The McCain campaign relieved Bobby May of his position as McCain's Buchanan County, Virginia campaign chairman. The campaign found May's blatant racism a bit embarrassing.

May wrote in [a newspaper] column, "The (clarified) platform of Barack Hussein Obama," that if the Democratic senator were elected he would hire rapper Ludacris to paint the White House black and change the national anthem to the "Black National Anthem."

From the invocation at a McCain rally in Davenport, Iowa:

“There are millions of people around this world praying to their god — whether it’s Hindu, Buddha, Allah — that his [McCain’s] opponent wins, for a variety of reasons,” said Arnold Conrad, former pastor of Grave Evangelical Free Church. “And Lord, I pray that you would guard your own reputation because they’re going to think that their god is bigger than you if that happens. So I pray that you will step forward and honor your own name in all that happens between now and Election Day.”

That might strike some as provocative given persistent, false rumors that Democrat Barack Obama is a Muslim. Sen. Obama is Christian.

And it might strike some as silly that the McCain-Palin God needs to guard His reputation by assuring McCain's election.

The Associated Press reports today that as Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin blurred the lines between church and state and billed taxpayers for her attendance at religious events:

An Associated Press review of the Republican vice presidential candidate's record as mayor and governor reveals her use of elected office to promote religious causes, sometimes at taxpayer expense and in ways that blur the line between church.

Since she took state office in late 2006, the governor and her family have spent more than $13,000 in taxpayer funds to attend at least 10 religious events and meetings with Christian pastors, including Franklin Graham, the son of evangelical preacher Billy Graham, records show.

More...

Referring to the angry McCain-Palin supporters who yell "traitor" and "treason" and "terrorist" when John McCain or Sarah Palin mention his name, Barack Obama said:

“Nothing’s easier than riling up a crowd by stoking anger and division. But that’s not what we need right now in the United States."

One might hope that cautionary statement would be uncontroversial, an invitation to civility that the McCain campaign would readily accept. Instead, the comment provoked an attack.

“Barack Obama’s assault on our supporters is insulting and unsurprising,” McCain senior adviser Nicolle Wallace said in a statement, “These are the same people Obama called ‘bitter’ and attacked for ‘clinging to guns’ and faith."

[more ...]

DKos R200 has Obama up 12, 52-40. Newsweek has Obama up 11, 52-41. Gallup has Obama up 10, 51-41. Battleground has Obama up 8, 51-43. Fox has Obama up 7, 46-39. Hotline has Obama up 7, 48-41.

In case you haven't noticed, the Presidential election is over.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

The full TrooperGate report is here (pdf). Pages 65-67 with key findings on Gov. Sarah Palin are reproduced here (pdf).

Below are some key excerpts from the report, followed by several news articles showing that contrary to claims by Palin and the McCain campaign, the investigation was bipartisan from start to finish -- and Palin herself initially pledged to cooperate with the legislature. [More...]

TrooperGate report is out. Findings: Gov. Sarah Palin abused the power of her office.

The report by investigator Steve Branchflower found that Palin violated the state's executive branch ethics act, which says that "each public officer holds office as a public trust, and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that trust."

The full report is here (pdf.) The vote to release it was unanimous. I'll update as I read it.

Pages 65 to 67, reproduced here, explain the finding that Palin abused the power of her office.

Florida's Jewish voters are not happy with Sarah Palin, and many who thought they might vote for McCain have now decided otherwise.

As one Jewish voter, Jamie Erenreich, puts it:

She finds so much about Palin objectionable that she almost doesn't know where to begin. There's the abortion issue, for one. Palin "wouldn't want anyone to have an abortion even for rape or incest," says Jamie. "Who is she to judge by telling me how to live my life and overturning the things women have worked so hard for?"

Equally disconcerting is Palin's seeming shallowness on some of the most pressing matters facing the country. "She doesn't know what she is talking about and makes it up as she goes along," says Jamie. "The fact that she had to be coached for two weeks [to prepare for the vice presidential debate] tells me she doesn't know anything. She just talks in circles."

Political scientists and polling data explain. [More...]

Newsweek released a new poll today. Sen. Barack Obama leads John McCain by 11 points, 52% to 41%.

The chief reason: the economy. Another: voter disapproval of Sarah Palin.

While 60 percent of voters think Palin would fit in well with their local community, only 39 percent of those surveyed say they believe McCain's running mate is qualified to serve as president, while 55 believe she is not.

Obama leads with almost every group of voters.

He now leads McCain among both men (54 percent to 40 percent) and women (50 percent to 41 percent). He now wins every age group of voters—including those over 65 years of age, who back him over McCain 49 to 43 percent.

88% of former Hillary supporters are now on board with Obama: [More...]

Republican anger is the story of the day.

Video interviews by confrontational Barack Obama supporters at John McCain rallies are shooting up the YouTube charts, revealing angry and nasty anti-Obama sentiment that is in turn motivational for the Democratic presidential contender’s supporters.

Besieged by unflattering stories about Sarah Palin pumping up angry crowds who shout "traitor" and "liar" and worse, as well as criticism of his own attempt to paint Barack Obama as "the other," even referring to him in the last town hall as "that one," John McCain finally corrected a questioner who called Obama an Arab:

[more ...]

Dow ends the week with another losing day.This weekend the finance chiefs for the biggest industrialized countries are meeting i Washington:

President Bush sought to reassure the American people, and by extension the markets. “My fellow citizens, we can solve this crisis, and we will,” Mr. Bush said Friday in a statement at the White House as central bankers and finance ministers from the world’s richest countries gathered for talks in Washington. The Treasury secretary, Henry M. Paulson Jr., is expected to give a news conference later tonight.

The bankers and ministers were meeting to discuss new measures, including the injection of government money into banks in return for ownership stakes. Mr. Bush was to meet with finance ministers from Britain, Italy, Germany, France, Canada and Japan on Saturday.

Bush trying to inspire confidence? Come on.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

Only a portion of the Troopergate report will be released to the public.

A second part of the report contains "confidential" information and will be kept under wraps, said [state Sen. Kim] Elton, a Democrat who has been under fire from Palin's supporters.

What this means is unclear, although the words "hidden" and "buried" come to mind as descriptors of the confidential facts.

It’s unclear when, if ever, the public will get to take a look at it.