Discover GOP Opprobrium

[teapeebubbles]

Today's edition of quick hits:

* Obama, speaking to reporters in Florida, turned down McCain's offer to delay the debate. "Presidents are going to have to deal with more than one thing at a time," he said. "It's not necessary for us to think that we can do only one thing, and suspend everything else."

* As far as the University of Mississippi and the Commission on Presidential Debates are concerned, Friday's event is still on.

* The original Treasury plan for a $700 billion Wall Street bailout is just about dead, but congressional alternatives are looking more promising.

* Like TPM, I've heard rumors that a deal is very nearly in place. It would be a shorter-term deal, totaling around $150 billion.

* A criminal investigation has begun at the Justice Department, looking into whether fraud contributed to the collapse of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers, and AIG.

* Just two hours before Georgia was set to kill Troy Davis, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay, and will decide Monday whether to grant Davis's appeal for a new trial.

* Brandon Friedman has the latest on just how deadly Afghanistan has become.

* What a surprise, healthcare premiums are still on the rise.

* It's good to see Congress take a stand to require insurance companies to treat mental ailments the same way as physical ailments.

* What did KBR know and when did they know it?

* That's quite a ghost-writing operation the McCain campaign has put together.

* Quote of the Day, in response to McCain's stunt this afternoon: "If you were wondering how bad McCain's pollster was telling him things are, there's your confirmation."