Give credit to Rep. Henry Waxman, who thinks Congress shouldn't respond to a crisis by enacting a law and leaving town to campaign. As chair of the House Oversight Committee, Waxman would like to provide some oversight right now.

Rep. Waxman is racing the clock as many congressional leaders will have left town to campaign for reelection. “This financial crisis has shaken the global economy,” he said last week when announcing five hearings. “Congress cannot wait until a new administration arrives in January to examine what went wrong and who should be held accountable.”

Among those scheduled to testify: SEC Chairman Christopher Cox, Lehman Brothers Holdings chairman Richard Fuld, and former executives of AIG.

Got somethin' to say? Here's a place to say it.

This is an Open Thread.

Joe Biden's mother-in-law died this afternoon.

"The Obama-Biden campaign today canceled Sen. Biden's schedule Monday and Tuesday because of the passing of Jill Biden's mother, Bonny Jean Jacobs, this afternoon after a long illness," Biden spokesman David Wade said in a statement.

Our condolences to the Biden family.

Given Barack Obama's secure position, he doesn't need to describe John McCain as "erratic in crisis."

It is a loaded term and a not-subtle suggestion that the 72-year-old senator's age and temperament might be an issue.

McCain's temperament is an issue, but not one the Obama campaign ads need to address directly. At this point in the campaign, Obama has no reason not to take the high road. Apart from that quotation, the ad nicely links McCain to Bush on the economy while condemning McCain for launching false attacks when he should be proposing economic solutions. Does it work for you?

During the last few months, some site commenters have feared (or gleefully predicted) that an all-out right wing Rove-style assault would swing public opinion against Obama in the closing weeks of the campaign. The assault has commenced. If the best the McCain campaign can muster is a rehash of accusations that the public has already assessed and rejected, there isn't much to fear. The reality of looming economic disaster leaves voters with no time or patience for the politics of distraction.

Campaigns go negative because it works, but the strategy has a cost. Nate Silver analyzes the risk McCain runs of damaging his own image by relying so heavily on negative advertising. Silver's explanation is reassuring:

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In June, the Supreme Court ruled that the detainees at Guantanamo have the right to challenge their detention as enemy combatants and to have their challenges heard quickly.

Also in June, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Huzaifa Parhat, one of the Uighur Chinese Muslims held at Gitmo, was not an enemy combatant and therefore entitled to seek his freedom.

Four months later, The New York Times reports, no hearings have been held. The Bush Administration now argues that the judiciary cannot order the release of detainees because only military officials have the authority to end wartime detentions.

On Tuesday, the detained Uighurs, whom the Government is no longer claiming are enemy combatants, will get another hearing in Court. [more...]

At the beginning of the year, I changed my residence and voter registration to Florida. I am there most of the time now. I can't say that my decision was driven by the November election, but the thought did cross my mind.

New York is a Democratic lock so my vote is not needed there. Florida is an uphill climb, or rather, it was, as polls now show Obama with a Florida lead. Here's a thought experiment - supposing you had to pick a state where you could vote in November which one would it be? I would have said Ohio, but today's Ohio Dispatch poll has Obama leading by 7. Michigan? McCain pulled out. Virginia? Still fairly close there. Ok, I pick Colorado. Because if Obama wins Colorado, his Western strategy (I figure New Mexico and Nevada come with Colorado and Iowa is in the bag) insures an Obama win no matter what happens elsewhere in the battlegrounds. Where would you vote?

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

Random sports thoughts - the Gators were not great, but they don't stink either. Love the Cubs tanking. Rooting for the Angels to get off the deck and beat the Red Sox. Kimbo Slice is a fraud.

Your turn.

Glenn Reynolds keeps writing about the constitutional role of the Vice Presidency issue that came up in the VP debate. Reynolds wrote about the issue in 2007 (I was unconvinced by his argument, but hell, maybe lots of other people were convinced) and now points to Josh Chafetz's piece at TNR. Chafetz gives a historic rundown of the original view of the Vice Presidency in the Constitution:

Another day, another round of tracking polls telling us McCain's goose is cooked. DKos/R2000 has Obama maintaining a 12 point lead, 52-40. Ras ticks Obama up 1 to a 7 point lead, 51-44. I'll add Hotline and Gallup as they post their results during the day.

What can McCain do? I know the personal trashing of Obama will come - Ayers, Wright and whatever else they can find in the kitchen sink will be thrown. Of course, thanks to the extended primary, that is all old news (thank Hillary for the exciting, extended contested primary - Obama is teflon on these things now I think.) Here's a selfish (for me) idea - how about McCain flank Obama with a bold plan to help the middle class and homeowners instead of Wall Street? How about fighting for and promising a new HOLC? Just a thought Sen. McCain.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

Bruce Springsteen at a voter registration drive in Philly for Sen. Barack Obama today. An excellent speech, delivered while strumming, no notes, no "uh's" and great words and imagery. He ought to run for office.

The song: An acoustic version of "The Rising." This is an open thread.

Whether or not the United States is spying on Bolivia, it is wasting its money in efforts to suppress native farmers who try to make a living by growing coca.

President Evo Morales said Saturday that Bolivia does not need U.S. help to control its coca crop, stepping up his anti-Washington rhetoric days after rejecting an American request to fly an anti-drug plane over the South American nation's territory. Morales also compared U.S. counter-drug efforts in the country, including Drug Enforcement Administration flights, to espionage.

"It's important that the international community knows that here, we don't need control of the United States on coca cultivation," the president told a gathering of coca farmers. "We can control ourselves internally. We don't need any spying from anybody.

Both countries have played politics by booting out the other country's ambassador. The United States placed Bolivia on an anti-narcotics blacklist. Other than encouraging anti-American rhetoric in South America, what does this failed policy accomplish? Nada. [more ...]