Perhaps the funniest part of Rush Limbaugh’s challenge to debate President Barack Obama is the notion that the president would somehow fuel the loquacious shock jock’s ego by uttering a reply. Granted, Limbaugh, who describes himself as a “harmless, lovable little fuzz ball,” has thrust himself into the national spotlight as the bona fide standard bearer of the conservative movement, and his recent goading of Obama has elevated him even above the stature of official Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele. Read the rest.

Polls show Obama with a fat lead. As the presidential candidates prepare to square off in the third and final debate tonight, a new CBS poll shows Sen. Barack Obama with his strongest lead yet in the presidential race with a 14-point lead over his Republican rival Sen. John McCain. The respondents said McCain has spent too much time attacking Obama and not enough explaining what he would do as president. The poll also found that voters trust Obama more than McCain to fix the economy. In a separate survey three weeks before Election Day, Obama leads McCain, 50 percent to 41 percent, among likely voters, a Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll suggests. In September, Obama had a 49 percent to 45 percent lead. In the weeks between the two polls, the nation’s economy teetered toward collapse, and the poll demonstrated the shattering effect of that upheaval on voters. The latest New York Times/CBS News poll indicated Obama ahead 53 percent to 39 percent and suggested the McCain campaign’s personal attacks on Obama have backfired. Even at that, some analysts question whether the large lead is enough to cancel out the so-called Bradley effect, a reference to when Whites voted opposite of how they told pollsters they would during Tom Bradley’s 1982 California governor’s bid.  But others say polling is much more sophisticated now, and with the economic issues at stake people are being more honest.

As expected, both Biden and Palin claim debate victory.  Vice presidential candidates Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin squared off over the war in Iraq, repairing the economy, alternative energy and health care. Both answered the questions, of course, but beyond that, there was little else they had in common. Get more at Pamela on Politics.

Who do you like in the Biden-Palin battle tonight?

What can we expect tonight when the Republican and Democratic vice presidential candidates face off in the only debate before Election Day?  Will Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R ) reveal her “barracuda” tendencies?  Will Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) be able to remain gaffe free for the night? 

Republican nominee Sen. John McCain has decided to suspend his campaign and return to Washington to give his full attention to the economy.  He’s also says the nation’s economic crisis is far too grave for him to be for the first presidential debate scheduled for Friday to be postponed. Sen. Barack Obama says that the American people, more than ever, need to hear where they both stand on the issue of the economy. Read more at Pamela on Politics. Who’s right?