9/10 Roundup: Stocks Surge (Downward), Bloodthirsty Anti-Socialists, The Foo Democrats

- Stocks Surge in Baghdad! Blares the front page of today's New York Post. 

- Unfortunately, New York, London, Tokyo, and pretty much every other city on earth has been less fortunate, economically-speaking.  Stocks fell for the seventh consecutive day in the U.S., pushing the Dow below 9,000 for the first time in five years.  The S&P 500 is down 42% from a year ago, and 22% from a month ago. The index is on track for its worst year since 1937. Doing what they do best, USA Today has a fun infographic illustrating the departure of capital. 

- Paul Krugman writes "now is the time to act," and points to the British model as a good act to follow. 

- The political world is going sour as well. John McCain is now directly attacking Obama for his connection to one-time domestic terrorist Bill Ayers. More disturbing are the people showing up to McCain's rallies.  Slate's John Dickerson calls the crowds "bloodthirsty," and chronicles the way they whip into a frenzy. Politico covers the same territory: People angry at the "socialists" trying to take over America. Joe Klein has heard some even crazier things shouted at rallies.

- Josh Marshall at TPM attributes it all to John McCain's moral cowardice.

- Obama's admitted cocaine use is now being used against him

- Despite it all, conservative pundit George Will is just about ready to give up on McCain. A Yale economist is predicting 52% of the vote going to Barack Obama.

- State of the Union has a graph (at right) that lays it clean: McCain's fall has closely mirrored the fall of our markets.

- Perhaps the most intriguing announcement of the past 24 hours: Barack Obama has purchased half an hour of network airtime a few days before the election. At 8pm on October 29th, CBS and NBC (and perhaps others) will air a 30-minute ad from the Obama campaign. Take note: half a minute costs something like $100,000. Sounds like fundraising is going well at the Obama camp.

- Ben Smith at Politico writes about McCain's unpopularity among Hispanics.  NDN President Simon Rosenberg is quoted!

- If there's one article you read this week... Make it George Packer's essay in the New Yorker giving voice to Ohio voters. Even if you don't trust my judgment, surely you can trust Ezra Klein.

- Esquire magazine is supporting a candidate for the first time.  Guess who it is?

- The Foo Fighters would like John McCain to please stop using their music.

- You've seen Ralph Nader talking to a parrot.  You've seen his first encounter with Obama Girl. Nader keeps it weird with his second spot, co-starting the Obama Girl.