Sean Quinn makes a good point:
Normally, "time of possession" is a key signifier in football of which team is likeliest to win the game, but in this case the opposite seems true. Think of it — all anyone cares about in this debate is what Sarah Palin says….Only Joe Biden can mess it up… by running up his own time of possession.
Jonathan Stein makes a similar argument.
A picture of contrasting crisis management:
Sen. Barack Obama expressed confidence Monday that lawmakers would come through with a financial rescue package, while John McCain’s campaign accused Obama and Democrats of putting "politics ahead of country."
Why is this race not over?
Ross predicts the future.
Joe Klein notes a turning point:
On Wednesday, October 1, the U.S. relinquishes responsibility for the Sunni Awakening Councils–the former insurgents we pay ($300 per month) to not insurge–and the Maliki government takes over. Will Maliki continue to pay them? Will he incorporate them into the Iraqi Security Forces? Will he find other work for them?…Or will he stiff them? This is a big moment–if Maliki behaves well, this could go a long way toward reconciliation. If he behaves badly, things could get very messy very quickly.
The latest burst of violence in Baghdad reflects the tension:
Mr. Hanoush echoed concerns voiced by many Iraqis in recent weeks about the fragility of the security situation in Baghdad. “The situation is turning to the worse again, I do not know why,” he said.
Clearly not his strong suit.
The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 8.4 percent, the most since Oct. 26, 1987, as only Campbell Soup Co. gained.
Dave Weigel recalls these famous moments in British politics, when prime minister John Major was unable to corral enough of his own party to support his own policy. Blair – then leader of the opposition – pounced. The bottom line of today, however they try to spin it, is that a Republican president failed to win more than a third of his own party in the House in what most regard as a financial emergency. The collapse of the Republican party as a coherent organization is pretty much complete – and it’s silly to blame Nancy Pelosi. Bush’s Republicans increasingly remind me of Major’s Tories, avant le deluge:
"…the only thing worse than the vote was the complaining afterwards that Nancy Pelosi’s speech was too partisan. So they voted against the only viable measure to prevent a market meltdown because Nancy was mean to them?!," – Jennifer Rubin, Contentions.
Alan Krueger delivers some bad news:
Obviously, jobs in the banking, finance, construction and residential real estate sectors will take a direct hit because the problem started with a bubble in home prices. But the damage is likely to spread to other sectors. Industries that rely on customers who use credit to buy their goods are especially vulnerable. Thus jobs in durable goods manufacturing — such as autos, heavy household appliances and business equipment — are likely to be hit hard.
The Dish 