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.

[more ...]

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.

More...

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."

[more ...]

CNN's Money fact-checks McCain's claims about Obama's tax plan and small businesses. Shorter version: McCain's wrong again.

The bottom line: McCain's claim only works by using an overly broad definition of what counts as a "small business" - and even with that definition, fewer than 2% of business owners would be hit by Obama's proposed rate increase. For those who are affected, the increase would be levied only on a part of their earnings, not all of them.

Tomorrow the Washington Post will endorse Barack Obama. The editorial is already posted here.

....[I]t is without ambivalence that we endorse Sen. Barack Obama for president. The choice is made easy in part by Mr. McCain's disappointing campaign, above all his irresponsible selection of a running mate who is not ready to be president. It is made easy in larger part, though, because of our admiration for Mr. Obama and the impressive qualities he has shown during this long race. Yes, we have reservations and concerns, almost inevitably, given Mr. Obama's relatively brief experience in national politics. But we also have enormous hopes.

....we find no way to square his professed passion for America's national security with his choice of a running mate who, no matter what her other strengths, is not prepared to be commander in chief.[Emphasis supplied.]

It's not that flattering an editorial. It disagrees that McCain equals four more years of Bush and criticizes Obama's Iraq position. It makes me wonder, had McCain not picked Palin, would the Post still have endorsed Obama?

Check out PalinasPresident --it's a flash so don't forget to click on all the objects in the picture. It's updated daily until November 4.

Palin's latest: G-d blessed the U.S. with oil and gas. Forget Joe the Plumber, he's a nobody. Keep your eye on Sarah Palin.

Don't miss David Letterman tonight, John McCain makes an appearance, trying to make up for his canceled appearance a few weeks ago that led to Letterman doing lots of funny jokes about him and Palin. Tonight: [More...]

Breaking news: U.S. Chief District Court Judge Edward Nottingham is expected to resign, reportedly due to new allegations of misconduct involving a sex worker who claims he asked her to lie about their relationship.

Judge Nottingham is in the midst of a federal criminal trial and called in sick yesterday and today. It was announced in court that Judge Wiley Daniel will take over the case.

Nottingham presided over the trial of Qwest CEO Joseph Nacchio. The full Tenth Circuit is considering whether to uphold a three judge panel's reversal of his conviction due to Nottingham's refusal to allow his expert witness to testify.[More...]

Bump: I'm bumping this from yesterday where it got buried under our debate posts.

A new report, the Power of the Latino Vote (pdf), predicts 9 million Latino, Hispanic and immigrant citizens will vote on November 4.

The road to the White House passes through key “battleground” states with large numbers of Latino and immigrant voters like Florida, Nevada, Colorado, and New Mexico. These voters are also flexing their muscle in Senate and House races across the nation.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any uglier:

A San Bernardino County Republican group has distributed a newsletter picturing Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on a $10 bill adorned with a watermelon, ribs and a bucket of fried chicken.

A black member of the club said:

"This is what keeps African-Americans from joining the Republican Party," she said. "I'm really hurt. I cried for 45 minutes."

To its credit, the California Republican Party denounced the illustration.

Update: As noted in the comments, the picture is actually of a $10 food stamp.

Add Bon Jovi to the list of musicians who have asked the McCain campaign to stop using their music at campaign appearances.

"We are surprised to hear that our song, Who Says You Can't Go Home, was used by the McCain campaign at rallies yesterday and today," the statement said.

"We wrote this song as a thank you to those who have supported us over the past 25 years. The song has since become a banner for our home state of New Jersey and the de facto theme song for our partnerships around the country to build homes and rebuild communities.

"Although we were not asked, we do not approve of their use of Home."

McCain used the Rolling Stones song "Start Me Up" last week without the band's permission. The Stones' "It's All Over Now" would have been a more apt choice.