Yesterday, U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sarah Palin got together and rallied like it was 2008 in support of McCain's senatorial reelection efforts. The event had sound bites galore (personal favorite: Palin's "lamestream media" comment), but it was McCain who caught our ear with a comment he made regarding the recently passed health care reform. Just as he did when the bill was first approved by the Senate back in December, McCain called the bill, "sleazy Chicago-style sausage-making," a message he's been plugging all week. How long Sen. McCain plans on channeling Sinclair only he knows, but when coupled with the First Lady's opinion of Chicago-style pizza, it creates an anti-Chicago food movement that's a bipartisan effort we just can't get behind. more ›

After multiple promises, President Obama has finally started the process for the repeal of the controversial, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Sec. Robert Gates made the call before the Senate Armed Services Committee today. Gates said that such a repeal, which will require an act of Congress, could take up to a year. In the meantime, Gates said the current policy would be enforced “in a fairer manner." But it won't be an easy road: besides deeper issues within the military - including benefits, housing, and misconduct, according to Gates - there's certainly a bipartisan element. Per the New York Times: more ›

President Obama's health care bill is a step closer to reality after passing the U.S. Senate early this morning by a 60-39 vote (the missing vote was Jim Bunning, R-KY). Not a single Republican voted in favor of the bill. Upon the passage, President Obama addressed the press, saying, "we are now finally poised to deliver on the promise of real, meaningful health insurance reform that will bring additional security and stability to the American people." more ›

U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, when not stretching the truth about health care reform, is apparently busy lining up heavy-hitter endorsements for his 2010 U.S. Senate campaign. At an appearance today in Glenview, Kirk will receive the stamp of approval from U.S. Sen. John McCain. In a statement, McCain said, “The people of Illinois deserve a senator who will restore honest government, strengthen our national security, fight for veterans and bring fiscal discipline to Washington. Mark Kirk has my strongest endorsement.” [Tribune] more ›

The now-former Senator from Illinois continues to dominate the news around here (though we'll pass on his gym updates, Trib). more ›

Believe it or not, there were people who actually voted for Arizona Senator John McCain in the 2008 Presidential election; 46 percent of America, in fact. And several of them live here in Chicago, the Obama Epicenter. The Trib talked to some of them over the weekend to learn about their understandable angst; one person even compared it to being a Cubs fan dealing with the White Sox World Series win in 2005. more ›

We knew that the turnaround time for episodes of South Park was next to nothing, but they really must have busted their asses to get this episode put together for last night. (We'd also like to see the one they made in the event of a McCain victory - will that ever show up as a DVD extra?) We won't spoil the whole thing for you, but they managed to weave together Tuesday night's speeches, a ninjaesque Sarah Palin and a plot involving a caper a la - well, just watch. more ›

Good evening, everyone. We'll be keeping you updated with results, both national and local, as they roll in. Will our junior Senator become President? Will incumbents like Rahm and Durbin hold on to their seats? Will the people of Illinois vote for a Constitutional Convention? We'll be following it with you right here. Also, be sure to check back later for our Obamapalooza post with updates from staff members and readers from Grant Park. But for now, we await the results. We know it's been a heated, emotional campaign season so we ask you to keep it clean and civil in the comments. more ›

If you watched ESPN's Monday Night Football last night, you've seen Chris Berman talk to Senators McCain and Obama, but it's worth a gander if only to hear Obama diss the NCAA's BCS system. [via Awful Announcing] more ›

Not content with candidate Cabbage Patch Kids? Rock the air quotes or the terrorist fist jab in style: with presidential candidate finger puppets. McCain/Obama finger puppets sold separately. Handmade in Chicago. $20. more ›

With the wall-to-wall coverage of Obamapalooza this afternoon and evening, there's going to be a few million of us that will be sitting at home, glued to the television results and plastered on cheap wine. So we thought perhaps some of us would be hosting friends and enjoying the political spectacle of the End of the American Presidential Election Season (until tomorrow). And since the Trib completely ballsed up their hip-to-be-square party planning piece a couple days ago, it falls to us to lend a hand. more ›

Are you feeling the jitters? Can you feel the electricity in the air? Election Day is tomorrow and we can't wait. It's always exciting and this historic election should provide plenty to cover, both nationally and locally. As this long, at times very bitter campaign draws to a close, let's look back at two of the Presidential candidates sillier moments. First, is this weekend's appearance on SNL by John McCain, with a little help from Tina Fey and his wife Cindy. And after that is last year's SNL Halloween skit featuring Barack Obama. Want more SNL political tomfoolery? Check out their Presidential Bash special tonight, which will replay some of their best political skits from this election year and features a few Second City alums. more ›

We're mercifully just a few days from this historic election and things are heating up...even more than before. Last night, the Obama campaign aired their half-hour infomercial across several networks (except ABC, suckas!). The program was documentary style (i.e., no pie charts a la Perot) and featured Obama with voters and outlining his proposed policies. Really, it was nothing new to anyone who's followed the campaign. Later in the evening, Obama also made an appearance on The Daily Show. more ›

Illinois Senator and Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama is excusing himself from campaign appearances over the next two days to head to Hawaii to visit his gravely ill 86-year-old grandmother, Madelyn Dunham. Obama will still make scheduled appearances in Florida at the beginning of this week, but will bypass appearances in Iowa and Ohio at the end of the week to return to Hawaii on Thursday. Wife Michelle will appear in his place at rallies in Ohio on Friday; the Senator will return to the trail on Saturday out West. more ›

By now, you've watched the debate, read the recaps all over the interwebs, and even checked out this "Joe The Plumber" guy. As for us, our political writer, Kevin Robinson, is traveling right now so I caught up with him via IM to get his thoughts on last night's third Presidential debate. While it was at times lively, and we thought moderator Bob Schieffer did a good job, it ended up being much of the same for anyone who has watched previous debates and followed the campaigns. Still, there was plenty to talk about. more ›

After all this fuss about the Adler earmark, we've stumbled upon the the perfect solution: a bath planetarium. "Bring the universe to the tub and relax!" And only $69.00 (plus shipping and handling)? Count us in. more ›

During last night's debate, our ears perked up when Sen. John McCain dropped this little nugget:

[Sen. Obama] voted for nearly a billion dollars in pork barrel earmark projects, including, by the way, $3 million for an overhead projector at a planetarium in Chicago, Illinois. My friends, do we need to spend that kind of money?

Adler Planetarium, to support replacement of its projector and related equipment, $3,000,000 more ›

Thank God last night's presidential debate wasn't a snoozer like the last one, which was so dull in comparison to the vice presidential debate. Both Senators John McCain and Barack Obama were more energized and aggressive this time around. So much so that the rules of the debate acted against them at numerous times (anyone for a cage-match style debate with mud and alligators?). more ›

Anyone looking for a train wreck at last night's Vice Presidential debate came away disappointed. Democrat Sen. Joe Biden didn't ramble too badly and Republican Gov. Sarah Palin exceeded expectations by solidly, if uninspiringly, standing her ground. Gone was the Palin who looked in over her head in interviews with Katie Couric and, instead, was one who had her answers well-prepared answers and deftly dodged the questions she didn't want to answer, saying at one point, "And I may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear..." more ›

This may not be directly Chicago-related, but it does have to do with the election (which involves Chicagoan Barack Obama). Our favorite part? Dave cutting to the interview McCain was conducting with Couric at the same time McCain was supposed to be on Dave's show (6:40 in). more ›

It's been an eventful week for Chicago's Barack Obama, the Democratic Party's nominee for President of the United States of America. He's battling critics, dealing with a loose cannon running mate, dealing with a guy bringing a gun to his house, and preparing for a debate this Friday - seriously, what the hell, John? Here I am, working my ass on this round-up, and you go and throw everything out of whack. This all about me, John. Why did you have to steal my thunder? Screw it, this election is still happening so I'm doing this news round-up anyway. Nice try, McCain! more ›

A new ad by John McCain attempts to connect Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama to the storied Chicago "Machine." The ad connects Obama to Rezko, Emil Jones, and beleaguered Governor Rod Blagojevich. The Obama Campaign has responded by calling the new ad a “false, gratuitous attack." Obama's ties to the local political structure have previously been examined by the Trib and, more famously, in The New Yorker this summer, an article that was over-shadowed by The Great Cover Controversy of 2008. more ›

] But polls and electoral maps are also key to understanding the shifting opinions of voters, and Daniel Nichanian's Campaign Diaries has been a consistent source for that data. more ›

Proving, once again, that politics has jumped the shark, both the McCain and Obama campaigns released statements today regarding Obama's no-thanks to an offer from Ms. Lohan to host a fundraiser. Said an Obama source to Zwecker, "[Lohan] is not exactly the kind of high-profile star who would be a positive for us.'' McCain spokesman Tucker Bound told TMZ, ""So let me get this straight - they turned away Lindsay Lohan, but Barack Obama has friends like unrepentant terrorist Bill Ayers and convicted felon Tony Rezko? Maybe LiLo is just too upstanding for Barack Obama." Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor responded, "Glad to see they're focused on the important issues over in McCain HQ." Snap! Of course, while the two campaigns exchange bitch-slaps over Lindsay Freaking Lohan, the economy still sucks, unemployment is still high, and apparently there's still a war in Iraq. more ›

Two freelance writers/budding entrepreneurs were doing brisk business this weekend selling "Obama Waffles" waffle mix at the ironically titled Value Voters Summit in Washington until organizers cut off sales of the $10-per-pop waffle mix, saying they hadn't "realized the boxes displayed 'offensive material.'" more ›

Arizona Senator John "Maverick" McCain made a rare Illinois stop-over last night, appearing before hundreds of supporters at a fundraiser at the Chicago Hilton & Towers. It was his first stop in Chicago since June, when he raised $2.5 million. This fundraiser was expected to rake in more than $4 million for McCain. And The Maverick came out swinging, accusing Obama of asking for $932 million in pork barrel projects in his first Senate term.

That averages out to about $1 million a day that he's been in the United States Senate. So, who's going to be the team of change, Obama and Biden or McCain and Palin? I think we know the difference.

Arizona Senator and GOP Presidential Candidate John McCain is making a short stop-over in Chicago tonight for a fundraiser at a downtown hotel and the event is going to prove more lucrative than once thought thanks to the soaring popularity of McCain's VP choice, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. State Rep Jim Durkin of Westchester is coordinating the event and says that the money has come pouring in since the Palin choice was announced. "Since he named Palin, this has taken on a life of its own." It's a welcomed bounce for McCain, especially coming in the home state of his opponent, Senator Barack Obama. more ›

Gallup. Rasmussen. Zogby. USA Today. Network news and 24-hour cable news. Real Clear Politics averages. All have poll results all over the compass regarding who's winning the presidential race. more ›