In its first presidential endorsement since 1972 and the first ever for a Democratic presidential candidate, the LA Times has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama. The Times says the endorsement is "without hesitation." Like the Washington Post endorsement, McCain's Hail Mary pass of choosing Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate was key, although not the only factor:

Indeed, the presidential campaign has rendered McCain nearly unrecognizable. His selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate was, as a short-term political tactic, brilliant. It was also irresponsible, as Palin is the most unqualified vice presidential nominee of a major party in living memory. The decision calls into question just what kind of thinking -- if that's the appropriate word -- would drive the White House in a McCain presidency. Fortunately, the public has shown more discernment, and the early enthusiasm for Palin has given way to national ridicule of her candidacy and McCain's judgment. (emphasis supplied.)

CNN reports:

According to CNN's latest analysis of the electoral map, only six states are up for grabs (Nevada, Colorado, Missouri, Ohio, North Carolina and Florida) and they were all won by President Bush in 2004. That means even if McCain were to go 6-for-6 in the current tossup states, he would still fall short of the 270 electoral votes needed to capture the White House.

As I noted here, CNN's John King believes McCain has to take a big blue state from Obama. McCain doesn't seem to be following King's advice. He and Palin both will be back in Colorado next week. Obama also will continue to fight for Colorado -- Sen. Joe Biden will spend two days here, his first visit since the convention.

Bump and Update: I wrote the post below on Wednesday but am bumping it as Sen. Barack Obama has now released a new ad attacking McCain's proposed Medicare funding cuts.

Steve Benen at Washington Monthly has more. I think this could be key to the Florida vote. Steve writes that Obama made the argument in Virginia today, and notes back in June, Jonathan Chait wrote that cutting Medicare in a election year is political suicide. Here's the voice-over text of Obama's new ad:

"John McCain's health care plan -- first we learned he's going to tax health care benefits to pay for part of it. Now the Wall Street Journal reports John McCain would pay for the rest of his health care plan 'with major reductions to Medicare and Medicaid.' $882 billion from Medicare alone. Requiring cuts in benefits, eligibility, or both. John McCain, taxing health benefits, cutting Medicare. We can't afford John McCain."

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The Supreme Court today summarily overturned the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeal's 9 to 6 en banc ruling designed to disrupt new voters in Ohio at the behest of the Republican party.

The Court in a per curiam ruling held, as argued by the Ohio voting officials, that the GOP appears to have no standing under Section 1983 to sue to overturn the state's established voter registration procedures.

We express no opinion on the question whether HAVA is being properly implemented. Respondents, however, are not sufficiently likely to prevail on the question whether Congress has authorized the District Court to enforce Section 303 in an action brought by a private litigant to justify the issuance of a TRO.

The Order in Brunner v. Ohio Republican Party, 07A332, is here. Scotusblog has more. People for the American Way (PFAW)issued this statement:

A few days ago I wrote about Fred Baron's sudden diagnosis of multiple myeloma and Biomed's refusal to allow him to use the drug Tysabri. His son Andrew, founder of Rocketboom, enlisted dignataries from Lance Armstrong to Bill Clinton, John Kerry and others to the public to convince Biomed to allow Baron to receive the drug.

Biomed has relented and Baron now is being treated with the drug at the Mayo Clinic.....Andrew Baron said the Mayo Clinic, working with the FDA, found a legal basis for using Tysabri on his father.

I am against the clock on a brief so I won't be posting today. Hopefully, J and TChris will be along soon. In the meantime, here is an Open Thread.

Bumped from yesterday afternoon. See also Taylor Marah - BTD.

Like Josh Orton, I was on a call with Hillary Clinton late this afternoon. I asked Hillary 2 questions - one was the announced topic of the call (the campaign) - I asked her about down ticket races (she has been all over the country camapigning (or will be going) for various candidates - Lunsford (KY), Shaheen (NH), Noriega (TX) and a host of others.) But then I asked her about the new HOLC, the proposal Senator Clinton has made regarding the creation of a new federal entity to help struggling homeowners keep their homes. I was not sure Senator Clinton would want to discuss it at this time - after all we are less than 3 weeks from an election and Senator Obama has not exactly embraced the idea while Senator McCain at least mouthed the words last night. [More...]

If this is true, Ralph Nader is finally playing a helpful role for the Democratic presidential candidate:

Mr. Nader continues to draw scorn for his role in the 2000 election, when many Democrats felt his long-shot candidacy destroyed Al Gore’s chances of becoming president. But this time, some polls in critical swing states like Florida suggest he is drawing votes from Senator John McCain, the Republican nominee.

Nader's history as a warrior against corporate greed makes his a strong voice in opposition to the bailout plan. Nader has credibility as a champion of the little guy who has been abused by unfeeling corporations. He might be speaking to larger crowds than he anticipated during the last days of the campaign. [more ...]

Paul Krugman has more depressing news about the economy. He offers a prescription to start a recovery that would not survive John McCain's insistence on a spending freeze:

[T]here’s a lot the federal government can do for the economy. It can provide extended benefits to the unemployed, which will both help distressed families cope and put money in the hands of people likely to spend it. It can provide emergency aid to state and local governments, so that they aren’t forced into steep spending cuts that both degrade public services and destroy jobs. It can buy up mortgages (but not at face value, as John McCain has proposed) and restructure the terms to help families stay in their homes.

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Sen. Barack Obama has been on the "Don't get over-confident" theme all day. He told voters in New York and New Hampshire he remembers New Hampshire and the polls aren't always right.

Tonight, at what sounds like an incredible fundraising concert with Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel, Obama took the stage at the end: [More...]

As has been reported all day at blogs and news media sites, Joe the Plumber is not who he pretended to be. The Miami Herald has a good wrap-up.

Some of the early news:

Never served in the apprentice program or got a license, according to Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 50, in Toledo. Doesn't make anywhere near the $250,000 that would subject him to higher taxes under Obama's proposed tax plan.

Now, there's this: Tom Joseph, the business manager of the Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 50 union in Toledo, says:

Joe claimed on a social networking site to be a working union member and even used the pipefitters' insignia as a background. ''He's never been a member of the union,'' Joseph said.

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UPDATE: Video added. Original post:

John McCain appeared on the David Letterman Show today after making the bad mistake three weeks ago of telling Dave he needed to cancel an appearance so he could rush back to Washington to deal with the financial crisis. McCain actually stayed in New York and gave an interview to Katie Couric.

McCain's explanation: "I screwed up."

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