SCRANTON, Pa. -- Republicans favored bailouts for banks and investment firms, Hillary Clinton thundered here, but ignored "middle-class families losing their houses."

"Where’s their bailout?" she asked.

The object of Clinton's ire, John McCain, has in fact proposed a bailout of homeowners: a $300 billion plan for the Treasury Department would buy up underwater mortgages. Clinton’s candidate, Barack Obama, opposes it.

PHILADELPHIA -- Is Barack Obama already trying to encourage voters not to expect too much from the next president?

"This is not going to be easy, Philly," he said during one of four stops here today. "We're going to be going through some difficult times for the next few months."

Vice presidential nominee Joe Biden picks up the baton in today's Democratic radio address, accusing John McCain of trying to change the subject from the economy and promoting Barack Obama's plan to aid the middle class.

"Nothing less than our future prosperity and security are at stake in this election," Biden says. "That’s why it’s been so disappointing that our opponents don’t seem to want to talk about the economy."

Biden repeats the next favorite quote from the McCain camp (besides McCain himself declaring early in the crisis that the fundamentals of the economy were strong): "We are looking forward to turning a page on this financial crisis,” a strategist said.

"He didn’t mean solving the crisis," Biden said. "He meant ignoring it and attacking Barack Obama. Well, most Americans don’t have the luxury of ignoring the economy.

"The only new idea Senator McCain has offered in this financial crisis is to have taxpayers pay top dollar for bad mortgages all across America. John’s plan doesn’t demand that the outfits that helped dig us in this hole actually help families get out of the hole. Instead, it rewards them for their bad behavior and guarantees that American taxpayers will lose even more money than they’ve already lost.

"Barack and I want to take a different approach. In this housing crisis, we’re going to make it easier for families to stay in their homes – we’re going to do it by changing the bankruptcy laws, and allowing judges to reduce the amount of money actually owed on the mortgage – not just the interest, but the amount of money owed to the bank. Beyond that, we believe the values of our homes and the economic health of our communities are tied to one thing: jobs. And that’s why all of our plans for the future are about creating jobs."

Biden goes on to mention Obama's proposals to rebuild infrastructure, support renewable energy, and invest in education.

John McCain uses his weekly radio address to continue promoting his mortgage rescue plan -- and bash Democratic rival Barack Obama's response to the economic crisis.

"We've had two debates now, with a third coming this Wednesday night. And I can't shake the impression that Barack Obama is trying so hard to exploit America's financial crisis that he hasn't really focused on how to solve it. He keeps talking about the past, too -- although in a very selective way. He leaves out certain details, like the part about how he was taking campaign money from the same executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac who were causing America's financial crisis.

McCain says that to resolve the crisis, the government must deal with the wave of foreclosures and plummeting home prices. Under his plan, the government would spend about $300 billion to buy distressed mortgages from financial institutions at their face values, then refinance them at lower interest rates and at the lower market value. Critics say that would force taxpayers to make up the difference.

"It's a simple idea," McCain said. "Take some of the money that Congress has already committed to fixing our financial system and use it to give millions of homeowners a new mortgage and a fresh start. No default. No bankruptcy. No foreclosure. No deteriorating neighborhoods. The United States government will support the refinancing of distressed mortgages for homeowners and replace them with manageable mortgages.

"It's critical that we stabilize mortgages, or else the housing market won't stabilize and homeowners across our country face troubles even greater than they face now," he added. "The housing market faces distortion by a glut of low-priced, foreclosed homes. And this would lead to a crash in the value of the number one asset of a majority of Americans. With so much on the line, the moment requires that government act -- and as president I intend to act, quickly and decisively."

McCain said Obama's response to the plan "was typical of his response to the entire crisis. First, Senator Obama tried to claim that it was really his idea. But if anyone believed that claim, they didn't believe it for long because the very next day Senator Obama and his campaign attacked my plan to stabilize mortgages. He claimed that the cost of the plan would place a burden to taxpayers -- this from the same guy who plans to increase federal spending by $860 billion."

Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, abused her power as Alaska governor by seeking to get a state trooper fired, says an investigative report released tonight.

A family grudge wasn't the sole reason for firing Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan after he refused to dismiss the trooper, but was a contributing factor. But Palin still had the authority to dismiss Monegan last year as a department head, the report found.

"I find that, although Walt Monegan's refusal to fire Trooper Michael Wooten was not the sole reason he was fired by Governor Sarah Palin, it was likely a contributing factor to his termination as Commissioner of Public Safety. In spite of that, Governor Palin's firing of Commissioner Monegan was a proper and lawful exercise of her constitutional and statutory authority to hire and fire executive branch department heads," the chief investigator said in the report.

The report found that Palin violated a state ethics law that prohibits public officials from using their office for personal gain, but it does not recommend sanctions or a criminal investigation. Still, the finding could undermine her as she campaigns in the final month of the presidential campaign.

UPDATE: The McCain-Palin campaign issued a statement tonight: "Today's report shows that the Governor acted within her proper and lawful authority in the reassignment of Walt Monegan. The report also illustrates what we've known all along: this was a partisan led inquiry run by Obama supporters and the Palins were completely justified in their concern regarding Trooper Wooten given his violent and rogue behavior. Lacking evidence to support the original Monegan allegation, the Legislative Council seriously overreached, making a tortured argument to find fault without basis in law or fact. The Governor is looking forward to cooperating with the Personnel Board and continuing her conversation with the American people regarding the important issues facing the country."

Monegan says he was pressured by her and her husband to fire Mike Wooten, a state trooper involved in a nasty divorce and custody dispute with Palin's sister. Monegan says he was dismissed when he refused.

The inquiry, approved by a bipartisan vote, began before Republican presidential nominee John McCain picked Palin as his running mate. Since, Republicans have called the case a partisan witch hunt, particularly after the Democrat overseeing the case predicted an "October surprise" for the McCain campaign.

McCain's presidential campaign issued its own report Thursday night, asserting that the firing was over a legitimate policy dispute. "The following document will prove Walt Monegan's dismissal was a result of his insubordination and budgetary clashes with Governor Palin and her administration," campaign officials wrote. "Trooper Wooten is a separate issue."

But the report says, "The evidence supports the conclusion that Governor Palin, at the least, engaged in 'official action' by her inaction if not her active participation or assistance to her husband in attempting to get Trooper Wooten fired...She knowingly...permitted Todd Palin to use the Governor's office and the resources of the Governor's office, including access to state employees, to continue to contact subordinate state employees in an effort to find some way to get Trooper Wooten fired," the report said.

"Such impermissible and repeated contacts create conflicts of interests for subordinate employee who must choose to either please a superior or run the risk of facing that superior's displeasure and the possible consequences of such displeasure."

"The following events demonstrate that Governor Palin and Todd Palin and her family have, over an extended period of time, endeavored to get Trooper Michael Wooten fired from his job as an Alaska State Trooper," the report said.

LAKEVILLE, Minn.-- Republican rage against Barack Obama claimed a new victim today: John McCain.

McCain was booed at a town-hall meeting here when he rebuked a man who said he was "scared…to bring a child up" under an Obama presidency. "I have to tell you he is a decent person and a person that you do not have to be scared of as president of the United States," McCain said to audible disapproval.

The man was one of nine who appealed to McCain to confront Obama more forcefully, several of them raising specific controversies dominating news, including Obama’s relationships with Bill Ayers and the group ACORN. McCain seized the microphone from the hands of a woman who called Obama "an Arab," and scolded her.

"He's a decent family man that I happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues," McCain said, to scant approval. In fact, the most rousing applause of the afternoon was saved not for McCain, but for a man who begged him to "fight" in next week’s debate.

"There's a difference between rhetoric and record, but you can still be respectful," McCain said to one questioner. "I will point out his record and I will do it with respect."

That was frequent refrain from McCain earlier in the year, but one rarely heard as his campaign has aggressively shifted its attention to questions about Obama’s character. For the first time, McCain attempted to distance himself from scattered reports of rally attendees making violent threats against Obama and calling him a "terrorist" and "bum."

"Ninety-nine and 44/100ths of every person who has come to my town-hall meetings has been respectful," McCain said.

At times, the appeals were so desperate for McCain to be tougher on Obama that he felt convinced to assure one voter that he cared as much about the election’s outcome as they did.

"Believe me, I am motivated," McCain said.

Trying to turn the tables on John McCain, who has unleashed a barrage of attacks on his Democratic rival -- asking "Who is Barack Obama?" -- Democrats today unveiled a web video suggesting that McCain is contradicting his own pledge to run a campaign of ideas, not assaults

"Who is John McCain?" the announcer asks.

The video then shows McCain, during his ill-fated 2000 presidential campaign, repeatedly pledging to refrain from attacks.

"But I'm going to keep fighting clean, I'm gonna keep fighting fair, and I'm gonna keep fighting the battle of ideas," he is shown saying in South Carolina.

"I want the Presidency in the best way, not on the worst way," he adds.

The video juxtaposes those pledges with headlines about McCain taking the low road.

The Democratic National Committee promoted the video as coming when "McCain is working overtime launching a barrage of negative attack ads aimed at 'turning the page' from the economic crisis facing working families because - as one McCain advisor said, 'If we keep talking about the economic crisis, we're going to lose.' In fact, nearly 100 percent of John McCain's ads attack and distort Barack Obama's record."

Sarah Palin will make her first New England appearance next week as the Republican vice presidential nominee.

The Foster's Daily Democrat is reporting this morning that the staff at Dover High School has been alerted to expect Palin for a rally next Wednesday. John McCain's presidential campaign is scouting other potential stops.

UPDATE: Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden will be in New Hampshire on Monday.

Biden will campaign at the American Legion hall in Rochester and at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester. Biden was scheduled to campaign in New Hampshire on Monday but canceled due to a death in his family.

McCain and Palin have been campaigning together this week through Midwest battleground states. But after what they consider a successful performance in last week's vice presidential debate, McCain's advisers have been more willing to send Palin out on her own.

New Hampshire, which saved McCain's presidential bid in January, is also looming as a potential swing state in November, though Democrat Barack Obama has surged into the lead in the polls.

After days of trying to tie Barack Obama to a 1970s radical, John McCain's campaign is now aggressively trying to link him to a community organizing group accused of submitting fake voter registration cards.

ACORN is under scrutiny for possible irregularities in at least eight states. In 1995, Obama and two other lawyers from his firm represented the group in a lawsuit against the state of Illinois to make voter registration easier.

Obama's campaign says McCain is trying to spin "outlandish conspiracy theories" as he sinks in the polls.

This afternoon, McCain's camp launched a 90-second web ad and an accompanying website that seeks to tie together the allegations, Obama's ambitiousness, and the housing crisis.

"Who is Barack Obama? A man with 'a political baptism performed at warp speed, vast ambition," the announcer says in a foreboding tone. "After college, he moved to Chicago. Became a community organizer. There, Obama met Madeleine Talbot, part of the Chicago branch of ACORN. He was so impressive that he was asked to train the ACORN staff.

"What did ACORN in Chicago engage in? Bullying banks, intimidation tactics, disruption of business. ACORN forced banks to issue risky home loans. The same types of loans that caused the financial crisis we're in today. No wonder Obama's campaign is trying to distance him from the group, saying, 'Barack Obama never organized with ACORN.'

"But Obama's ties to ACORN run long and deep. He taught classes for ACORN. They even endorsed him for president. But now ACORN is in trouble."

The web ad then has audio of a reporter saying, "There are at least 11 investigations across the country involving thousands of potentially fraudulent ACORN forms."

"Massive voter fraud," the announcer continues. "And the Obama campaign paid more than $800,000 to an ACORN front for get out the vote efforts. Pressuring banks to issue risky loans. Nationwide voter fraud.

"Barack Obama. Bad judgment. Blind ambition. Too risky for America," the ad concludes, using the same language as a TV ad launched earlier today about radical William Ayers.

Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor called the ACORN attacks “another effort by the McCain campaign to throw out false charges to ‘turn the page’ from the issues that matter to American families. Barack Obama strongly condemns voter registration fraud or any other breach of election law by any party or group. The McCain campaign’s allegations about Sen. Obama are completely transparent and false. He believes that the registration of voters at record levels is good for our democracy, and the McCain-Palin campaign’s false claims are nothing more than another dishonorable, shameful attempt to divert voters’ attention from the unprecedented challenges facing their families and our nation.”

This afternoon, ACORN, which bills itself as the nation's largest grassroots community organization of low- and moderate-income people, defended itself.

The group said that along with Project Vote, it has signed up 1.3 million new voters and said it is under "partisan attack."

"The two organizations undertook an aggressive voter registration campaign in 16 states including Ohio, Florida, Michigan, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania, to help close the historic gaps in the American electorate that have misrepresented the true demographic breakdown of the American population," ACORN said. "Now their powerful new voices will be heard in the voting booths, not just this year but for many years to come."

The head of the nation's biggest labor federation is joining the chorus of voices warning about the increasingly angry crowds coming to John McCain's campaign events.
At rallies this week, McCain's criticisms of Democrat Barack Obama have been met with shouts of "terrorist," "liar," and other harsh words.

"Sen. John McCain, Gov. Sarah Palin and the leadership of the Republican party have a fundamental moral responsibility to denounce the violent rhetoric that has pervaded recent McCain and Palin political rallies," said John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO, which has endorsed Obama. "When rally attendees shout out such attacks as 'terrorist' or 'kill him' about Sen. Barack Obama, when they are cheered on by crowds incited by McCain-Palin rhetoric -- it is chilling that McCain and Palin do nothing to object.

"In a world where unspeakable violence is too often promulgated by extremists, it is no small or trivial matter to call someone a terrorist -- or to incite potentially dangerous individuals toward violence," Sweeney said in a statement. "John McCain, Sarah Palin and Republican leaders are walking a very thin line in pretending not to hear the hateful invectives spewed at their rallies. McCain should end this line of attack in the strongest possible terms. Anything less puts McCain in the same camp as the racists and extremists who are bringing their angry rhetoric to his campaign events."

Responding to what is now a global financial crisis, Barack Obama today called for pragmatism not partisanship, offered some more detail on a plan to help small businesses, and tweaked his critique of Republican rival John McCain.

"This is not a time for ideology – it’s a time for common sense and a politics of pragmatism," he said this morning as he continues an economics-based tour of Ohio, a key battleground on Nov. 4. "The test of an idea must not be whether it is liberal or conservative – the test should be whether it works for the American people. That’s what we should all be focused on in the days and weeks ahead."

Obama quoted Franklin Roosevelt's admonition during the Great Depression, declaring, "Now is not the time for fear. Now is not the time for panic. Now is the time for resolve and steady leadership."

But McCain, he said, is not focused on the economy, but instead is sowing division in the country with personal attacks and nasty insinuations.

"They can run misleading ads, they can pursue the politics of anything goes. It’s not going to work, not this time," Obama said.

"I think that folks are looking for something different. It’s easy to rile up a crowd by stoking anger and division. But that’s not what we need right now in the United States," Obama added. "The times are too serious. The challenges are too great.... Now, more than ever, it is time to put country ahead of politics. Now, more than ever, it is time to bring change to Washington so that it works for the people of this country that we love. I know my opponent is worried about his campaign. But that’s not what I’m worried about. I’m thinking about the Americans losing their jobs, and homes, and their life savings."

UPDATE: Tucker Bounds, a McCain spokesman, responded in a statement: “Instead of acknowledging the real differences that exist in this election, Barack Obama is using America's economic crisis to deflect legitimate criticisms of himself and his record. Now, more than ever, Americans should be scrutinizing Barack Obama’s role in shielding Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from increased regulation. Voters deserve a real debate about Barack Obama’s proposals for one trillion dollars in new government spending and tax increases on small businesses – when Americans can afford neither. At a time when hardworking families face uncertainty and a historic decision in November, they expect more than Barack Obama’s self-interested calls to stifle any inquiry into his record or his past.”

For small businesses, Obama proposed a nationwide program to provide affordable, fixed-rate loans and an additional temporary business tax incentive to encourage new investment.

"If we’re going to rebuild this economy from the bottom up, it has to start with our small businesses on Main Street ... not just the big banks on Wall Street. Small businesses employ half of workers in the private sector in this country, and they account for the majority of the job growth. But we know that with a credit crunch that has dried up capital, that puts more pressure on small businesses and put their jobs at risk. ....If we don’t act, we’ll be looking at scaled-back operations, shuttered shops, laid-off workers. That hurts everybody."

This afternoon, Obama's campaign issued more detail on the small-business proposal:

While the financial market rescue plan is designed to unfreeze credit which will indirectly benefit small businesses, Obama recognizes that small businesses need direct and immediate access to capital now. Today he is calling for a Small Business Rescue Plan to help small firms get the loans the need to conduct day-to-day operating expenses, undertake short-term investments, and meet payrolls. The plan will use the tools we have available through the Small Business Administration to aggressively extend credit to struggling firms, while providing tax cuts for small businesses to encourage job creation. With small businesses responsible for more than two-thirds of new job creation, this plan is vital to stemming job losses and turning our economy around. Obama’s small business plan includes:

A Nationwide Emergency Lending Facility for Small Businesses: Just as we did in the wake of 9/11, when businesses all around the country were facing economic injury, Barack Obama is calling for the Small Business Administration to directly lend to small businesses that cannot access other sources of capital. The facility will be run through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Disaster Loan Program, which is designed to offer affordable, fixed- rate loans to small firms to meet operating expenses, undertake needed short-term investments, or to refinance debt. Loans should be available with an expedited approval and disbursement process, so that firms can access the credit needed to meet their operating expenses immediately.

Expanding Small Business Administration Guarantees to Encourage Private Lending to Small Businesses: Obama is calling for expanding the SBA’s key loan guarantee programs – 7(a) and 504 – by temporarily eliminating fees for borrowers and lenders and increasing the guarantee rate on private loans. These steps will give lenders new incentives to lend and help unlock credit for small firms. It will send a clear signal that the government is standing with small businesses and ensuring sources of loans.

Temporary tax incentives to encourage small businesses to invest in jobs. Obama will give small businesses additional incentive to make investments and start creating jobs again by providing temporary business tax incentives through 2009. The February 2008 stimulus bill increased maximum section 179 expenses to $250,000 but this expires in December 2008. This provision will encourage all firms to pursue investment in the coming months, but will benefit small firms in particular, who generally have smaller amounts of annual property purchases and so choose to expense the cost of their acquired property.

Republican John McCain focused today as much on his falling poll numbers as the faltering economy in his latest town hall event in a Midwest battleground.

McCain, asking for help in a "tough and hard-fought election," declared himself the underdog, but vowed to come from behind again.

Reminding supporters that pundits had written off his presidential bid last year, McCain told the crowd in La Crosse, Wisc.: "We're going to fool them again. We're going to fool them one more time."

He said the stakes in the election could not be higher now with the financial meltdown, vowing to get the economy back on track. McCain promoted his plan for the government to directly buy distressed mortgages to preserve the "American dream" of homeownership.

In its response, the Obama campaign highlighted McCain saying today that the funds for his $300 billion mortgage proposal "aren't new," though he suggested in an interview Thursday night with ABC News that it could require money above the $700 billion included in the financial rescue package approved last week.

“John McCain’s response to the economic crisis has grown so erratic that in the span of twelve hours, he completely reversed his position on whether or not his risky and illegal bailout scheme would be financed with additional taxpayer dollars. Whatever position Senator McCain finally settles on, experts from across the political spectrum have made it clear that his bailout scheme is a guaranteed loser for taxpayers and would hand our money to the very Wall Street banks and lenders who got us into this mess. Barack Obama is offering steady leadership and has been championing ideas to stabilize the financial system, protect taxpayers, help homeowners stay in their homes, and create new jobs,” said Obama spokesman Hari Sevugan.

McCain said to protect investors, rules that require retirees to sell their 401k at a certain time should be suspended so that they aren't locked into market losses.

"We must also protect investors – especially those relying on their investments for retirement," McCain said. "Current rules mandate that investors must begin to sell off their IRAs and 401Ks when they reach age 70 and one half. To spare investors from being forced to sell their stocks at just the time when the market is hurting the most, those rules should be suspended."

UPDATE: McCain's campaign this afternoon issued some details of the proposal:

To help investors -- especially those relying on investments for retirement -- John McCain today proposed waiving the requirement that seniors sell their retirement assets once they reach the age of 70 ½. Sections 401(a)(9)(A) and 401(a)(9)(C) of the U.S. Tax Code require that Americans must begin taking disbursements from their retirement accounts either on April 1st of the calendar year following the later of the calendar year in which the employee attains age 70½ or the calendar year in which the employee retires.

John McCain proposes that Congress waive this requirement which, by force of law, is making seniors sell their retirement assets at substantial loss. There is no reason to force the unlucky few who find themselves currently hitting this mandated timeframe to sell holdings at a time when our stock markets are in turmoil.

In response to McCain's 401(k) proposal, Burton said, “Barack Obama supports allowing senior citizens to delay withdrawals from 401(k)s, and believes we don’t have to wait for Congress to act to provide seniors with these protections. He’s calling on the Treasury Secretary to temporarily suspend Treasury regulations and allow seniors to delay these withdrawals. He also hopes that Senator McCain will reconsider his ill-advised support for Social Security privatization, which suffers from the very same problem he is now trying to solve since it would potentially force seniors to retire when the market is down and their retirement accounts have disappeared. Senator Obama also calls on Senator McCain to support his new small business rescue plan that will extend badly-needed credit and tax relief to the men and women who are creating jobs in this troubled economy.”

But McCain also renewed his assault on Barack Obama, asserting that his Democratic rival has not been candid with voters. "He never answers the serious and legitimate questions he's been asked," McCain said.

He continued his criticism of Obama's proposals on healthcare, the housing crisis, and taxes. Obama's plans would increase the tax burden on small businesses. "They're the backbone of our economy," he said, vowing to lower their taxes.

Is Barack Obama channeling one of liberals' favorite presidents, albeit a fictional one?

The Democrat's stump speech today in Chillicothe, Ohio, had some echoes of the climactic speech given by President Andrew Shepherd, played by Michael Douglas, in the 1995 movie "The American President."

Here's what Obama said today, according to prepared remarks: "Even as we face the most serious economic crisis of our time; even as you are worried about keeping your jobs or paying your bills or staying in your homes, my opponent’s campaign announced last week that they plan to “turn the page” on the discussion about our economy so they can spend the final weeks of this election attacking me instead. Senator McCain’s campaign actually said, and I quote, “if we keep talking about the economy, we’re going to lose.” So in the last couple of days, we’ve seen a barrage of nasty insinuations and attacks, and I’m sure we’ll see much more over the next 25 days. We know what’s coming. We know what they’re going to do.

"But here’s the thing, Ohio. They can try to “turn the page” on the economy and deny the record of the last eight years. They can run misleading ads and pursue the politics of anything goes. But it’s not going to work. Not this time.

"I think that folks are looking for something different. It’s easy to rile up a crowd by stoking anger and division. But that’s not what we need right now in the United States. The times are too serious. The challenges are too great. The American people aren’t looking for someone who can divide this country – they’re looking for someone who will lead it. We’re in a serious crisis - now, more than ever, it is time to put country ahead of politics. Now, more than ever, it is time to bring change to Washington so that it works for the people of this country that we love."

Obama is referring to the intensified attacks by Republican rival John McCain over Obama's ties with William Ayers, who led a radical group that bombed government buildings during the early 1970s.

In his speech, the fictional President Shepherd, a widower, talks about the attacks from his Republican opponent, Senator Bob Rumson (played by Richard Dreyfuss) over his girlfriend Sydney Ellen Wade (played by Annette Bening) being at a protest where a flag was burned.

"America isn't easy," Douglas as Shepherd says. "America is advanced citizenship. You've gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say, 'You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours.' You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country cannot just be a flag. The symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Now show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then you can stand up and sing about the land of the free.

Then Douglas's character adds: "I've known Bob Rumson for years. And I've been operating under the assumption that the reason Bob devotes so much time and energy to shouting at the rain was that he simply didn't get it. Well, I was wrong. Bob's problem isn't that he doesn't get it. Bob's problem is that he can't sell it!

"We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you Bob Rumson is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things, and two things only: making you afraid of it, and telling you who's to blame for it."

A few bloggers have noted similarities between passages in some of Obama's previous speeches and the one that Aaron Sorkin wrote for Douglas in "The American President." But the parallels seem more noticeable in today's version

Sorkin, coincidentally, was featured in a Maureen Dowd column in the New York Times last month where Sorkin imagined a conversation between Obama and another fictional president, Jed Bartlet, from "West Wing" that Sorkin created.

LA CROSSE, Wis. -- The McCain campaign has frequently accused the media of sexism in their treatment of Sarah Palin, but are the standards different when the subject is the candidate's wife and not his running mate?

"CINDY'S HOT" reads one of the signs -- typically prepared by the campaign to avoid dissonant messages -- held by a supporter in the bleachers behind McCain at a morning rally here. The signs. Staff in La Crosse were seen distributing handmade signs throughout the crowd minutes before the rally, including one reading "Irish for McCain" to three high-school students who noted, with some puzzlement, that they were not Irish.

As the stock market plunges, the presidential campaign today will be focused, at least in part, on two names that have nothing to do with the economic crisis -- William Ayers and Walter Monegan.

Ayers is the former radical who led a group that bombed government buildings during the early 1970s, and two decades later served on two nonprofit boards with Democrat Barack Obama and hosted an event early in Obama's political career.

Today, Republican John McCain's campaign launched perhaps its toughest TV ad yet, accusing Obama of blind ambition in connection with Ayers. "When convenient, he worked with terrorist Bill Ayers," the announcer says. "When discovered, he lied."

The ad pivots to accuse Obama of blind ambition and bad judgment as well in the housing crisis.

McCain's campaign also jumped on a comment that Obama made to a Philadelphia radio host Thursday in which he said by the time he crossed paths with Ayers, he "assumed he had been rehabilitated."

"Barack Obama implausibly claims that he was unaware of William Ayers' radical and violent past when the two first met, in Ayers' home, at a party thrown in Obama's honor, and at which Ayers intended to introduce Obama to Chicago's left-wing political elite," spokesman Tucker Bounds said. "When Obama found out his new friend was an unrepentant terrorist, rather than sever his ties to a man associated with attacks on the US Capitol and the Pentagon, Obama says he just 'assumed [Ayers] had been rehabilitated.' Does Barack Obama continue to believe William Ayers has been ‘rehabilitated’? Or has Barack Obama changed his mind now that William Ayers is a liability, rather than an asset, to his political ambition?”

Monegan is the former state public safety commissioner in Alaska, who was fired last year by Governor Sarah Palin, now the Republican vice presidential nominee.

This afternoon, the Associated Press reports, Alaska legislators are to release a state ethics investigation of whether Palin abused her authority and fired Monegan after she and her husband pressured him in a family dispute. Monegan he was dismissed when he refused to fire Mike Wooten, a state trooper involved in a nasty divorce and custody dispute with Palin's sister.

The legislative committee could recommend that the case be closed, be further investigated, or referred to criminal investigators.

McCain's presidential campaign issued its own report Thursday night, asserting that the firing was over a legitimate policy dispute, the Associated Press reports. "The following document will prove Walt Monegan's dismissal was a result of his insubordination and budgetary clashes with Governor Palin and her administration," campaign officials wrote. "Trooper Wooten is a separate issue."

John McCain's campaign today put up a hard-hitting web ad as it continues to try to tar Barack Obama over his association with William Ayers, who helped start a radical group that bombed government buildings in the early 1970s anti-Vietnam War era.

Following up on a statement issued Wednesday by the son of a judge targeted by the Weather Underground, the web ad repeatedly calls Ayers a "terrorist," describes him as a friend of Obama, and insinuates that Obama is hiding the truth.

"They've worked together for years, but Obama tries to hide it. Why?" the female announcer says.

Beginning each with "We know," the announcer cites portions of the record -- how Obama and Ayers served on two nonprofit boards together during the mid-1990s in Chicago, how Ayers hosted an event in his home where the local state senator introduced Obama as her handpicked successor, how the Weather Underground bombed the US Capitol and Pentagon, and how Ayers once said, "I don't regret setting bombs. I feel we didn't do enough."

"Obama's friendship with terrorist Ayers isn't the issue," the narrator continues. "The issue is Barack Obama's judgment and candor. When Obama just says, 'This is a guy who lives in the neighborhood,' Americans say, 'Where's the truth, Barack?'

"Barack Obama, too risky for America," the announcer concludes.

The ad, of course, does not include Obama's explanation that by the time he met Ayers, he was a respected education reformer in Chicago and that he hasn't communicated with him since entering the US Senate in January 2005.

UPDATE: Obama told a Philadelphia radio host today, "Ultimately, I ended up learning about the fact that he had engaged in this reprehensible act 40 years ago, but I was eight years old at the time and I assumed that he had been rehabilitated."

"This guy is not part of my inner circle, he doesn't advise my campaign, he's not going to advise me as president," Obama added, and criticized McCain for focusing on Ayers when the economy is in turmoil, calling the issue a "red herring."

"The fact that Senator McCain wants to make this the centerpiece of his campaign is pretty remarkable," he said. "We are going through an enormous challenge right now."

Barack Obama, stressing pocketbook issues in the key battleground of Ohio, pledged today that he will fix the economy -- and protect average Americans along the way.

He joked that people's 401K retirement plans are now 101Ks, but quickly got serious again. "The next President will have to manage this recovery," he said at an outdoor rally in Dayton. The question is, will that President be looking out for you?"

One clear sign that he will and Republican rival John McCain won't is McCain's new proposal to help beleaguered homeowners, which Obama said would reward "irresponsible lenders." He said he favors helping homeowners facing foreclosure, but by going after predatory lenders, making sure taxpayers don't take a bath, and allowing bankruptcy judges to redo mortgages.

"We have to act to fix our broken economy and restore the credit markets. But taxpayers shouldn’t be asked to pick up the tab for the very folks who helped to create this crisis. And that’s the problem with Senator McCain’s risky idea.

"I don’t think we can afford that kind of erratic and uncertain leadership in these uncertain times," Obama added. "We need steady leadership in the White House. We need a President we can trust in times of crisis. And that’s why I'm running for president of the United States of America."

UPDATE: Obama tonight issued a statement about the stock market taking another nosedive: "As millions of Americans lost more of their investments and hard-earned retirement savings today, it is critical that the Treasury Department move as quickly possible to implement the rescue plan that passed Congress so that we can ease this credit crisis that's preventing businesses and consumers from getting loans and causing dangerous instability in our market.  While we face a very serious challenge, now is not the time for fear or panic, but for all of us to come together with resolve and determination that we can steer ourselves out of this crisis and restore confidence in the American economy."

McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds responded to Obama's critique of the mortgage plan: “Barack Obama has voted in favor of for higher taxes 94 times and is promising over $900 billion in new government spending, but apparently he won't spend a dime to help hardworking Americans stay in their homes. In addition to explaining his friendship with unrepentant terrorist Bill Ayers, Barack Obama should tell voters why he supports the $700 billion legislative rescue plan but now opposes using that money to help homeowners get the relief they need and strengthen our economy.

“John McCain’s homeownership resurgence plan represents absolutely no new expense to the taxpayer, but simply refocuses priorities to more directly assist the homeowners who are hurting instead of greed on Wall Street. This is just the latest example of Barack Obama putting politics above the national interest, and his utter inability to be straight with the American people. The only thing the American people can trust about Barack Obama is that he's too big a risk in a time of crisis.”

By Brian C. Mooney, Globe Staff

John McCain's presidential campaign and the Republican National Committee have added a new alleged villain to the effort to raise doubts about Democratic nominee Barack Obama in the closing weeks of the race -- a community organizing group accused of generating a flurry of phony voter registration cards in a number of states.

The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), which says it has signed up about 1.3 million voters in 18 states this year, has come under fire for irregularities in at least eight states, including Nevada where voter cards for the starting lineup of the Dallas Cowboys were turned in to local election officials.

ACORN spokesman Brian Kettenring said that in most cases the bogus registrations were flagged by ACORN supervisors during a review, brought to the attention of the local officials when they were submitted, and ACORN fired "probably a couple of dozen" employees who fabricated them. Under most state laws, the organization must submit every card an employee collects, he said.

The Republican National Committee has held five separate conference calls for reporters on the subject this week after a string of news reports in different states, and McCain's campaign has also been trumpeting links between the organization and Obama dating back 13 years.

In 1995, as a lawyer in private practice, Obama and two other lawyers from his firm represented ACORN in a successful suit that forced the state of Illinois to comply with a federal law that made it easier to register to vote. The group's political arm endorsed Obama in February and an ACORN-affiliated group was paid about $800,000 for get-out-the-vote operations in four states during the primaries. The Obama campaign flatly denies claims the Republicans that Obama once trained ACORN employees.

Still, McCain raised the issue of voter registration fraud at a rally today in Wisconsin: "You've seen the allegations, the multiple registrations under the same name, the more registered voters than the population. These are serious allegations, my friends, and they must be investigated, and they must be investigated immediately and they must be stopped before November the fourth, so Americans will not -- will not -- be deprived of a fair process in this election."

McCain spokesman Ben Porritt later added ACORN to the list of other Chicago figures with links to Obama. "Whether voters consider Barack Obama’s relationship with William Ayers, Tony Rezko, or ACORN, he has a litany of concerning associations that should be fully examined,” he said, referring to a 1960s domestic terrorist and a former Obama fundraiser convicted earlier this year of fraud and bribery.

And the RNC launched a web ad that cites Ayers and Rezko and says, "The Chicago Way. Shady politics. That’s Barack Obama’s training.”

Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt responded: "McCain advisers said this week that he would lose the campaign if they talked about the economy, and so to cover up Senator McCain's erratic response to the biggest economic crisis facing our nation since the Great Depression, they are concocting outlandish conspiracy theories and looking for any attempt to distract from the serious challenges facing our nation that we will continue to address."

If you don't listen to the ad, you'd swear it was one of Barack Obama's:

Quickly, one after another, young people, of various hues, talk directly into the camera about their devotion to their presidential candidate.

But this one, launched tonight, is for John McCain.

The young people in the ad all say they "stand" with him -- on proposals on energy, lower taxes, free trade, spending, national security, putting "our country first," and "courage under fire."

John McCain is using Hillary Clinton to defend his mortgage plan and his questioning of Democratic rival Barack Obama's ties to a Vietnam War-era radical.

Clinton, who engaged in a bitter primary battle with Obama, is now busily campaigning for him.

Still, McCain said in an interview aired on ABC News this evening that Clinton proposed a similar plan for the government to directly buy distressed mortgages to help people keep their homes.

McCain also noted that Clinton asked Obama during a debate about his links to William Ayers, who with his wife helped start the Weather Underground, which bombed government buildings during the early 1970s.

Pressed about why he was talking about Ayers, McCain was not apologetic in the least. "I don't care about two washed-up old terrorists that are unrepentant about trying to destroy America. But I do care, and Americans should care, about his relationship with him and whether he's being truthful and candid about it," McCain said in the interview.

ABC anchor Charles Gibson noted that Obama had told him Wednesday that he was surprised that McCain didn't bring up Ayers "to my face" during their debate Tuesday night.

McCain bristled at the suggestion that he wasn't courageous enough to do that, saying that the issue never came up during the question-and-answer session with voters. He also declined to say directly whether Obama's character or alleged dishonesty disqualifies him from being president.

"I'll leave that up to the American people. But I have every right to insist that he be candid and truthful with the American people. And he needs to be asked about it, and he needs to be forthcoming," McCain said.