Some News From Campaign Trail

First, much like the national polls, our small poll here at Washington Scandal gives Obama a very decisive win in last night's debate. McCain needed a big win, and failed to deliver. Perhaps because of his age, the rigors of the campaign seem to have zapped his will, taken away that crisp John McCain tongue...a perfect example of this addled and shaken persona came out on the trail today when he referred to us not as "my friends", but "my fellow prisoners". Is John McCain beginning to suffer from flashbacks, or is he beginning to slide into senility?

Two important news stories surround the debate. In the first, Obama is pulling away in the National Polls having posted up DOUBLE DIGITS leads, and for the first time being supported by 52 percent of those polled. This election is all but over, but I caution Democrats NOT TO GIVE UP THE FULL COURT PRESS...let us not forget the 2000 Presidential Election that Gore was winning, and that George W. Bush ended up stealing away from us. Be ever vigilent.

Obama reaches record 11-point lead in Gallup poll

Democrat Barack Obama has expanded his lead over Republican John McCain in today's Gallup Tracking Poll and now is ahead 52%-41%. Gallup says it's Obama's largest margin of the campaign and also the first time he's made it to 52%.

Like other tracking polls, this one is based on three nights of polling, Sunday through Tuesday. Almost all interviews were done before the presidential debate last night.

As you see in today's other results below, Obama's lead is much smaller in some of them -- as little as 1 percentage point in one case. We are going to look for analysis of the variation and will update this post if we find some. Meanwhile, click on each poll for information on sample size, margin of error and other details.

Rasmussen: Obama 51%, McCain 45%

Diageo/Hotline: Obama 45%, McCain 44%

Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby: Obama 47%, McCain 45%

Research2000/Daily Kos: Obama 51%, McCain 41%

In the second story, the Alaska's Supreme Court has said they will make a quick decision on weither or not to shut down the Palin ABUSE OF POWER investigation. Give us a break, this is an investigation that Sarah Palin said she WELCOMED. In the meantime, her husband Todd has said he will cooperate...sort of! He will only answer written questions, and his answers will be reviewed by his legal team! That is not how it is supposed to work. You are asked a question, you given a VERBAL response, and then depending on your answer, and without the benefit of coaching from your attorney, you give follow up answers. Let us have the investigation, and let the chips fall where they may BEFORE NOVEMBER 5th, 2008.

Alaska high court to rule quickly on Palin probe

October 8, 2008 08:40 PM EST

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska's Supreme Court says it will rule quickly on whether to shut down an abuse-of-power investigation into Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Friday is the deadline for lawmakers to receive an investigative report into whether the Alaska governor abused her authority by firing her public safety commissioner. Critics claim she fired him because he wouldn't dismiss a state trooper who had gone through a nasty divorce with her sister.

In court Wednesday, an attorney for five Republican lawmakers said the probe is a front for politicians trying to embarrass Palin.

Palin is a party to the lawsuit. Her husband and top aides recently agreed to cooperate with the probe.