CQ Politics' Web Picks

Los Angeles Times: Election's Endgame Is No Sure Thing

Both sides believe the race is not over, but each acknowledges that the Illinois senator has the upper hand, with multiple scenarios to reach the 270 electoral votes needed to win. He leads in every state he must carry and several that McCain can't afford to lose, including Colorado, Ohio and Virginia.

New York Times: Democrats See Risks and Rewards if Party Sweeps

Democrats would face high expectations, especially from the party's more liberal quarters, that could be difficult to meet even with enhanced numbers in the Senate as well as the House. And they would be at risk of overreaching, a tendency that has deeply damaged both parties in similar situations in the past.

Daily Beast: Why Republicans Are Mad as Hell at John McCain

The only thing worse for the GOP than a Democrat in the White House would be the charming, whimsical, intractable, purposeless John McCain.

Washington Post: Inside McCain Camp, a Mood of Gritty Determination

"Being part of an effort that fails does not make you a loser; it makes you a competitor," senior adviser Steve Schmidt told campaign staff. "What makes you a loser is curling up into the fetal position at a time of adversity. The only thing that would ever define anyone as a loser is to quit before it is over."

Nation: Nader's Stubborn Idealism

Ralph is not delusional. He knows the story. He is stubborn about the facts and honest with himself: "I believe in I.F. Stone's dictum that, in all social justice movements, you've got to be ready to lose. And lose and lose and lose. It's not very pleasant, but you have to accept this if you believe in what you're doing."

National Review: Obama and The Left

Although Senator Barack Obama has been allied with a succession of far-Left individuals over the years, that is only half the story. There are, after all, some honest and decent people on the Left. But these have not been the ones that Obama has been allied with -- allied, not merely "associated" with.

Charlotte Observer: Barrage of Campaign Ads in N.C. Leaves Stations Happy and Voters Weary

Constant sniping is one of the hazards of living in a battleground state. Turn on your TV and see. There's the two old men in the rocking chairs lamenting "that's not the Liddy Dole I know." There's a yapping dog representing "Fibber Hagan." Garbage barges, Joe the Plumber and armored trucks hauling off your money are some of the instant stars of television these days as political commercials clog the airwaves before Nov. 4.