Has Sarah Palin become a liability for John McCain? Since joining his ticket, the overnight political celebrity has seen the shine come off her poll standings and doubts surface among some conservatives once excited about her candidacy. ...more

September 30, 2008

Even in tough budget times, there are lines that cannot be crossed. So I was startled by this tidbit reported recently by the Associated Press: When Sarah Palin was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, the small town began billing sexual-assault victims for the cost of rape kits and forensic exams. ...more

September 30, 2008

As a lipstick sunset painted the hills of the Piedmont, Joyce Tyree sold tickets to the junior varsity football game at Eastern View High School. ...more

September 28, 2008

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama sought to score a quick post-debate advantage Saturday by traveling to two Republican-leaning states and accusing GOP rival John McCain of being out of touch with middle-class Americans. ...more

September 28, 2008

A "maverick"? Or just "erratic"? Bold, independent and principled? Or impetuous and desperate to shake up a race as his opponent moves up in the polls? ...more

September 28, 2008

Emperor Nero fiddled while Rome burned. So claim many historians, although the tale seems a tad apocryphal. ...more

September 27, 2008

I was water-skiing with my children in a light drizzle off Hyannis, Mass., last month when a sudden, fierce storm plunged us into a melee of towering waves, raking rain, painful hail and midday darkness broken by blinding flashes of lightning. ...more

September 27, 2008

WASHINGTON — A conservative columnist who welcomed Sarah Palin's entry in national politics says she's proven to be a dud and should step aside as John McCain's running mate. ...more

September 26, 2008

How do you think the besieged financial community felt when the White House announced that George W. Bush was going to address the nation on television Wednesday night? ...more

September 26, 2008

WASHINGTON - Almost up until the time it was taken over by the government in the nation's financial crisis, one of two housing giants paid $15,000 a month to the lobbying firm of John McCain's campaign manager, a person familiar with the financial arrangement says. ...more

September 24, 2008