Palin Lifts McCain Among White Women

Gaffe-prone senator manages to stay (mostly) out of trouble

(NEWSER) - While the rest of the big three draw huge crowds and intense scrutiny, Joe Biden is out of the spotlight, rallying four-digit rather than five-digit crowds and generally dodging the national media. With higher favorability ratings than Sarah Palin but a well-documented propensity for gaffes, he shores up the base with a disciplined strategy that takes advantage of his strengths. The New York Times hits the trail. More»

Plans for window before Jan. 20 also diverge

(NEWSER) - With the VP hopefuls girding for tonight's debate, it's natural to wonder what would become of their respective tickets should either presidential candidate die or otherwise become incapacitated before Nov. 4. Each party has its own protocol, explains Nina Shen Rastogi, writing for Slate, but in neither case does the running mate automatically get the nomination. More»

Gains among white women give GOP momentum

(NEWSER) - The John McCain/Sarah Palin ticket has all but wiped out Barack Obama's lead, according to a Washington Post/ABCNews poll. White women voters now back McCain by a 12% margin, a sharp change from Obama's 8% edge among the same voters before the conventions. They view McCain as being better able to handle the economy. More»

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin made such a splash in American politics this year that she deserves consideration for Time magazine Person of the Year, Kathryn Jean Lopez writes for the National Review. “They’ve probably long picked The One,” Lopez writes, referring to Barack Obama. But “like Obama, all you had to do was look at her to see that she offered something different on a national ticket.” More»

The NY Times chats with some of the 4% who remain unsure

(NEWSER) - After a long campaign season, John McCain and Barack Obama have had ample chance to define themselves in America’s eyes—yet 4% of the country, a recent poll says, remains undecided. The New York Times spoke to a few of these “gray-state” voters to see what was holding them back; they noted good and bad qualities in each candidate, but remained tough to pin down. More»