Today: Minnesota Reviews The Vote Totals (Again)
The Minnesota state canvassing board is meeting at 10 a.m. ET today to review the Senate recount totals, after the campaigns had complained of clerical errors in the last spreadsheet, and is expected to show a total in line with the Franken campaign's estimate of a Franken lead between 35-50 votes. Then it's on to the next question: How to sort out the increasingly-bizarre impasse on counting wrongly-rejected absentee ballots.

Obama Gets Heckled In Hawaii
Barack Obama found himself getting heckled during his Hawaiian vacation, after he asked a cheering crowd whether they liked his golf game. One woman responded: "Better than your bowling."

GOP Leaders Seek Close Examination Of Obama Stimulus Plan
Republican leaders are getting ready to hold up Barack Obama's massive economic stimulus plan, with House leader John Boehner and Senate leader Mitch McConnell calling for a thorough vetting of the proposal as it makes its way through Congress. "As of right now, Americans are left with more questions than answers about this unprecedented government spending, and I believe the taxpayers deserve to know a lot more about where it will be spent before we consider passing it," said McConnell.

Hawaii Seeks To Grab The Obama Brand For Tourism
The Los Angeles Times reports that Hawaii is actively seeking to promote the impact that the islands had on Barack Obama's upbringing and outlook, showcasing the places where he's been. "When he lived here, it was 30 years ago," said John Monahan, head of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. "But the Hawaii experience deeply shaped who he is."

Palin's Daughter Bristol Gives Birth To Boy
Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol has given birth to a healthy boy, who has been named Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston. Congratulations and good luck to the whole Palin and Johnston families.

Ex-Bush Aides Say Katrina Ruined Him Politically
Former Bush aides Matthew Dowd and Dan Bartlett told Vanity Fair that Hurricane Katrina was the event that permanently wounded George W. Bush's credibility. "The president broke his bond with the public," said Dowd. "Once that bond was broken, he no longer had the capacity to talk to the American public."

Former Powell Aide: Bush A "Sarah Palin-Like President"
Former Colin Powell aide Lawrence Wilkerson also told Vanity Fair that Bush's inexperience and lack of knowledge in foreign affairs made him into "this Sarah Palin-like president," dependent on his advisers to know what was going on. It's hard to figure out who should feel more insulted by this comparison.

Poll: Plurality Says Obama Most Admired Man Living Today
A new USA Today/Gallup poll shows Barack Obama continuing to have high personal ratings, with 32% naming him the most admired man living today. Trailing way behind were George W. Bush at 5%, John McCain with 3%, and Pope Benedict XVI, Billy Graham and Bill Clinton tied at 2% each.

Hillary The Most Admired Woman, Followed By Palin
The same poll showed Hillary Clinton to be the most admired woman living today, at 20%. Sarah Palin is at 11%, Oprah Winfrey 8%, Condoleezza Rice 7%, and Michelle Obama 3%.

Obama Staying Out Of Public Eye On Hawaii Vacation
Barack Obama has stayed out of the public eye during his family's trip to Hawaii -- or least he has done so as much as possible. During a visit to a golf range on Sunday, Obama told photographers snapping off pictures: "Come on... How many shots do you need?"

Obama Visited Troops On Christmas
Barack Obama visited Marine Corps Base Hawaii yesterday, greeting troops and their families on Christmas. The stop lasted for more than an hour.

Obama Sets New Record For Speaking To Prosecutors
The New York Times points out that because of the Blagojevich scandal, Barack Obama appears to have set a new record for a president giving an interview with prosecutors -- in this case, before he even takes office. "With no known legal exposure himself, of course, that was an easier decision for Mr. Obama," the Times says.

Hillary's Appointment Could Deprive Dems Of Fundraising Machine
The Hill reports that Hillary Clinton's move to the State Department could deprive Democratic candidates of a prolific fundraising machine, due to a combination of legal restrictions and cultural taboos against a Secretary of State raising money for politicians. Indeed, Hillary's fundraising might continued well past her presidential candidacy, bringing in $1.2 million for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee alone.

D.C. Adds More Inauguration Parking For Buses
D.C. officials have decided to allow an estimated 10,000 charter buses to park inside the city during the inauguration, so as to accommodate the rush of tourists and lessen the burden on public transit. This is double the amount of buses they'd previously been willing to let in.

"But if I would have been in charge, I would have wanted to speak to more reporters because that's how you get your message out to the electorate."

-- Sarah Palin, in an interview with Human Events, saying that the biggest mistake from the campaign was that she wasn't allowed to do more interviews.

Katie Couric probably wishes there had been more interviews, too.

(Via Huffington Post)

Madigan: Blago Could Step Down Monday, Potentially Still Receive Paycheck
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said today on Meet The Press that Rod Blagojevich could potentially still receive his paycheck if he were to temporarily step down as governor without fully resigning, a move that could possibly happen Monday. "And again, I have heard as well that that is one of his main concerns - his financial circumstances right now," said Madigan.

No Obama Or Biden Events Today
Barack Obama is in Chicago today, and Joe Biden is in Delaware. There are no public events scheduled.

Field For Obama's Seat Keeps Getting Bigger
Former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris (D) is now offering himself up as a potential candidate for Barack Obama's Senate seat, bringing the total field to nine people, by the New York Times' count. For his part, Burris said he would like to serve as a caretaker for two years, then not seek election in 2010 -- which could be an attractive feature to Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, if he were to take office soon and make an appointment in lieu of a special election.

Blagojevich Meets With Big-Name Lawyer
Rod Blagojevich met yesterday in Chicago with high-profile defense attorney Edward Genson, whose clientele also includes R. Kelly. Genson told the Chicago Tribune that he is not on retainer for Blagojevich, and is simply consulting.

McCain Rejects GOP Efforts To Hammer Obama On Blago Scandal
During his appearance today on ABC's This Week, John McCain talked down the GOP's efforts to tag Barack Obama with the Blagojevich scandal. "I think that the Obama campaign should and will give all information necessary," said McCain. "You know, in all due respect to the Republican National Committee and anybody -- right now, I think we should try to be working constructively together, not only on an issue such as this, but on the economy, stimulus package, reforms that are necessary."

McCain, On Possible Support For Palin: "My Corpse Is Still Warm"
Also his interview with George Stephanopoulos, John McCain said it was too early to say whether he would support Sarah Palin for president against the field of other potential Republican candidates. "Have no doubt of my admiration and respect for her and my view of her viability," McCain said, "But at this stage, my corpse is still warm!"

Palin's Church Damaged By Suspected Arson
Sarah Palin's church in Wasilla was damaged this weekend in a fire that is believed to have been arson. Palin's spokesperson said the governor has told the church she is sorry if the it turns out the fire was in any way connected to the "undeserved negative attention" resulting from her campaign for vice president.

Obama Raised Nearly $750 Million, With Over $100 Million In Home Stretch
Barack Obama's fundraising for the 2008 campaign has now come to a record-breaking $750 million, a demonstration of just how successful his fundraising model of seeking small donors and getting them to come back again and again really was. In addition, over $100 million of that came simply during the final weeks of the race, as the campaign was stepping up its ads and outspending John McCain.

No Obama Or Biden Public Events Today
Barack Obama is holding private meetings in Chicago, while Joe Biden is holding private meetings in Delaware. Neither have public events scheduled for today.

Dems Complain Of Obama Inaction During Interregnum
The Associated Press reports that many Democrats are growing impatient with a lack of action from Barack Obama during the lame-duck period. The sentiment was best expressed by Barney Frank: "At a time of great crisis with mortgage foreclosures and autos, he says we only have one president at a time. I'm afraid that overstates the number of presidents we have. He's got to remedy that situation."

NYT: Obama Actually Putting Together Administration At Record Speed
In contrast to people criticizing Obama for inaction, the New York Times points out that Obama has actually been assembling his cabinet at the fastest clip of any president-elect in modern history. Obama has now filled 13 of 24 top posts, compared to only one from Bill Clinton at this point in the transition, two each for Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, and eight from George H. W. Bush.

RNC Spent $111K On Palin's Stylists
Obama might have been outspending John McCain on the campaign trail, but it sure looks like the GOP was able to outspend the Dems in one crucial area: Cosmetics for the VP candidate. Sarah Palin's makeup artist was paid a total of $68,400 over the two-month period, and her hair stylist was paid $42,000.

Today: The Final Day (Of The First Phase) Of The Minnesota Recount
Today is the last day of the first stage of the Minnesota recount -- that is, when (nearly) all of the ballots shall have been reviewed by hand. But many stages remain: The canvassing board will be reviewing all the challenged ballots the week after next, there could be continuing litigation about wrongly-rejected absentee ballots -- and if those missing ballots in Minneapolis aren't found, the whole race could be thrown even further into limbo.

Joe Biden had a bit of fun today at the National Governors Association meeting in Philadelphia, mocking the fact that Sarah Palin gets far more press attention these days than he does, despite his being the Veep-elect.

According to the pool report, Biden addressed Palin at the meeting and made the tongue-in-cheek request that she appear publicly with him in order to get the media to give him some love, too:

"And Governor Palin, I want to thank you particularly."

"I might point out, as I told you...since the race is over, no one pays attention to me at all. So I'm -- maybe you will walk outside with me or something later and say hello to me."

The media attention gap between the actual Veep-elect and the failed one is possibly explained by the fact that Biden's public remarks yesterday at Obama's national security presser were his first in 26 days, but it's bizarre nonetheless.

Here's a sign that Sarah Palin could have some serious grassroots support going into the 2012 primaries: The reporter for the local NBC affiliate in Savannah says that while covering Palin's rallies today for Sen. Saxby Chambliss, she met people from as far away as New Mexico, who had come just to see Palin.

"Many made special plans to be in Savannah to see Sarah Palin, not Senator Chambliss," says WSAV's Randi Hempel, "because they're not even eligible to vote here in Georgia."

It's like the Grateful Dead, only more spaced out.

Sarah Palin is going back on the trail!

Palin will be criss-crossing Georgia this Monday on behalf of GOP Sen. Saxby Chambliss, in the final day of campaigning for the very unpredictable Senate runoff, the Chambliss campaign just announced.

Palin will be holding four rallies across the state, in a race that will make the difference in the Dems' efforts to get 60 seats this year, along with the Minnesota recount. This runoff election is all about jazzing up the base -- and whatever her faults, few if any Republicans did as good a job of that this year as Palin.

Chambliss has had some big names coming in for him, like John McCain, Mike Huckabee, Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney. Democratic challenger Jim Martin, who is lagging by a few points in the polls, has had Bill Clinton and Al Gore come in for him, among others, but one huge Democratic name has eluded him: Barack Obama.

Bill Vetting Issues Resolved; Obama "On Track" To Name Hillary Secretary Of State
We first reported here yesterday that advisers to the Clintons believe they've satisfied the Obama team's vetting demands and are awaiting a formal offer of the State Department gig from Obama. Now CNN, The Washington Post, the Associated Press and Politico have all confirmed that the vetting issues are resolved and that Obama is "on track" to name Hillary Secretary of State after Thanksgiving.

No Public Events From Obama Or Biden
Barack Obama is holding private transition meetings today in Chicago, while Joe Biden is in Delaware. Neither have any public events scheduled for today.

Report: Obama Could Appoint Retired General As National Security Adviser
Barack Obama is reportedly considering retired Marine Gen. James Jones, a critic of the Bush Administration's handling of Iraq and a former operational commander of NATO, for the position of National Security Adviser. Another possibility is James Steinberg, who served as Deputy National Security Adviser under Bill Clinton.

Verizon: Employees Looked Through Obama's Cell Phone Records
Verizon Wireless has revealed that several unidentified employees improperly accessed the records on Barack Obama's personal cell phone, which Obama had not used for months. If there is any consolation for Obama in this situation, it's that the perpetrators don't appear to have accessed any of his personal e-mails or other data -- the phone in question was simply a standard phone, not a smart phone.

Hillary Still Owes $5.4 Million To Mark Penn
The Associated Press reports that Hillary Clinton is still carrying a debt of $5.4 million to Mark Penn, out of roughly $7.5 million in total obligations. If Hillary were to become Secretary of State, FEC regulations would bar her from personally working to raise money to pay off those debts, though she could appoint an agent to raise money on her behalf and she would have some limited ability to appear at a fundraiser and thank donors.

DC Steps Up Preparations For Inauguration Stampede
The District of Columbia is relaxing regulations and intricately planning out its public transportation in anticipation of a mass crowd coming into town for Barack Obama's inaugural. The District has suspended the requirement for residents to seek a license before renting out their homes, and the city's public transit will be running at rush-hour levels for an unprecedented 15 hours straight.

Palin Pardons Turkey Amidst Slaughter
Check out this video of Sarah Palin doing the ceremonial photo-op of pardoning a turkey before Thanksgiving. As she spoke with local media about how brutal a campaign could be but also how much it's worth it to get out and meet regular people, several turkeys are being graphically slaughtered in the background:

"Certainly we'll probably invite criticism for even doing this, too -- but at least this was fun," Palin says, totally oblivious to what's going on in back of her. This video has that Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker movie motif, of a seemingly serious conversation taking place while an absurd sight gag is occurring in the background.

If Sarah Palin is really considering a run for president, she's got a huge mountain to climb, a new CNN poll finds.

Palin's favorable rating stands at 49%, compared to 43% unfavorable. While it's a net positive for her, she is nevertheless under 50% -- and furthermore, it's way behind John McCain's 61%-36% rating, and he just lost the race along with her. This is also the fourth consecutive CNN poll in which her favorables have gone down, after reaching a height of 57%-27% just after the GOP convention.

To put it bluntly, it's tough for someone to run for president when a broad section of the country is already on record disliking him or her for years in advance of the actual race. In a way, Palin could face one of the same problems that Hillary Clinton did: Entering the race as a polarizing figure, leaving even many of her own partisans eager to find someone else.

WSJ: Obama Could Keep Gates On At Defense
The Wall St. Journal reports that Barack Obama is leaning toward keeping Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense for at least the first year of his term -- which if true would represent a very prominent act of continuity from the Bush Administration.

Obama To Recognize Veterans Today
Barack Obama will be publicly observing Veterans Day this morning, laying a wreath in Chicago in honor of fallen veterans. He will be accompanied by Tammy Duckworth, the Illinois director of veterans affairs and herself a disabled Iraq War veteran.

Podesta To Address Reporters Today On Transition
John Podesta, the former Bill Clinton White House chief of staff and current co-chairman of Barack Obama's presidential transition, will be speaking to reporters today in order to provide some updates on the transition process. Some of the big questions he'll probably address will be regarding when the president-elect will start naming cabinet appointments, whether any Bush appointees will stay on, and to what degree Obama is demanding action from President Bush during the interregnum period.

Obama To Refocus On Afghanistan -- And Bin Laden
The incoming Obama Administration is looking to refocus U.S. foreign policy on the conflict in Afghanistan and the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. One possible element of this strategy, the Washington Post reports, could cause some serious domestic and international friction: Negotiations with Iran and potentially reconcilable elements of the Taliban.

Palin On 2012 Run: It's In God's Hands
In an interview with Fox News, Sarah Palin left the door open for a potential 2012 run for president: "I'm like, OK, God, if there is an open door for me somewhere, this is what I always pray, I'm like, don't let me miss the open door ... And if there is an open door in '12 or four years later, and if it is something that is going to be good for my family, for my state, for my nation, an opportunity for me, then I'll plow through that door."

Report: Jarrett Going To White House, Not Senate
CNN reports that Obama sources say Valerie Jarrett will stay on as an adviser in the White House -- not as an appointee to Obama's vacant Senate seat, as had been rumored over the weekend. At the end of the day the Senate appointment will be up to Dem Gov. Rod Blagojevich -- regardless of whether Obama asked him to appoint a particular individual.

Most Uncounted Alaska Ballots Expected To Be Counted Tomorrow
The Anchorage Daily News reports that the majority of the 81,000 uncounted ballots should be processed tomorrow. The campaign of Dem Senate candidate Mark Begich is hopeful that those ballots will turn around their current narrow deficit against incumbent GOP Sen. Ted Stevens -- and if not, Begich will have the distinction of losing an election to a recently-convicted felon.

NYT: The Southern Era Of Politics May Be Over
The New York Times this morning points out that, besides Republican rule in Washington, another important political trend might have ended last week: "And the Southernization of American politics -- which reached its apogee in the 1990s when many Congressional leaders and President Bill Clinton were from the South -- appears to have ended."

Palin: My Comments About The Country Of Africa Were "Taken Out Of Context"
Sarah Palin is defending herself from the allegation that she thought Africa was a single country, and not a continent: "If there are allegations based on questions or comments I made in debate prep about NAFTA -- about the continent versus the country when we talk about Africa there -- then those were taken out of context." Note: There is no such country that is simply called "Africa."

McCain To Do Post-Election Appearance With Leno
John McCain will do his first post-defeat TV appearance on Jay Leno, going a similar route as Bob Dole's 1996 appearances on comedy shows in order to give the public a positive and light-hearted image. McCain will stop by the show on Tuesday, in honor of Veteran's Day.

Bill Ayers Speaks: McCain And Palin Lost Points From Attacking Me
In a new essay for In These Times, Bill Ayers comments on how his past associations with Barack Obama became a spectacle in this election. "The good news was that every time McCain or Palin mentioned my name, they lost a point or two in the polls," Ayers writes. "The cartoon invented to hurt Obama was now poking holes in the rapidly sinking McCain-Palin ship."

GOP Rep. Reichert Narrowly Wins Re-Election
Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA) has been projected the winner in his rematch against 2006 Democratic opponent Darcy Burner, who has now conceded the race. With 81% of votes counted, Reichert leads by a 52%-48% margin, and the remaining votes are not likely to change the situation significantly.

Goode's Opponent Declares Victory, But Recount Looms
Tom Perriello, the Democratic challenger against right-wing Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA), has declared victory with current results showing him ahead by 745 votes out of over 316,000 total votes cast. Goode has not conceded, and a recount is likely to occur, which would delay an official verdict on the race for several weeks.

Democrats Pick Up GOPer Gilchrest's Seat In Maryland
Democrats have picked up a deep-red House seat in Maryland, with Democrat Frank Kratovil defeating Republican Andy Harris by a narrow margin. Harris won the Republican nomination in a primary challenge against the incumbent moderate GOP Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, who then turned around after his defeat and campaigned for Kratovil.

McCain Headed To Georgia For Chambliss
Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) will be getting some major help in his upcoming runoff against Dem challenger Jim Martin: John McCain, who carried Georgia 52%-47%, and will be coming to the state to campaign for Chambliss' re-election. The runoff could potentially have lower turnout than the November election, so it will become all about which party can better energize and bring out its base.

Chambliss Uses 9/11 Imagery In New Ad
Check out this ad from Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), as he heads into his December runoff against Democrat Jim Martin:

"When our country was under attack, we trusted Saxby Chambliss," the announcer says to images of 9/11. What's next -- will Chambliss redo his old ads from 2002 tying Dem incumbent Max Cleland to Osama bin Laden, and just Photoshop in Jim Martin?

Remember Guilford County, North Carolina, the place where Sarah Palin said she was happy to be in "Real America"?

Well, the North Carolina numbers are now all in, and guess what: Obama won this "Real American" county -- by a landslide.

Yep -- Guilford County voted 59%-41% for Obama.

In Palin's defense, maybe her "Real America" line didn't refer to this specific municipality, but was generally referring to North Carolina as a whole. Oh, wait...

(Via Andrew Sullivan.)

During the campaign the frenzied crowds at Sarah Palin rallies did seem indicative of something frightening in the air, and it turns out that there was a reason to conclude this, Newsweek reports:

The Obama campaign was provided with reports from the Secret Service showing a sharp and disturbing increase in threats to Obama in September and early October, at the same time that many crowds at Palin rallies became more frenzied. Michelle Obama was shaken by the vituperative crowds and the hot rhetoric from the GOP candidates. "Why would they try to make people hate us?" Michelle asked a top campaign aide.

Newsweek also reports that Palin launched an attack on William Ayers before the campaign had finalized their plans. And it turns out Palin's expenditures on clothing were far greater than previously known, infuriating McCain aides.

Relatedly, it's worth noting that the American people really did show great judgment when it came to Palin. Recall that when she first spoke at the GOP convention, at a point when she was barely known, it did look as if she was going to be a compelling asset for McCain: Good looking, forceful, independent-seeming, energetic, etc., etc.

But little by little, the dimensions of the Palin fraud were revealed by the media, and more important, the public caught on. It wasn't just that her unfavorable ratings rose. The key was that the American people correctly concluded that the choice of Palin should raise grave doubts about McCain's judgment.

The media revealed the truth about Palin, and the voters got her right. It's just one other thing about this amazing election that restores one's faith in our political process.

Sarah Palin, asked a few moments ago in Wasilla, Alaska who she voted for in her state's Senate race, said:

I am also exercising my right to privacy and I don't have to tell anybody who I vote for. Nobody does, and that's really cool about America also.

In other hockey-mom-related news, Paul Krugman shares this lovely sighting:

On my way to teach, this morning: "Vote for the hero and the hottie." Yes, it was on a pickup truck.

Deep thought: If Obama wins, we won't have to listen to hottie anymore.

Poll Closings
Here are the closing times in some of the key states: Most of Indiana closes at 6 p.m. ET, with the remainder closing at 7 p.m. ET; all of Virginia, most of Florida and most of New Hampshire close at 7 p.m. ET, with Florida panhandle and the remainder of New Hampshire closing at 8 p.m. ET; North Carolina and Ohio close at 7:30 p.m. ET; Missouri and Pennsylvania close at 8 p.m. ET; Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico close at 9 p.m. ET; and Nevada closes at 10 p.m. ET.

Obama Has Voted
Barack Obama has just finished voting, and was met by applause from other voters at his polling station.

Obama Greeting Voters In Indiana, Biden In Virginia, Then Off to Chicago
Barack Obama will be getting in his last bit of hand-shaking today, meeting and greeting voters in the Indianapolis area. Joe Biden will be meeting voters around Richmond, Virginia, and then going off to Chicago -- meaning that both members of the Dem ticket will be doing their final campaign activities in states that haven't gone Democratic in 44 years.

McCain Holds One More Rally, Palin Back In Alaska
John McCain is holding an Election Day rally -- a rare event -- at 2:15 p.m. ET in Grand Junction, Colorado. He will then greet voters in New Mexico, then spend Election Night in Phoenix. Sarah Palin will vote this morning in Alaska, and is then off to Phoenix.

Zogby: Final State Polls Paint Good Picture For Obama
The final round of Zogby swing-state polls gives Barack Obama the lead in several of the biggest swing states: Obama is up 49%-48% in Florida, 53%-42% in Nevada, 49%-47% in Ohio, 52%-45% in Virginia, and 51%-41% in Pennsylvania. McCain has a 50%-49% edge in North Carolina, a 50%-45% lead in Indiana, and the two are tied 49%-49% in Missouri.

Obama's Final Rally Gets Over 85,000 People
Barack Obama's final rally last night, held in Manassas, Virginia, had a strong turnout of more than 85,000 people. It's quite possible that the whole election could turn on tonight's result in Virginia.

McCain Held Home-State Rally Last Night
John McCain spoke to a crowd last night in Prescott, Arizona, winning last-minute votes in his home state. "We're closing in the polls," McCain said. "All we've got to do is get out the vote."

This Is It
If you are eligible but have not yet done so, please get out there and vote.

In a speech just now in Missouri, Sarah Palin unleashed some of the most ostentatious POW-POW-POWing of the campaign, and strongly implied that Dems think the "terrorists" are the "good guys."

After saying that some Dems want to cut defense spending by a quarter, she said:

"What do they think? Do they think that the terrorists have all of a sudden become the good guys, and changed their minds? No! The terrorists still seek to destroy America and her allies and all that it is that is that we stand for: Freedom, tolerance, equality."

A bit later in the speech came the POW-POW-POWing:

"And for a season a man may inspire with his words, but it's been for his lifetime that John McCain has inspired with his trustworthy and heroic deeds. On the decks of aircraft carriers and in the lonely cell of a prison camp -- and in the halls of the US capital -- John McCain has always proudly put his country first, he has always fought for America!

"John served our nation in uniform for twenty two years. He spent five and a half years as a POW. He has met great adversity in his life and in the service to this country. He knows how tough challenges are overcome, he will not wave the white flag of surrender to the terrorists, he will not -- as our opponent did -- he will not support cutting off funding for our troops over in the war zone."

And so Palin's final appeal on the eve of almost certain defeat puts it right out in the open: It's war hero versus ally of terrorists who want to destroy America and kill your children.

Which gives rise to a question: What American presidential campaign has been more crassly militaristic and jingoistic than this one? Bush in 2004 pales in comparison. TPM's resident trivia fanatic, Eric Kleefeld, suggests James Polk's 1844 campaign, based on an appeal to expand America's borders by force, or George Wallace's 1968 campaign, in which he chose as his running mate someone who helped pioneer carpet-bombing. Thoughts, anyone?

Should Obama win this thing, the depths McCain-Palin have sunk to will only make Obama's victory that much more rewarding and momentous.

Quinnipiac: Obama Ahead in Big Three
The final Quinnipiac polls of the largest three swing states give Barack Obama stable leads of various margins: Obama ahead by two points in Florida, 47%-45%, unchanged from a week ago; Obama ahead by seven points in Ohio, 50%-43, compared to a 51%-42% lead a week ago; and Obama up by ten points in Pennsylvania, 52%-42%, compared to a 53%-41% lead a week ago. The poll of Florida has a ±2.3% margin of error, and the polls of Ohio and Pennsylvania have a ±2.5% margin of error.

PPP Also Shows Obama Ahead In Big Three
The new state polls from Public Policy Polling also paint a cautiously optimistic picture for Obama in the Big Three: Obama ahead by two points in Florida, 50%-48%, compared to a 48%-47% Obama edge two weeks ago; Obama ahead two points in Ohio, 50%-48%, compared to a 51%-44% Obama lead a week and a half ago; and Obama up by eight points in Pennsylvania, 53%-45%, with no prior PPP survey for comparison. The margins of error are ±2.4% in Florida, ±2.8% in Ohio, and ±2.5%.

Barack Obama In Florida, North Carolina And Virginia; Michelle In Nevada And Colorado
Barack Obama has a morning rally in Jacksonville, Florida, a 5:30 p.m. ET rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, and will then finish out the campaign with a 9 p.m. ET rally in Manassas, Virginia. Michelle Obama will hold a 2:30 p.m. ET rally in Las Vegas, Nevada, and a 6 p.m. ET rally in Littleton, Colorado.

Biden In Missouri, Ohio -- And Pennsylvania
Joe Biden is holding a 10:30 a.m. ET rally in Lee's Summit, Missouri, a 3:45 p.m. ET rally in Zanesville, Ohio, a 7:30 p.m. ET rally in Copley, Ohio, and finally a 10 p.m. ET rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

McCain In Six States Today
John McCain has a very busy schedule for the final day of the campaign: An 8:55 a.m. ET rally in Tampa, Florida, an 11:45 a.m. rally in Blountville, Tennessee; a 1:50 p.m. ET rally in Moon Township, Pennsylvania; a 4 p.m. ET rally in Indianapolis; an 8 p.m. ET rally in Roswell, New Mexico; and a 10:45 p.m. ET rally in Henderson, Nevada. The inclusion of Tennessee seems rather curious -- this one is widely viewed as a safe state, and he could probably spend his time more usefully in other states.

Palin Doing Six Events In Five States
Sarah Palin also has a very big day ahead of her: A 9:15 a.m. ET rally in Lakewood, Ohio; a 1 p.m. ET rally in Jefferson City, Missouri; a 4 p.m. ET rally in Dubuque, Iowa; a 7:45 p.m. ET rally in Colorado Springs; an 11:30 p.m. ET rally in Reno, Nevada; and a 1:30 a.m. ET rally in Elko, Nevada.

Roughly 27 Million Votes Already Cast
The Associated Press reports that over 27 million ballots were already cast up through Saturday night, the most recent time for which the data is available. Polling data suggests that Barack Obama has carried the early vote handily this year, meaning that John McCain will need to win the votes cast on Election Day by a strong margin.

McCain: Tuesday We "Take America In A New Direction"
John McCain declared at a midnight rally in Miami, "There's just one day left until we take America in a new direction." The heckling opportunities on this one are just too obvious.

Poll: Tight Race In Virginia
A new Mason-Dixon poll of Virginia gives Barack Obama a lead of 47% to John McCain's 44%, with a ±4% margin of error, not significantly changed from a 47%-45% Obama lead a week ago. The poll also shows that white voters are disproportionately undecided, which if true could mean a late break in John McCain's direction -- the question is whether this pattern in Virginia politics repeats again, and whether it's enough of a break to overcome Obama's lead.

Bellwether Poll: Obama Ahead By Six In Ohio
The new Columbus Dispatch poll of Ohio, conducted by mail, has Barack Obama ahead of John McCain by a 52%-46% margin, with a ±2% margin of error, compared to a 49%-42% Obama lead a month ago. Historically, the leader in the Dispatch's final Ohio poll has consistently carried the state.

Obama In Ohio, Biden In Florida
Barack Obama is campaigning through Ohio today, with a 1 p.m. ET rally in Columbus with Michelle Obama, a 3:45 p.m. ET rally in Cleveland with Michelle and Bruce Springsteen, and a solo rally at 9 p.m. ET in Cincinnati. Joe Biden is swinging through Florida, with a 10:45 a.m. ET rally in Tallahassee, a 4 p.m. ET rally in Gainesville, and a 7:15 p.m. ET rally in Daytona Beach.

McCain In Pennsylvania, New Hampshire And Florida; Palin In Ohio
John McCain is making a final attempt to win over two Kerry states today, with an 11:45 a.m. ET rally in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, a 2 p.m. ET rally in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and a 6:15 p.m. ET town hall-style event in Peterborough, New Hampshire, followed by a rally after midnight in Miami, Florida, his one red state for the day. Sarah Palin is touring through the Bush state of Ohio today, with a 12 p.m. ET rally in Canton, a 2:30 p.m. ET rally in Marietta, a 5 p.m. ET rally in Columbus, and an 8 p.m. ET rally in Batavia.

Hillary Campaigning For Obama In Virginia
Hillary Clinton is holding a rally at 4:30 p.m. ET in Fairfax, Virginia, on behalf of Barack Obama. Earlier in the day she will also be campaigning in Kentucky for Bruce Lunsford, the Dem candidate against Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell.

Poll: Obama Way Up In New Mexico Early Vote
A new SurveyUSA poll of New Mexico, which narrowly voted for George W. Bush in 2004, shows Barack Obama with a 58%-39% lead among those who have already voted, with an estimated 60% of the total ballots already cast. If these estimates are all accurate, John McCain would need to win the remaining likely voters by nearly two to one in order to carry the state -- but he's only ahead 54%-41% with this subset, for an overall top-line result of Obama 52%, McCain 45%, with a ±3.9% margin of error.

Gibbs: We Screen Obama's Calls
Obama adviser and surrogate Robert Gibbs had this to say about Sarah Palin's phone call with a Canadian prank-call comedian saying he was the President of France: "I'm glad we check out our calls before we hand the phone to Barack Obama."

Here it is, the prank call in which a Canadian shock jock convinced Sarah Palin that she was speaking with French President Nicolas Sarkozy:

Uh oh. More trouble for Sarah Palin on the foreign policy front. In an interview with Fox's Greta Van Susteren yesterday, Palin professed confidence in victory on Tuesday as follows:

We realize that more and more Americans are starting to see the light there and understand the contrast. And we talk a lot about, OK, we're confident that we're going to win on Tuesday, so from there, the first 100 days, how are we going to kick in the plan that will get this economy back on the right track and really shore up the strategies that we need over in Iraq and Iran to win these wars?

Now, it's not fully clear that Palin was saying outright that we need to redouble our efforts to win an ongoing war in Iran. That's what her words mean. But it could have been a slip of the tongue.

Still, given the startling lack of foreign policy knowledge Palin has demonstrated, the possibility that she meant precisely what she said certainly can't be dismissed.

Late Update: Here's video:

The remaining schedules for all the candidates are pretty revealing.

Today, John McCain is in Virginia and Pennsylvania. Sarah Palin is hitting Florida, North Carolina And Virginia.

On Monday, the final day of campaigning, McCain will hit Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana, New Mexico, Nevada, and finally, his home state of Arizona, according to a McCain campaign memo blasted out last night. Palin will visit Ohio, Missouri, Iowa, Colorado, Nevada and Alaska.

As you can see, this means that with the sole exception of McCain's visit to Pennsylvania, McCain and Palin are devoting their time to a dozen states that are either battlegrounds carried by Bush or were previously reliable red states. (No word on tomorrow's schedule yet.)

What about Barack Obama and Joe Biden? According to what we have of their schedules (we've got all of them from today through Monday except Biden tomorrow) neither man is spending a single second in a Kerry state -- save perhaps when they make flight transfers.

Instead, both are campaigning in Bush states from here on out: Nevada, Colorado, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia.

McCain Playing Defense In Home Stretch -- Including Arizona
John McCain is spending the final days of the election by almost entirely playing defense in states won by George W. Bush in 2004. And perhaps most ominously for him, his final Election Eve rally will be held at midnight in his home state of Arizona, where the polls are close and the Obama campaign has just announced a new wave of advertising.

Obama In Nevada, Colorado And Missouri; Biden in Indiana And Ohio
Barack Obama is holding a 10 a.m. ET rally in Henderson, Nevada, a a 5 p.m. ET rally in Pueblo, Colorado, and a late-evening rally in Springfield, Missouri, with the latter two also featuring Michelle Obama. Joe Biden is holding an 11 a.m. ET rally in Evansville, Indiana, a 4:15 p.m. ET rally in Marion, Ohio, and a 6:30 p.m. ET rally in Bowling Green, Ohio;

McCain In Virginia And Pennsylvania; Palin In Florida, North Carolina And Virginia
John McCain has a 9 a.m. ET rally in Newport News, Virginia, a 12 p.m. ET rally in Springfield, Virginia, and a 3 p.m. ET rally in Perkasie, Pennsylvania. Sarah Palin has a very busy day ahead of her: A 9 a.m. ET rally in New Port Richey, Florida; an 11:45 a.m. ET rally in Polk City, Florida; a 2 p.m. ET rally in Ocala, Florida; a 7 p.m. ET rally in Raleigh, North Carolina; and a 9:30 p.m. ET rally in Glen Allen, Virginia.

Poll: Possible Tightening In Pennsylvania
A new Rasmussen poll of Pennsylvania gives Barack Obama a lead of four points, narrower than other pollsters out there have shown. The numbers: Obama 51%, McCain 47%, with a ±4.5% margin of error, compared to a 53%-46% Obama lead from a few days ago.

Former Bush Speechwriter: We're Already Seeing The GOP "Circular Firing Squad"
Former George W. Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson has predicted that the post-election Republican Party, assuming it suffers a massive defeat as many people expect, will not be a pretty sight. "Usually a loss results in a circular firing squad of recrimination and anger, not a healthy discussion of the directions of the future," said Gerson. "And the reality is we're already beginning to see that right now."

Obama Does Radio Ads For Down-Ticket Dems
Barack Obama has taped two radio ads for Dem House candidates running against moderate GOP incumbents. Here are the ads for Dan Seals of Illinois and Jim Himes of Connecticut:

The incumbent Reps. Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Christopher Shays (R-CT) are both in districts that Obama is likely to carry by landslides, and Obama's coattails might be enough to carry Seals and Himes over the finish line against incumbents who probably would have won under more normal circumstances.