• Obama says: Assume nothing! Battle on.
• Finger-pointing rampant in the GOP camp, according to GeoSteph.
• Ted Stevens found guilty; knowing Alaska, will probably still win his race.
• Creepy skinhead plan to kill Obama is revealed. (One of them is, anyway.)
• Michelle shops at J. Crew. Prep.
• McCain advisor says carbon dioxide should not be treated as pollutant.
• Charles Barkley = Guv?
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• You can package it "green." You can market it as "sustainability." It is still Wal-Mart.
• Palin is just a wolf/pitbull/hockey mom in $150,000 worth of clothing.
• World Series: Phillies up one.

Commiserating, of course, is commonly done in pairs, but reaches ecstatic levels in large groups. Accordingly, one of the best ways we've experienced a connection to the election in general and the people of this town is to head out and watch the debates at one of the many planned and unplanned viewing parties in Austin TONIGHT. more ›

• Stakes are high as Obama and McCain head for final debate
• President Bush says he's confident that the economy will come back "in the long run"
• Hurricane Omar nears Puerto Rico with 80-mph winds

• McCain introduces his economic plan today.
• Are we living through a fundamental reorganization of the concepts of government and the market?
• Obama proposes a couple of breaks.

• The second presidential debate: "remarkably sedate", "low-voltage", "tedious"
• The Federal Reserve and other world banks enact an emergency rate cut
• Work with glowing jellyfish leads to Nobel Prize in chemistry

• Senate passes bailout plan "leading us into the pit of socialism" per Senator Jim DeMint.
• McCain says he is "running an honorable campaign."
• Obama has significant lead in polls.

McCain's campaign still asserts that if the mortgage bailout doesn't happen on Friday, he won't show up. But both Obama and the Commission on Presidential Debates say the debate is on. Whoever ends up debating on Friday (and you know McCain will end up there eventually, despite these shenanigans), the Alamo has got your back. Both Village and South Lamar locations will be showing the debate. We attended the Clinton/Obama debate at the South Lamar location and assume the set-up will be about the same. McCain and Obama factions will be split down the middle, although this being Austin, the Obama voters will most likely outnumber McCain voters. Laughing at bogus answers is encouraged, but yelling "You're an idiot!" to the screen might get you in trouble. more ›

• DEADLINE FOR VOTER REGISTRATION IS OCTOBER 4TH! If you aren't registered, unsure if you are registered or you think there is even a remote chance that your registration is not current, GET ON IT NOW.
• John McCain hires reality TV make-up artist. We thought he was leaving the "celebrity" status to Obama...
• Speaking of McCain - he now wants to postpone the Vice Presidential debate too!?!

• FBI investigating four firms at the heart of this financial meltdown
• Warren Buffett in a buying mood; pours $5 billion into Goldman Sachs
• McCain aide’s firm was paid by Freddie Mac up through last month

• The Federal Reserve lends insurer AIG $85 billion to stay afloat
• Howard Stern pranksters make out behind live news report from Wall Street
• 16 die in attack on U.S. Embassy in Yemen

Mont Blanc Avalanche leaves several missing, feared dead. Bush says Florida a total disaster. McCain Ad: Ooooh, Obama was like. "SNAP, take that Hillary!" Best Buy. Worst Plan. Bottle or Box? Green wine debate continues. Hey Pootie-poot, it's just us Americans here with a big ship full of aid for the Georgians. Anyways, how's it going? It's D-Day! Or DNC day, anyway. more ›

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain distributed tire-pressure gauges labelled “Obama’s Energy Plan” to members of his travelling press corps on Monday. The tire-pressure gauges were in response to a comment that Obama made last Wednesday alleging that the amount of oil available through increased offshore drilling could be saved each year if Americans kept their car tires properly filled with air. more ›

Despite his lackluster major media performance, George Bush is still the subject of nearly 100% of Volkswagen bumper stickers and represents the butts of more than 60% of the jokes told by terrible stand-up comedians. more ›

New York Times rejects McCain’s Iraq War Essay The New York Times on Monday rejected an essay by presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain. The essay was written as a response to an Op-Ed piece by Barack Obama published by the paper last week and focused on McCain’s strategy for the Iraq war. The New York Times, which endorsed McCain as the Republican candidate and has published seven Op-Ed pieces by the Senator, encouraged McCain to submit another draft. more ›

Banks falling like dominoes. OMG sign of the judgment bleargh! Oh, crap. Bush to Israel: I'd hit that shit. But maybe you better. Mediterranean Union created. Luxurious! Democratic leadership also wants to cut someone's nuts out. Brangelina buns no longer in oven. Is it still a scandal if no one is surprised? Also scary: ‘I’m Learning To Get Online Myself, And I’ll Have That Down Fairly Soon’ more ›

• Flooding continues in the Midwest as levees break on the Mississippi River
• President Bush to make a renewed push to allow offshore drilling
• Obama has a narrow lead on McCain, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll

Republican Market, a Florida-based website devoted to all things GOP, was recently spotted at the Republican State Convention in Houston with a booth offering the latest round of politically shallow and morally irresponsible pins declaring "If Obama is President...will we still call it the White House?" more ›

Two town hall meeting-style forum opportunities have been offered to presidential candidates John McCain (GOP) and Barack Obama (Dem). The Johnson family has asked the candidates to hold a forum at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, and Nancy Reagan has asked them to hold a forum at the Reagan National Library in California. Both forums would be scheduled for July. more ›

Although nowadays things are looking rosier for his candidate, McKinnon had to leave; he told people earlier this year that if Obama was the Democratic nominee, then he wouldn't keep working with the McCain campaign. Even though Obama isn't officially the Democratic nominee yet, it seems inevitable that he will be. more ›

Primary results from national/state/local races: So even though it seems that Hillary won the Texas primary (it's interesting that Obama led in statewide early voting), Obama may beat her in delegate numbers. In the GOP race, McCain is now the GOP candidate as Huckabee gives up the ghost. In Travis County, Ron Paul won 17% of the vote . . . more ›

Brian Thompson seeking an injunction against Dawnna Dukes; her campaign ads say he's never voted. New KXAN statewide poll of Democratic voters has Obama with 50%, Clinton with 47% and 3% undecided. McCain will hold a town hall meeting with Dell employees tomorrow in Round Rock. New City Manager Ott made two appointments today. Someone at Liberty Hill ISD hasn't heard of a shredder. more ›

"We're not publishing the list in our news columns, period": Statesman Editor Oppel on why the paper will not include a listing of precinct voting locations on election day. McCain stopped in San Antonio today. Bill Clinton spoke in town today. On the primary race between Glen Maxey and incumbent Nelda Wells Spears. Power outage in East Austin this afternoon. While her father was tied up, a robber sexually-assaulted a 15-year-old girl in a South Austin apartment yesterday morning. Semi veers off Dallas highway ramp and falls onto Continental Avenue; at least 3 are dead. more ›

Photo by Steve Hopson for Austinist.com
• For those who are watching from home but don't have access to CNN, local PBS affiliate KLRU will be airing the debate on tape-delay, starting at 9pm
• DailyKos has an informative rundown of each democratic candidate's proposed legislation and their record in the Senate (thanks, MikeB)
• Chelsea Clinton will speak at ACC’s South Austin Campus tomorrow morning at 9:45am. The event is free and open to the public

• Sex toys are no longer illegal in Texas; federal appeals court overturns the ban.
• McCain adviser tells NPR that if Obama is the Democratic nominee, he won't keep working on McCain's campaign.
• Decapitation wire placed by someone on US/Mexico border fence.