TOP STORIES:

Dems’s break looking like a bad trip; Isenstadt, Phillip POLITICO

Clock ticking on bipartisan bill; Brown POLITICO

Lifting A Burden Of Worry; Sec. Kathleen Sebelius WASHINGTON POST

Road Map: Democratic Infighting Complicates Agenda; Pierce, Newmyer ROLL CALL

Analysis: Obama struggling to keep no-tax pledge; Elliott ASSOCIATED PRESS

Teeing Up the Middle Class; Editorial WALL STREET JOURNAL

Economic Policy Is Working, Obama Says; Wilson, Fletcher WASHINGTON POST

AP ENTERPRISE: Federal tax revenues plummeting; Ohlemacher ASSOCIATED PRESS

 

HOUSE:

Markey raps coal group on forgeries; Frates POLITICO

Rangel pays lawyers $1,000,000; Bresnahan POLITICO

PMA Probe Moves Quietly; Yachnin ROLL CALL

AOC Finds New Method to Pay for Greening; Yehle ROLL CALL

Cantor Urges Whip Team to Keep Recess Heat on Health Care; Kucinich ROLL CALL

Democrats Lift Hold on GOP Health Care Mailing; Kucinich ROLL CALL

Left is miffed at Pelosi over her comment; Soraghan, Allen THE HILL

Coal group ‘outraged’ by forgeries; Snyder THE HILL

 

HOUSE ELECTIONS:

Cao: Health vote could emperil career; Kraushaar POLITICO

A look at Democrats targeted by House GOP; ASSOCIATED PRESS

GOP Betting on Andy Harris 2.0 in Maryland; McArdle ROLL CALL

New York: Hoffman May Nab Conservative Party Line; McArdle ROLL CALL

California: DeSaulnier Asked to Stop Touting Tauscher; Whittington ROLL CALL

Georgia: Half a Dozen GOPers Vying to Succeed Deal; McArdle ROLL CALL

Wisconsin: State Senator Looking to Defeat Kind in 2010; Whittington ROLL CALL

Connecticut: McKinney Rules Out Run Against Himes; Whittington ROLL CALL

Illinois: Bond Drops Out of 10th District Race; Toeplitz ROLL CALL

Health Care Debate a Campaign Cash Cow; Roth, Knott CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY

Martin Explores Bid For Missouri Rep. Carnahan’s Seat; Giroux CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY

 

SENATE:

Spurring Sales, Car Rebate Plan Is Left Up in Air; Wald, Bunkley NEW YORK TIMES

For Senate, a Climate of Competing Interests; Mufson, Fahrenthold WASHINGTON POST

Democrats trying for GOP support for clunker funds; Thomas ASSOCIATED PRESS

Senate Democrats impatient with healthcare pace;

 Smith, Frank REUTERS

Senate Republicans aren’t buying ‘cash for clunkers’; Lightman MCCLATCHY NEWS

Senate denies Obama bid to ax rural energy grants; Taylor ASSOCIATED PRESS

Senate Health Talks Renewed; Drucker ROLL CALL

‘Cash for Clunkers’ Looks for Support; Brady ROLL CALL

Secret Lives of Senators: Barbara Boxer’s Satire Follows a Familiar Path; Miller ROLL CALL

Harkin to Huddle With Obama on Health Care; Koffler ROLL CALL

Schumer: Reconciliation Still on the Table for Health Care; Drucker ROLL CALL

Enzi Rejects Sept. 15 Deadline for Health Care Deal; Drucker ROLL CALL

Reid juggles hectic final week agenda; Rushing THE HILL

Senate Dems at odds over health deadline; Young THE HILL

Sen. Enzi: No deadline for healthcare talks; Young THE HILL

Senate Dems have backup plans for healthcare backup; Young THE HILL

Grassley, Braley predict health vote by Thanksgiving; O’Brien THE HILL

Schumer: Health bill possible without GOP; Haberkorn WASHINGTON TIMES

 

SENATE ELECTIONS:

Specter will likely face a primary challenge; Hefling ASSOCIATED PRESS

Specter faces primary challenge from Rep. Joe Sestak; Drobnyk LOS ANGELES TIMES

GOP Leads in Early Senate PAC Giving; McArdle ROLL CALL

A Lot Yet to Be Revealed About Ayotte; Toeplitz ROLL CALL

Republicans in New Hampshire scoff at D.C.’s role in Senate race; Wilson THE HILL

Kentucky GOP Candidates Target Obama; Crowley CONGRESS DAILY

 

POLITICS/CAMPAIGNS:

Big Donors Make End Run in New Jersey Campaign; Halbfinger NEW YORK TIMES

How Obama Snared the Lion of the Senate; Balz, Johnson WASHINGTON POST

DNC to Court: Small donations at risk; Vogel POLITICO

Strategists chase ficklest generation; Javers POLITICO

Poll shows tough environ for GOP-ers; Kraushaar POLITICO

No hard feelings - lobbyists pay $1M to honor Obama; Bogardus, Brush THE HILL

Minneapolis Mayor Sounding Like a Governor Candidate; Cadei CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY

Whitman’s in the Money in Calif. Governor’s Race; Kapochunas CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY

Republicans closing gap in polls; Lambro WASHINGTON TIMES

 

ADMINISTRATION:

Obama Renews Vow of No Middle-Class Tax Increase; Baker NEW YORK TIMES

Staying Tough in Crackdown on Immigrants; Preston NEW YORK TIMES

Obama Administration Weighs in on State Secrets, Raising Concern on the Left; Liptak NEW YORK TIMES

Strategy On Flu Under Revision; Hsu WASHINGTON POST

Top Cybersecurity Aide At White House Resigns; Nakashima WASHINGTON POST

The Berserk ‘Birthers’; Robinson WASHINGTON POST

White House Counsel’s Job at Stake; Perez WALL STREET JOURNAL

Security Cyber Czar Steps Down; Gorman WALL STREET JOURNAL

Obama’s Trade Test; Editorial WALL STREET JOURNAL

No tax hike for middle class: White House; Mason REUTERS  

U.S. reshaping Darfur policy; Wallsten, Sanders LOS ANGELES TIMES

Tax trial balloon pops; Bolton, Youngman THE HILL

Panel blasts dismissing Panther case; Seper WASHINGTON TIMES

Politics on ICE; Editorial WASHINGTON TIMES

 

SCOTUS:

Senate opens debate on Sotomayor for Supreme Court; Davis ASSOCIATED PRESS

McCain to oppose Sotomayor for Supreme Court; Davis ASSOCIATED PRESS

Republican support for Sotomayor looks paltry; Kiely USA TODAY

Sotomayor ‘Fight’ Nears Its End; Stanton ROLL CALL

Ben Nelson to Support Sotomayor; Stanton ROLL CALL

Gun foes see new hope with Sotomayor; Dinan WASHINGTON TIMES

 

BAILOUT/ECONOMY:

After 6,000 Take Buyouts, G.M. to Lay Off Thousands; Bunkley NEW YORK TIMES

Dueling Public Interests In Policing Rescued Firms; Goldfarb WASHINGTON POST

Nowhere to Go but Down; Schwartzman WASHINGTON POST

Cash for Clunkers Deal Drives Auto Sales; Hedgpeth WASHINGTON POST

Bank of America Pays $33 Million to Settle Merrill Bonus Charges; Goldfarb WASHINGTON POST

When the Clunker Is Greener; Ottinger WASHINGTON POST

Geithner Vents at Regulators as Overhaul Stumbles; Paletta, Solomon WALL STREET JOURNAL

Treasury to Borrow Less Than Expected; Rappaport, Thiruvengadam WALL STREET JOURNAL

Clunker Plan Gives Car Sales a Lift; Grossman, Dolan WALL STREET JOURNAL

Trade-In Program Tunes Up Economic Engine; Lahart WALL STREET JOURNAL

Used Autos See a Rise in Demand; Bennett WALL STREET JOURNAL

The Killer App for Clunkers Breathes Fresh Life Into ‘Liquid Glass’; Helliker WALL STREET JOURNAL

Bernanke’s Exit Dilemma; Melloan WALL STREET JOURNAL

 

HEALTHCARE:

Health Plan Opponents Make Voices Heard; Herszenhorn, Stolberg NEW YORK TIMES

Take Two Digital Pills and Call Me in the Morning; Clark WALL STREET JOURNAL

Weighty Choices, in Patients’ Hands; WALL STREET JOURNAL

New Epidemic Fears: Hackers; Worthen WALL STREET JOURNAL

Buzz Kill? Critics Target Alcohol-Caffeine Drinks; Kesmodel WALL STREET JOURNAL

U.S. Psyche Bedevils Health Effort; Seib WALL STREET JOURNAL

Recess health care ad blitz kicks off; Cummings POLITICO

Public passions are rising on health care overhaul; Hefling ASSOCIATED PRESS

Specter greeted with boos, cheers at town hall; Hefling ASSOCIATED PRESS

THE INFLUENCE GAME: Biotech drug lobbying war; Fram ASSOCIATED PRESS

Obama gives powerful drug lobby a seat at healthcare table; Hamburger LOS ANGELES TIMES

Vets groups’ concerns on healthcare soothed; Tiron THE HILL

Health Care Message Gets West Wing Tune-up; Bettelheim CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY

 

STIMULUS:

No Coverage

 

LABOR/EFCA:

Private Equity and the Banks; Andy Stern WALL STREET JOURNAL

 

ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT:

Nobel Halo Fades Fast for Climate Change Panel; Revkin NEW YORK TIMES

Global Warming and the Poor; Stephens WALL STREET JOURNAL

EIA says costs of climate bill modest at first; Snyder THE HILL

 

DEFENSE/WAR ON TERROR:

Fears of Fraud Cast Pall Over Afghan Election; Gall NEW YORK TIMES

Iraqi Group Renounces Violence; Nordland NEW YORK TIMES

Iraq Censorship Laws Move Ahead; Williams NEW YORK TIMES

NATO Chief Urges Bigger European Role in Afghan War; Erlanger NEW YORK TIMES

Bomb in Afghanistan Kills at Least 10; Wafa NEW YORK TIMES

Kurds Identify 3 Hikers Held in Iran; Dagher, Otterman NEW YORK TIMES

Va., N.Y. Districts Vie for 9/11 Case; Finn, Markon, Wilber WASHINGTON POST

U.S. Seeks Information On 3 Americans in Iran; Bakri WASHINGTON POST

Rockets strike Kabul in rare pre-election attack; de Montesquiou ASSOCIATED PRESS

Gates, Mullen went to Belgium for Afghan war talk; Gearan ASSOCIATED PRESS

Troops’ families feel weight of war; Zoroya USA TODAY

Afghanistan ride-a-long with Gen. Stanley McChrystal; Cole LOS ANGELES TIMES

 

U.S. LOCAL:

States in Distress; Editorial NEW YORK TIMES

 

OF NOTE:

Bill Clinton in North Korea to Seek Release of U.S. Reporters; Landler, Baker NEW YORK TIMES

Newsweek Steps Up Effort to Free Reporter in Iran; Stelter NEW YORK TIMES

Signs of Dissent Emerge in an Iranian Power Base; NEW YORK TIMES

The Spectacle in Tehran; Editorial WASHINGTON POST

The Folly of Hate-Crime Laws; Cohen WASHINGTON POST

Tehran’s Show Trial; Editorial WALL STREET JOURNAL

Post office looks at changing hundreds of offices; Schmid ASSOCIATED PRESS

More seek concealed weapons permits; Bazar USA TODAY

 

TOP BLOGS:

Senate Dems head to White House for lunch; Kady POLITICO’S THRUSH BLOG

Reid hits ‘artificial controversy’ of birthers; Kady POLITICO’S THRUSH BLOG

More twists in the Ensign sex scandal; Kady POLITICO’S THRUSH BLOG

Corzine hoping for an Obama bounce; Kraushaar POLITICO’S SCORECARD BLOG

Anti-health reform protesters shout down Rep. Doggett; Kady POLITICO’S THRUSH BLOG

The NRCC’s 70 targets; Kraushaar POLITICO’S SCORECARD BLOG

Clinton recalls ‘93 in health care pitch; Kady POLITICO’S THRUSH BLOG

Get to know a congressman; Mullins POLITICO’S SHENANIGANS BLOG

GOP Polling Charts Galore; Good ATLANTIC’S AMBINDER BLOG