The Political Whore

Barack Obama aired his half-hour “Obama Infomercial” as the candidate called it on last night’s Daily Show. (Time called it a “mini-convention six days before the election.”) The production leaned heavily on tug-at-the-heartstrings profiles of “real Americans” and some very specific policy proposals. In case you missed it:

• Florida gets much love as the candidates crisscross the state.
• Millions vote early, immediately smash televisions…
• …but not necessarily the Youth Vote.
• Bill stumps with Obama in Kissimmee. Three words we enjoy in any sentence: Bill, stumps and Kissimmee.
• McCain to LAT: Screw your journalistic principles, gimme that damned Obama video.
• Larry King was in town yesterday? I knew there was a reason I felt really icky all day.
• One of the 2,466 keyboardists who ever played with Jerry Garcia is dead.
• The worst part is that I had a ticket for game 6.
• There you go again, Sarah Palin.
• Can someone explain how the U.S. faces deflation after the Fed has created all this money?
• Trouble ahead for Facebook?
• 15 technologies that are about to change everything.
• God help us all: The Beatles go digital with their own edition of Rock Band.

Palm Beach, Fl. Fifth-grader and aspiring reporter Damon Weaver interviews Joe Biden, asking the veep candidate what it is that a VP actually does. He likes Biden’s answer enough to declare them officially “homeboys.”

• Florida early voting sites to stay open longer each day to better disenfranchise the citizenry.
• Q Poll: Obama ahead by 2 points in statistical tie.
• LAT-Bloomberg: Obama up by 7.
• Obama cuts McCain’s lead to just 2 points in McCain’s home state, Arizona!
• … but the McCain campaign says the race is tightening. Rrrrriiigggghhht.
• Our daily “Nearer My God to Thee” Media update: Time Inc. will lay off 600 workers; Gannett to cut 3,000.
• Enjoy those big gains from yesterday Dow fans. They should be gone by this afternoon.
• Tonight’s half-hour Obama ad will not run on CNN, but will lead into the World Series on Fox.
• Speaking of which: Game 5 resumes tonight — if it doesn’t snow!
• Rate cut! Rate cut! Rate cut!
• The credit crunch finally hits the cards.
• Christian Science Monitor to dump the print paper and go Web-only (mostly).
• Consumer Confidence disappearing faster than your employer’s match of your 401(k).
• Ralph Nader rallies 150 troops in Ybor City.

Meet Vlad and his pal Boris. These gentlemen are from Russia (perhaps) and they have prepared a musical ode to Sarah Palin. Quote the musicians: “Hello Sarah Palin we wrote this song for you because we see you from Russia! Plz respond to our emails!! We like to hear from you!!”

• Sarah Palin hits Tampa, announces the election isn’t over yet and that her clothes are actually hers. (Sure they are, Sarah. Sure they are.)
• Palin’s favorability among women falls 17 points.
• Bradenton Herald to launch new website to better integrate print and online news and advertising blah blah blah.
• Newark daily paper to cut editorial staff by 40 percent by end of blah blah blah.
• Crist ties with Tom Ridge for fifth most important politician not running for president; Palin comes in third; page 1 Monday editor for USA Today comes in second.
• Isiah’s son: Dad didn’t OD, sis to blame.
• Bono: He just may have found what he was looking for.
• The Phillies bludgeon the Rays 10-2, take a 3-1 lead in the World Series.
• The endgame is upon us.
• What’s got I’m-a-dinner-jacket under the weather?
• “I fear the worst is yet to come.”
• “Sex addiction: not just for men.” That’s what she said.
• Jennifer Hudson’s horrifying weekend ends with a $100K reward for the return of her missing nephew.
• High School Musical 3 is the big fish in this weekend’s box office pond.

Olympic fever and the dull days of August have slowed real news to a trickle. Sports Illustrated has a list of the 25 best sports videos (that contain no actual sports) on YouTube. Here is #1. (Warning: Not for the kids.)

• While the world watched the Olympics, war broke out in Eastern Europe.
• Incidentally, if you missed Friday night’s incredible Opening Ceremonies, they can be seen here.
• Lieberman on McCain’s short list, proving past performance is not a vetting factor.
• Who the hell is Robert McGovern, and what the hell does he have to do with the Edwards mess?
• Be the first to know Obama’s V.P. choice.
• The U.S. poised for an economic recovery?
• R.I.P. Issac Hayes, R.I.P. Bernie Mac, R.I.P. Whaley’s Market.
• The Rays break the team record for wins in a season.