Two Distinct Americas Emerge on Campaign Trail

And Obama can't make the media look dumb on this one, or it'll get really bad

(NEWSER) - The only way to contain the new power that is Sarah Palin (the power conferred by Democratic attacks) is to start ignoring her and return to the basics, Peggy Noonan advises in the Wall Street Journal. To overcome the "catastrophe" of the last two weeks, Barack Obama needs to focus on giving electrifying speeches, on the actual issues, with Joe Biden alongside. 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»

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»

... by a thinner margin than they supported fellow Dem Kerry in '04

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama has a big lead among Jewish voters, according to a survey by the American Jewish Committee. But his 57% support, to 30% for John McCain and 13% undecided, is “a bit lower than one would expect,” a group exec tells VOA News. At this time in 2004, John Kerry had 69% of the vote, which grew to 76% by Election Day. More»

(NEWSER) - “With 10 days to go before the election, it's getting pretty dark out there” for John McCain, William Kristol writes in the Weekly Standard. All the more reason for true conservatives to stand behind him "for the sake of the country," says Kristol, who's proud to stay off the "Obama juggernaut." He'd love to see an upset and revel in "the dejection of the mainstream media” and “the incredulity of the leftwing triumphalists.” More»