Polls: Barack Obama is back in front across the board. He's at 47%-45% in Gallup's daily tracking poll, 48%-43% in a CBS News poll, and 49%-45% in a Quinnipiac survey, though that lead's actually one point smaller than in their mid-August poll. Then again, McCain is maintaining his strength among "maxed-out moms", the latest demographic shorthand for the constituency upon whom this election allegedly depends.
The candidates traded blows over who was to blame for the economic meltdown that will soon have us storing money under the mattress and bartering with twigs. McCain vowed to reign in Wall Street's "casino culture", and Obama mocked him for criticising the "old boys' network" in Washington. "The old boys' network? In the McCain campaign, that's called a staff meeting." Pundits, meanwhile, debated how the candidates should seize the moment, because that's what pundits do. [AFP, Fox News]
Election day could be a "mess", with long lines, equipment failures and confusion over procedures that "could cost thousands the chance to cast a ballot," not least because of all the newly registered voters. [Washington Post]
The details are still a little unclear. But it appears that the experienced foreign-policy stalwart John McCain, in a Spanish-language interview, failed to recognise the name of the prime minister of Spain and then, to make matters worse, just assumed he was probably some anti-American leader from Latin America -- the kind McCain says he'd probably refuse to meet with. [Talking Points Memo]
Watch Sarah Palin's first ever campaign ad for mayor of Wasilla — an upbeat and down-home affair, made in the days before she prepared for public appearances using a team of stylists costing an estimated $7,050 per day. [Gawker]
