Quick '08 Update: No Moles Allowed

- Disclaimer: There isn't a direct mention of John McCain's now extinct mole in this post. However, the implications surrounding it, which Chris Cillizza covers, are.

- Office productivity might rise due to Facebook nixing scrabulous.

- The GOP has launched BarackBook, a mock Facebook site for U.S. Sen. Barack Obama. The site's version of news feed highlights some of Obama's more controversial connections, who are all given opposition profiles.

- Jake Tapper highlights a change in U.S. Sen. John McCain's philosohpy on taxes. Whereas McCain has previously ruled out any consideration of a tax increase, he recently stated he wouldn't take payroll taxes off the negotiating table.

- We need some VP speculation. VA Gov. Tim Kaine is in DC, as is Obama. Coincidence? Also, the WSJ's Washington Wire notes that the health plan championed by former MA Gov. Mitt Romney is similar to the one being proposed by Barack Obama. But if that's the case, then according to the WSJ editorial section Obama and Mitt's plans are flawed. Bottom line: picking Mitt might complicate things.

- The Page's Mark Halperin notes Barack Obama's busy, high-profile schedule today. The Pakistani Prime Minister, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, and the House Democratic Caucus will all sit down with the Senator today.

- In his New York Times column, Bob Herbert gives Barack Obama praise, but wonders if he can close the deal with a solid economic narrative.

- AdAge's Bonnie Fuller discusses Team Obama's Tabloid Strategy.

- The Huffington Post's Sam Stein explains how the Obama campaign is handling John McCain's age as an issue. Clue: he took a few hints from Bill Clinton. Simon's got a great quote in the piece, so check it out!

- Speaking of taking cues, according to the Washington Post's Shailagh Murray:

Barack Obama and the Democratic National Committee are expected to unveil a $20 million investment in Hispanic voter mobilization Tuesday that targets most major battleground states.

DNC Chairman Howard Dean said the sum is unprecedented for a presidential campaign and represents a show of Democratic confidence that Latino voters could prove pivotal in states including New Mexico and Michigan.

Comments

Just recently, David Kernell, the 20 year old son of
Representative Mike Kernell
(D-TN) was arrested. He was arrested for, according to CNN, resetting the password and gained access to vice presidential
candidate Palin's
personal e-mail account. Allegedly, he read the contents, took screen shots of
her E-mail directory, and got at some of her personal information. That
information which has been compromised could include E-mail addresses and
pictures of friends and family members, telephone numbers of family members
including cell phone numbers, birthdates and more from her address book. After
he turned himself in, he pled not guilty. He pled not guilty after he allegedly
posted all of this to a public website. On top of all this, he also posted the
password with which other people could access the account as well. David may
get up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of
supervision. Now think about this: $250,000 in $1,500 increments, the maximum
amount a person can get with a payday
loan
comes out to 167 individual payday loans to free this turkey,
before he gets made into Thanksgiving dinner by his cellmates.