politics

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Embattled Democratic Rep. Tim Mahoney admitted to multiple affairs Friday, but is going to let the voters decide whether he should lose his job over a sex scandal involving a former staff worker.

It's out there.Regardless of the protests over U.S. Rep. John Murtha's remark Wednesday that Western Pennsylvania was "a racist area" -- and his subsequent apology -- many people who live in this region believe Sen. Barack Obama's skin color will be a factor in this election.One of them is John Kashin, of Mount Pleasant.

By focusing attention on false voter registration forms filed by the liberal group ACORN, Republicans and Arizona Sen. John McCain are raising alarm bells about the potential for widespread voter fraud this fall.

LAS VEGAS -- Sen. John McCain's earthly profile dominates the foreground; the Virgin of Guadalupe's luminous visage nearly floats in the background.Las Vegas radio talk show host Xavier Rivas saw a national group called Catholics for McCain displaying the photo at the GOP convention last month and transferred it onto palm-sized cards.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Alaska state Personnel Board investigation of Gov. Sarah Palin's firing of Walt Monegan has broadened to include other ethics complaints against the governor and examination of actions by other state employees, according to the independent counsel handling the case.

The following are selected findings from a survey of 1,015 adult residents of the United States conducted by Scripps Howard News Service and Ohio University's Scripps Research Center by telephone from Sept. 15 through Oct. 2.

Ninety-four percent of adult Americans have heard at least one of the ridiculous and false rumors chasing John McCain and Barack Obama on the campaign trail, according to a Scripps poll.Have you heard that John McCain was brainwashed while a prisoner of war in Vietnam? Or that he's become senile, or fathered a black baby?

The Americans for the Arts Action Fund, a Washington-based advocacy group, has issued its report card on the presidential candidates' positions on arts and arts education. It found a distinct difference between pending pro-arts legislation co-sponsored by Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and a nearly decade-long voting record by GOP Sen. John McCain.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Two new statewide surveys underscore why Tennessee isn't a battleground in the presidential race: Both show Republican John McCain with a double-digit lead over Democrat Barack Obama in the Volunteer State.The results come one week before the presidential contenders meet in Nashville for their second debate Oct. 7 at Belmont University.

You can "Twitter" Friday's presidential debate on your cell phone. You can watch live streaming video of Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain jousting about Iraq or Wall Street -- and then rewind it. You will even find searchable clips of the event online.