Time/CNN just released a new poll:

Senator Barack Obama has held or increased his lead in four key states won by President George W. Bush in 2004 — Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia—while losing ground to Senator John McCain in West Virginia.

Obama gained the most ground in North Carolina, where he now leads McCain among likely voters by 51% to 47%, up four percentage points from earlier this month when a similar poll showed the two tied at 49%. [More...]

Following up on last night's Sarah Palin clothing expenditure post, The Atlantic today reveals that Sarah Palin's personal shopper is Jeff Larson.

Larson is the Karl Rove protégé who’s a principal in the robocalling firm of FLS Connect (the “FLS” stands for Tony Feather, Jeff Larson, and Tom Syndhorst, all veteran Republican political operatives). Larson’s firm is the same one that launched the scurrilous robocalls against John McCain in 2000, and that McCain has now hired to make robocalls connecting Barack Obama to Bill Ayers. He’s also well known in Minnesota for leasing his basement apartment at a steeply discounted rate to embattled Republican Senator Norm Coleman. Evidently, Larson also has quite the eye for women’s fashion.

Here's the actual schedule showing the payments the RNC made for Sarah Palin and her family during September. The form that's required to be filed is a Schedule F. The forms for all candidates and parties are available at the FEC website. [More...]

Websites that support al-Qaeda view John McCain as the better presidential candidate, according to a story in the Washington Post.

Al-Qaeda is watching the U.S. stock market's downward slide with something akin to jubilation, with its leaders hailing the financial crisis as a vindication of its strategy of crippling America's economy through endless, costly foreign wars against Islamist insurgents. And at least some of its supporters think Sen. John McCain is the presidential candidate best suited to continue that trend.

"Al-Qaeda will have to support McCain in the coming election," said a commentary posted Monday on the extremist Web site al-Hesbah, which is closely linked to the terrorist group. It said the Arizona Republican would continue the "failing march of his predecessor," President Bush.

[more ...]

10 is the magic number today. DKos/R2000 has Obama by 10, 51-41. NBC/WSJ has Obama up 10, 52-42. Gallup has Obama up 10, 52-42. Now Zogby has decided that the best way to get some coverage is to say Obama plus 10, 52-42.

WaPo has Obama up 9, 53-44. Ipsos McClatchey has Obama up 8, 50-42. Ras has Obama up 6, 51-45. Hotline has Obama up 5, 47-42. IBD/TIPP has Obama up 6, 47-41. McCain hopes Battleground has it right and it is a 2 point race. Seems unlikely.

13 days to go, and it appears to be over in the Presidential race.

By Big Tent Democrat,speaking for me only

Update: Via Ambinder, Republicans are "disgusted" by the expenditures.

Since September, right after John McCain nominated Sarah Palin for Vice-President, RNC expenditure reports show more than $150,000 in payments to Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Ave, and other retail establishments, apparently to clothe Gov. Palin and her family:

The Republican National Committee appears to have spent more than $150,000 to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her family since her surprise pick by John McCain in late August.

[More...]

I think you may have noticed that Senator Obama's supporters have been saying some pretty nasty things about western Pennsylvania lately. And you know, I couldn't agree with them more.

I couldn't disagree with you. I couldn't agree with you more than the fact that western Pennsylvania is the most patriotic, most God loving, most, most patriotic part of America, and this is a great part of the country.

Thank you for making your position clear, Senator McCain.

Joe Biden's impulsive prediction that Barack Obama's presidency would quickly be "tested" by a foreign power gave John McCain an opening to incite fear about Obama's ability to respond to an international crisis. McCain handled this opportunity with the same skill he has displayed throughout the campaign: he blew it.

“We don’t want a president who invites testing from the world at a time when our economy is in crisis and Americans are already fighting in two wars,” McCain said Tuesday at a rally here. Then McCain veered off script to elaborate.

[more, my friends ...]

The Wall St Journal/NBC Poll released today has Sen. Barack Obama with a ten point lead over John McCain, his biggest yet. The poll results are here (pdf.

Sen. Barack Obama has opened up a double-digit lead in the presidential race, with a growing number of voters saying they're now comfortable with the Democratic nominee's values, background and ability to serve as commander in chief,

...Though most voters polled said that Sen. McCain is better prepared for the White House than the first-term senator from Illinois, there are increasing concerns about the readiness of Sen. McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Obama is leading among groups that earlier were expected to go for McCain. Obama now leads among Independents by 12 points. Same for suburban voters. Also, [More...]

Gov. Sarah Palin and her husband will be deposed on Friday about TrooperGate.

The depositions are being conducted by the investigator for the Alaska Personnel Board, whom Palin previously suggested is the appropriate agency to conduct the investigation. The board consists of members of the Executive branch, who serve at Palin's pleasure.

Unlike the Legislature, the Personnel Board is an agency of the state's executive branch and its officials can be fired by Palin for cause. Only the three-member board has the authority to sanction Palin.

Palin continues to distort the findings of the Legislative Board. She told CNN today: [More...]

Once again, Gov. Sarah Palin talks out of both sides of her mouth. On CNN today, Sarah Palin was interviewed by Drew Griffin. I heard a portion driving home. She told Griffin that as Vice-President, McCain's roles for her will be (1) government reform (2) energy independence -- her "forte as governor" she said and (3) special needs children.

In Colorado yesterday, Palin told 9News she opposes Amendment 51 on our ballot that would provide services to special needs children through a one cent sales tax increase on every $10 spent for the next two years.

The Pew Research Center released a new poll today. Shorter version: Voters have increasing doubts about John McCain's judgment, age and campaign conduct.

Currently, Obama enjoys his widest margin yet over McCain among registered voters, at 52% to 38%. When the sample of voters is narrowed to those most likely to vote, Obama leads by 53% to 39%.

On views of Obama:

More voters see him as “well-qualified” and “down-to-earth” than did so a month ago. Obama also is inspiring more confidence on several key issues, including Iraq and terrorism, than he did before the debates. Most important, Obama now leads McCain as the candidate best able to improve economic conditions by a wider margin (53% to 32%).

As for McCain: [More...]

Forget Joe the Plumber, here's Al the Shoe Salesman. Watch him calculate his tax cut under Obama and then go calculate your own.