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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spin Control

Thursday’s quickie political briefing

Today's fun video: The Daily Show looks at Tuesday's debate

Here are today's headlines in the presidential race from the Associated Press:

McCain says Obama link to ex-radical raises questions about honesty

Obama says McCain mortgage plan would reward bad behavior of lenders at taxpayer expense

Biden says McCain’s mortgage plan bails out bad bankers rather than homeowners

Bailout anger helps fuel Libertarian Bob Barr’s campaign message

Boom in voter registration favors Dems, could lead Obama to election win

NRA formally endorses McCain
To read the stories behind these headlines, click here and go inside.

COUNTDOWN
26 days until the election
20 days to apply by mail for an absentee ballot in Idaho
12 days until the deadline to register to vote in Washington by going to the county elections office
8 days until ballots are mailed in Washington
6 days until the next presidential debate
1 day to pre-register to vote in Idaho. (Election Day registration also available.)Click here for information.
Tonight: the next Washington gubernatorial debate (7 p.m. on KSPS-TV and 790 AM)
THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Prez/Veep
John McCain and Sarah Palin hold a town hall meeting inn Waukesha, Wis. McCain later holds an event in Mosinee, Wis., while Palin talks to voters in Wilmington, Ohio.
Barack Obama stops in the Ohio cities of Dayton, Cincinnati and Portsmouth. Joe Biden campaigns in the Missouri cities of St. Joseph, Liberty and Jefferson City.
WA Gov
Dino Rossi and Chris Gregoire debate today in Spokane. It airs at 7 p.m. on Channel 7. Gregoire also attends a rally at the Carpenters Hall, 127 E. Augusta, with N.M. Gov. Bill Richardson at 2 p.m.
WA 5th Congressional
Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Mark Mays debate this evening, 6 p.m. at Spokane City Hall. They also debate Friday mornign at the Greater Spokane Inc. breakfast, 7:30 a.m. at the Spokane Club.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I’m not into either one, really.” — Denise Leport, an Ohio Democrat, speaking about the presidential candidates.
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STAT OF THE DAY
Roughly 666,000 new voters have registered in Ohio since the start of 2008, according to Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner. Ohio now has roughly 8.2 million registered voters.



The Spokesman-Review's political team keeps a critical eye on local, state and national politics.