SATURDAY ROUNDUP

An AP poll suggesting racism might hurt Barack Obama in national tracking surveys has stirred debate over race in the 2008 campaign. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), meanwhile, is accused by conservatives of putting his foot in his mouth by calling Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) “disabled.”

AP’s racial study misses several key factors, The Plank’s Nate Silver asserts after the news group found that racial prejudices among white voters could be costing Obama support nationwide. AP surveyed all adults, and racism may be less of a factor among likely voters, Silver argues, adding that the AP did not estimate how many voters may support Obama because he is black. But whether or not the AP is right, some people will still blame racism for costing Obama the White House if he loses, Ann Althouse writes.

Rangel had a public meltdown when he suggested to a New York TV station that Palin is “disabled,” The Corner’s Kathryn Jean Lopez proclaims. When asked about Palin’s popularity, Rangel told CBS’s New York affiliate “you’ve got to be kind to the disabled,” and according to NewsBusters’ Tom Blumer Rangel’s comment proves that Palin’s popularity has thrown Democrats off balance. Rangel explained in the interview that Palin is politically “disabled” because she lacks foreign policy experience; he later released a statement that “disabled” was not the word he meant to use, and that the comment was in no way a reference to Palin’s son Trig, who has Down syndrome.

John McCain, meanwhile, has revealed his affinity for deregulation when it comes to U.S. financial markets in a recent op-ed, kos alleges at Daily Kos. McCain’s argument, that healthcare will benefit from more competition the same way financial systems have, provides excellent fodder for Democrats, Josh Marshall declares at TalkingPointsMemo. If the Obama campaign is smart, it will harp on McCain’s quote until November, Marshall says.

FROM THE BLOGS:
PDS, Harlem Style – Tom Blumer, Newsbusters
Racism Costs Obama Six Points? – Nate Silver, The Plank
Factual Accuracy and McSame Syndrome – Dan McLaughlin, RedState
Brazen Bias – Ed Whelan, The Corner
Obama Shows What Evisceration Looks Like – SusanG, Daily Kos
Race Could Hurt Obama – Jeralyn, TalkLeft
Palin and the Enthusiasm Gap – Gary Andres, The Next Right
Obama’s FDR Moment – Ian Welsh, Firedoglake
Lilly Ledbetter, Living a Lie – Paul Mirengoff, Power Line
Five Momentous Days – Marc Ambinder

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Debate Pact Lets McCain and Obama Spar – NY Times
Treasury Asks for $700 Billion to Buy Bad Mortgages – The Hill
For GOP, a New Way to Campaign – Washington Post
Bush Defends Cost of Bailout – Wall Street Journal