Poll: McCain Takes 5-Point Lead

Women especially want insurance to cover contraception

(NEWSER) - Bishops and pundits have been blasting President Obama over his decision to require all employers—including Catholic institutions—to offer health insurance plans that cover birth control. Peggy Noonan even predicted it would cost Obama the election . But a new poll, conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute , shows that the public, including Catholics, largely approves of the move, USA Today reports. Overall, 55% of Americans agree that employers should be required to provide health care that covers contraception. More»

There are plenty of reasons the president should be worried

(NEWSER) - Democrats, and many pundits, seem to believe that President Obama is rebounding, and will surely win re-election, but Jim Vandehei of Politico isn't buying it. Here's why he thinks the president should be sweating right now:

• The economy: The recent CBO report not only projected another trillion-dollar deficit, it predicted that unemployment will rise to 8.8% in the third quarter—something Obama's own advisers doubt he could recover from.

And Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin is still pretty scary: reactions

(NEWSER) - If you thought Julianne Moore's Sarah Palin was terrifying in the first Game Change teaser , wait until you see her in the full trailer, where she utters lines such as, "We have to win this thing. I so don’t want to go back to Alaska." Watch below, then read on for some reactions:

• This will clearly be "a Frankenstein-esque story about McCain’s staffers coming to regret the choice they made in bringing a little-known governor into the limelight," writes Jon Bershad at Mediaite . "The full trailer ... gives us even more famous actors getting their turn to stare in horror at the 'monster' they’ve created."

And Santorum is surging

(NEWSER) - Yet another poll puts Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, and Rick Santorum 1-2-3 in Iowa two days before the state's caucuses. The poll, conducted by the Des Moines Register over four days last week, puts Romney at 24%, Paul at 22%, and Santorum at 15%. However, the pollster says, "Momentum’s name is Rick Santorum." Look at the final two days of polling separately and you'll see a surging Santorum in second place, with 21%, while Paul drops to 18% and Romney stays at 24%. More»

And it's his biggest lead yet

(NEWSER) - Mitt Romney has taken his biggest lead yet against President Obama in the latest Rasmussen Reports poll , winning the hypothetical matchup 45% to 39%, with 10% backing another candidate and 6% undecided. Last week, Rasmussen had Obama leading 44% to 41%. Neither candidate’s number is far afield from how they’ve performed all year, though the 39% is a new low for Obama, who has until now ranged from 40% to 46%. Romney has scored between 38% and 45%. More»