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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spin Control

Thursday’s quickie political briefing

Today's fun video: If only they could really dance like this...

Ballot Watch: More than 120,500 ballots have been returned to the Spokane County Elections office. That's about 47 percent; put another way, more than half of everybody that's gonna vote, has voted.

Here are today's headlines in the presidential campaign from The Associated Press:

McCain points to record oil company profits while accusing Obama of backing tax breaks

Obama says Bush put economy in a ditch and McCain would keep it there

Campaign says Obama TV ads, one positive and one negative, offer their ’closing argument’

In Florida, early voting means waiting, waiting and more waiting

NC elections board extends early voting hours on Saturday in wake of record turnout

Democrats seeking House and Senate seats get a boost from Obama money and popularity

To read the stories behind these headlines, click here and scroll down.
COUNTDOWN
6 days until the election. Washington voters must drop off their ballots at a designated location or have it postmarked by 8 p.m. Tuesday. Idaho voters can vote at poll sites from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Residents who aren't registered can register at their poll site and cast a provisional ballot.

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THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Prez/Veep
Barack Obama travels to Florida, Virginia and Missouri. Joe Biden talks to voters in Missouri before attending rallies in Pennsylvania.
John McCain holds several events in Ohio. Sarah Palin stops in Missouri before campaigning in Pennsylvania.
WA Gov
Chris Gregoire campaigns in Seattle, does a GOTV event with the Sierra Club. Dino Rossi campaigns in Moses Lake and Yakima.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY
“You don’t need to boo, you just need to vote.” — Barack Obama, to a crowd in Sarasota, Fla., after mentioning his Republican rival John McCain and the economy.
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STAT OF THE DAY
In Florida, 12 percent of the state’s white Democrats say they are voting for Republican John McCain, according to a recent Associated Press-GfK poll.



The Spokesman-Review's political team keeps a critical eye on local, state and national politics.