks: The spokeswoman for the Republican Party in Nevada's most populous county was removed from her post Saturday, after she said the Democratic Party made black people “dependent on the government.”
FREDERICKSBURG, Va., 8:15 p.m. Sept. 27 (AP)
Obama slams McCain for not mentioning middle class: Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama sought to score a quick post-debate advantage Saturday by traveling to two Republican-leaning states and accusing GOP rival John McCain of being out of touch with middle-class Americans.
SAN FRANCISCO, 5:39 p.m. Sept. 27 (AP)
Calif. gay marriage ban sparks 'War of the Rings': Gettysburg. Armageddon. The War of the Rings. Those are some of the superlatives culture warriors on both sides of the same-sex marriage divide are using to convey the urgency surrounding Proposition 8 on the Nov. 4 ballot, which would place a ban on gay marriage in the state Constitution.
ARLINGTON, Va., 4:18 p.m. Sept. 27 (AP)
McCain calls govt. officials handling bailout deal: Republican John McCain placed phone calls to President Bush and Republican congressional leaders Saturday to help steer a bailout of failed financial institutions. His campaign and that of rival Barack Obama also sought to steer perception of the first presidential debate.
WASHINGTON, 10:20 a.m. Sept. 27 (AP)
2 quick polls give Obama edge in debate: A pair of one-night polls gave Barack Obama a clear edge over John McCain in their first presidential debate.
WASHINGTON, 9:53 a.m. Sept. 27 (AP)
Housing giant dropped meeting with McCain adviser: Last March, a consultant to Freddie Mac arranged a meeting between the top economist in John McCain's campaign and Hollis S. McLoughlin, a prominent Republican and top executive at the failing housing giant that is central to the nation's credit crisis.
Sept. 27 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Six candidates agree that English learning is priority: VISTA – The Vista school district, where six candidates are competing for three seats on the school board, has made gains in academic achievement but still faces big challenges.
Sept. 27 (UNION-TRIBUNE)