I really think Leah could’ve stopped at #1:

1. With a set evocative of the Oval Office, Obama’s presence in the
piece served as a preview to what it would look like if he were to be
elected as President. By providing a chance for the still uneasy
undecideds to envision this future, it will likely work to move some of
those voters out of their reluctance. Despite the McCain campaign’s
increasingly strident assertions to the contrary, Obama gave every
appearance of being more than “ready” to step into the role of a world
leader.

I do think this could be huge.  If voter turn out is high in working class and inner city neighborhoods, this will ensure that those votes get cast.  The wealthier, retiree areas that might back McCalin will have ample opportunity to vote, so this is clearly aimed at areas where there has traditionally been a crush to get int he door on time.

Breaks down derivatives, credit default swaps, etc. in relatively plain language.  Tip o’ the cap to Megan McArdle @ The Atlantic.

I really wish the Obama campaign had been more forthcoming about certain aspects of Obama’s legal practice.  Same with Biden’s medical records.  I won’t go into the McCain campaign’s lack of disclosure.  But the point is, if there isn’t something to hide, why hide it?  I respect the privacy angle, but certainly there is a way to add this info to the public record without violating anyone’s privacy.

At any rate, I think Obama needs to be forthcoming about his clients sometime before 2012.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has boasted
of his time working as a civil rights lawyer in Chicago. But the
boutique law firm that employed him for parts of 11 years — now known
as Miner, Barnhill & Galland
— also handled matters that don’t fit under the civil rights umbrella,
including contracts, real estate deals, incorporations and civil
defense.

Obama, by some accounts, spent as much as 30 percent of his 3,700 billable hours on the last category.

Neither his campaign nor the firm will release a list of the cases on which he worked.

Um, guessing this might be WORSE than palling around with terrorists?  I mean where EXACTLY does palling around with genocidal dictators fall on the scale of “shitty things I’ve done while a politician”?