Listen to O'Neill and LaTourette in their only debate live on 90.3 WCPN at 12:30pm today.

Related: Senator Sherrod Brown has been working hard to investigate why National City Bank wasn't a priority in the banking bill. Brown has written a letter to Interim Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Stability Neel Kashkari, who is apparently from Ohio. In a written statement, Brown said, "As a native of Ohio, I know you can appreciate how the people of my state find it incomprehensible…to eliminate an untold number of jobs and bring about the end of an institution that has served Ohioans for more than a century and a half." It is unfortunate that this story has been largely lost in the election coverage. Thank you Senator Brown for not letting it fall through the cracks.

This is the best closing argument ad I have seen from the Obama campaign. It helps respond in general to the desperate attacks of Republicans continuing to throw anything at Obama hoping it will stick.

It is in these final weeks of the campaign that local candidates try to be heard in a media market saturated by advertising. Democratic Candidate for Summit County Engineer Al Brubaker has released a television ad. The spot highlights Al's family life and history here in the Akron area.

Democrats in Summit County are exceptionally coordinated this year and are looking to maximize their gains from the projected record turnout on Election Day. Candidates like Russ Pry, Frank Communale, Democratic Judicial Candidates, and Al Brubaker have been working with the Obama campaign locally as a team. I know most of you just said "duh," but it is a stark contrast to what is happening on the Republican side. Deep divisions remain from the infighting that consumed Summit County Republicans this past spring. The result is that they have very limited coordination and many local candidates are left to go it alone while Democrats work together countywide. I think this will be what leads to a Democrat sweep on Election Day.

Unrelated: Republican pollster Rasmussen Reports has Obama up 8% nationally today.

Akron related: Devo and The Black Keys will be playing a concert this Friday at the Civic Theater in Akron to benefit the Summit County Democratic Party and in support of Barack Obama. I have heard a rumor that a high level special guest may make an appearance at the event. Let me just say that if this rumor is true, Obama supporters won't be disappointed. Typically I don't like to post hearsay, but my information comes from two separate and unrelated sources.

Unrelated: Tomorrow, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi will be in Cleveland for an appearance with Congresswoman Betty Sutton at the Great Lakes Institute for Energy Innovation. The event will focus on the energy innovations of the institute including their research on wind energy initiatives and fuel cells.

Unrelated: Yesterday, the Akron Beacon Journal endorsed Mike Moran for State Representative in OH-42. The Plain Dealer has endorsed Moran also.

Notice the tag line "it is time we stop bailing out Wall Street."

Good one!! Obama's new ad, which I mocked yesterday, gets even better. It tries to make McCain look old and makes fun of him for not using a computer. Obama spokesman Dan Pfeiffer: "It’s extraordinary that someone who wants to be our president and our commander in chief doesn’t know how to send an e-mail." Yes, it is true. McCain can't use a computer. He can't type on a keyboard. Nor can he tie his shoes or comb his hair. That is because his arms were repeatedly broken in Vietnam. Well played, Chicago! It will go down as one of the worst campaign ads ever. I guess this is what "taking off the gloves" entails.

And really, is insulting a large segment of the voting population that is probably in the same boat and are uncomfortable with computers a good idea anyways?

Cleveland Frowns which sometimes gives out advice on sports betting has a call for the 2008 election. Put your money on John McCain at the current odds.

Sarah Palin from the ABC Interview: ""I think he's regretting not picking her (Hillary) now, I do." Yes, but he also probably regrets not picking Sarah Palin.

Whoopi Goldberg, to John McCain, on The View: "Should I be worried about being a slave again?" Goodness.

Scott MacFarlane of WTOV 9 (Wheeling / Stubenville) has interviews with both candidates in OH-18, incumbent Democrat Zack Space and Republican challenger Fred Dailey. The pieces discuss each of their plans for the current housing market and what to do. Worth taking a look at.

Ohio State – USC. I am in the minority, I think OSU plays a good game and it comes down to the end. Plus, even if we lose we have a built in excuse that Chris Wells didn't play. I went with my dad to watch Wells his senior year at Garfield in their opening game against Hoban (2005). I could not have been less impressed with his performance. He didn't run hard, he didn't want to get hit, and generally looked like he would have rather been anywhere else. I said he was going to be a bust. That is why I don't recruit for college football teams or give advice on that front anymore. Speaking of Wells, and I know this is way off topic, but Maurice Wells should never get another carry ever for Ohio State. They should have told him the wrong time the plane was leaving for Southern California and left him in Columbus. He is just not good. Lets hope he doesn't get too many carries tonight.

Lastly, Ohio.com launched another new blog this week. It is a style blog titled "See Jane Style." Many people often tell me I am need of style tips. Probably accurate. Anyhow, I know Jane and had a heads up this blog was coming, and so far I have enjoyed reading it. Check it out.

And of course, there are the other two great political blogs on Ohio.com – All Da Kings Men (from the right) and Blog of Mass Destruction (from the left). Both authors are frequent commenters here. Be sure to check out their pages if you haven't already. Yes, Reverend, I don't like your politics, but you are a talented blogger.

Fire fighters endorse Boccieri: Canton Professional Firefighters Association, IAFF Local 249, endorsed John Boccieri this week. "John has always been very responsive to us," said Dan Reed, President of Local 249. "We appreciate his respect for firefighters, his military service, and his commitment to collective bargaining rights. I know he'll listen to our needs and stand up for us in Washington."

Boccieri issued a statement of thanks for the endorsement: "Canton's firefighters put their lives on the line for us every day, and I couldn't be prouder of their service and dedication. I'll fight in Congress to make sure they have all the support and resources they need to do their job and keep our community safe."

In the first spot, Kilroy focuses on the issue of Health Care.

In the second spot, Stivers introduces himself to voters.

This ad makes it pretty obvious that picking Governor Palin was a political calculation to go after Clinton Democrats. Senator Clinton is featured in about 1/3 of this first commercial. The ad tries to mislead the viewer into believing that Senator Clinton supports McCain's choice by featuring Palin's tribute to Clinton with quote from Clinton. Republicans are underestimating how much our convention helped heal the primary wounds and unite our party behind the Obama / Biden ticket. At some point, the McCain campaign is going to need to give a substantive argument as to why Governor Palin was selected.

One thing is clear when you compare Barack Obama's choice of Joe Biden and John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin. Obama made his pick based on who is ready to lead for the next four years. McCain made his pick based on who he thinks will help politically in the next two months.

The media will have its cameras and microphones scouring the crowd at tonight's Democratic Convention looking for real life Debras to broadcast to the nation. The scrutiny will be intense. Tonight presents a real opportunity for Senator Clinton to get the Debras in swing states to warm up to Senator Obama and unite behind the issues we care about as Democrats. The real bump Obama could get coming out of our convention could come from Clinton Democrats coming home and supporting the ticket. I will be watching tonight with great interest.

Unrelated: Governor Strickland will speak tonight about 6:30pm

A glimpse into the potential future of free speech.

AP: Barack Obama is striking back fiercely and swiftly to stamp out an ad that links him to a 1960s radical, eager to demonstrate a far more aggressive response to attacks than John Kerry did when faced with the 2004 "Swift Boat" campaign.

Obama not only aired a response ad to the spot linking him to William Ayers, but he sought to block stations the commercial by warning station managers and asking the Justice Department to intervene. The campaign also planned to compel advertisers to pressure stations that continue to air the anti-Obama commercial.

Some success so far on this front, as Fox News and CNN have refused to run the ad (which can be watched after the jump), which is being put out and paid for by the American Issues Project. The ad is brutal, which explains why Obama wants to kill it off (like living babies who survive abortions).

It is kind of a damned if you damned if you don't situation for Team Obama here. Obama wanted to respond, but now the MSM might have to actually cover the story. He knows it can't be good to be linked to Ayers, but that is his own doing – it is pretty clear he isn't just "a guy who lives in my neighborhood," as many people, including Hillary Clinton have pointed out. The way I see it, his counter ad raises more questions that it does provide answers along with reinforcing the fact that indeed, they are friends and Obama started his political career in the living room of someone who planted bombs in the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, and police stations, and said he felt he "didn't do enough" in 2001. So, as of 2001, Ayers still promoted terrorism. Obama is (was?) still friends with him until recent scrutiny came.

Obama's piece asks, "Why is McCain talking about the sixties?" McCain didn't run the ad (which Obama's ad tries to get you to think), but the original ad does address the recent relationship between Obama and Ayers. The counter commercial ignores that aspect. The Obama ad goes on to say Obama was only 8 when Ayers committed these acts. Obama wasn't 8 when he was launching his political career with a fund raiser at the Ayers house, so that doesn't really fly. Senator Obama willingly linked himself to Ayers. That has nothing to do with John McCain.

This Obama rebuttal was one of the worst political ads ever and I think they will regret running it. In related news, this morning the records from the Chicago Annenberg Challenge will be unsealed. I don't pretend to know what is in them, but I do know I will be waiting to find out. Obama was chairman of the board of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, a foundation where Ayers was a founder. That is the "left-wing board" the original ad refers to. My only prediction is that we find out that Ayers was not "just a guy in my neighborhood" and the connection between the two runs much deeper.

Funny: "Veeps" at johnmccain.com, a take off on "The Sims."

Related: The Obama campaign reports that Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen will talk about McCain losing track of how many homes he owns at events throughout southeast Ohio.

A new nice distraction popped up today while we all put our lives our hold waiting for Obama to anoint his second in command. (Note: I won't be one of the people getting the text messages. Someone will have to let me know when it happens).

Obama: McCain is Rich!!
You know the story, when asked how many homes he owned, McCain said: "I think — I'll have my staff get to you. It's condominiums where — I'll have them get to you." McCain, to me at least, seemed like he was trying to be careful and not give a wrong answer. But in today's politics it is an answer that can be blown up – not complaining, it happens both ways. Here is the Obama ad. Here is what Tim Kaine said: "He couldn’t count high enough apparently to even know how many houses he owns." Good one. Real VP material.

McCain response: Does a guy who made more than $4 million last year, just got back from vacation on a private beach in Hawaii and bought his own million-dollar mansion with the help of a convicted felon really want to get into a debate about houses? Does a guy who worries about the price of arugula and thinks regular people "cling" to guns and religion in the face of economic hardship really want to have a debate about who’s in touch with regular Americans?

Of course, the infanticide supporter bought his house with help from someone (Rezko) who was just found guilty of six counts of wire fraud, six counts of mail fraud, two counts of corrupt solicitation, and two counts of money laundering. Plus, Obama must not make that much money since hard questions are above his pay grade so maybe his Harry Reid like land deals are acceptable. I am fine having this fight.

Many of the left blogs in Ohio are happy with Obama for "fighting back" against McCain. I argue he has been fighting back all along, he just isn't doing it the right way. Trying to say McCain is part of some mysterious "third term" isn't the right way to go. It hasn't worked and won't work. John McCain is not and will not be considered part of the damaged Republican brand.

P.S. Anyone seen Jack Reed today? Evan Bayh? Hillary? MAKE YOUR SELECTION BARACK…….

Obama: I shouldn't have to even campaign. Courtesy Pain Dealer. No, why would he.

Alert: Political Science 216 "Biggest Jackass in Greater Cleveland Politics" contest update.

As I wait, I will be reading the high school football preview the Beacon put out today. No link to that. Go buy the paper. It is 50 cents. Even in these tough times here in Northeast Ohio, you can afford it.