Compounding a Political Outrage – New York Times
The sleazy way in which campaigns and the political parties use loopholes in the campaign finance laws to evade responsibility for their attack ads is on full display in the Tennessee Senate race. Slick as a leer, pernicious as a virus, a campaign commercial transparently honed as a racist appeal to Tennessee voters has remained on the air, despite assurances from Republican sponsors that it was pulled down.
The ad is directed at Representative Harold Ford Jr., the Democratic candidate for the Senate, who is African-American. It includes a bare-shouldered white woman claiming to have met the candidate at a Playboy party and signing off with a close-up, whispered come-on: “Harold, call me.”
The ad, resonating with the miscegenation taboos of Old South politics, may or may not be the nadir in the low-blow salvos now assailing the nation. But it takes the statuette for political hypocrisy
nytimes.com
Real Timetables for Iraq – New York Times
Funny how a few weeks before the election Bush administration officials start hinting at timetables for getting American troops out of Iraq. But spinning out implausible scenarios — like the claim that it might take only 12 to 18 more months for the Iraqis to be able to defend themselves — won’t get Iraq any closer to containing the mayhem, nor this country any closer to extricating itself.
What is needed is an explicit, credible and public set of deadlines — for Iraq’s leaders but also for President Bush — to confront the most difficult problems, including disarming sectarian militias, stabilizing Baghdad, protecting minority rights, and apportioning the country’s oil wealth.
That’s the only way Iraqis and Americans can judge whether progress is being made and whether the effort is worth the cost.
nytimes.com
G.O.P. Moves Fast to Reignite
Issue of Gay Marriage – New York Times
WASHINGTON, Oct. 26 — The divisive debate over gay marriage, which played a prominent role in 2004 campaigns but this year largely faded from view, erupted anew on Thursday as President Bush and Republicans across the country tried to use a court ruling in New Jersey to rally dispirited conservatives to the polls.
nytimes.com
I.R.S. Going Slow Before Election – New York Times
The commissioner of internal revenue has ordered his agency to delay collecting back taxes from Hurricane Katrina victims until after the Nov. 7 elections and the holiday season, saying he did so in part to avoid negative publicity.
nytimes.com
Corzine Tells Legislators He
Backs Civil Unions Over
Same-Sex Marriage – New York Times
TRENTON, Oct. 26 — Gov. Jon S. Corzine told legislative leaders on Thursday that he would prefer that New Jersey enact a civil unions law for gay couples rather than allow them to marry.
nytimes.com
The $164 Million Question:
What’s Overdue in Los Angeles? – New York Times
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 26 — This is a city where it is possible to not lay eyes on a police officer for three months and yet be assaulted by a dozen parking tickets in a week.
But while the Los Angeles Department of Transportation issues roughly 3.2 million tickets a year, that does not mean everyone pays up. The department announced this week that scofflaws owed the city $164 million in overdue parking fines accrued over the last three years.
nytimes.com
10 Ways to Eat Well 
10 Ways to Eat Well
NOT TOO MANY YEARS AGO, natural and organic foods were smiled on as the quirks of cranks and hypochondriacs. Advertising exhorted Americans to rush their food from supermarket to belly with the least possible aggravation. Meals, whether from a just-add-water pouch or a drive-through, were meant to be convenient and fast. The slogan to promote throwaway beverage containers–”no deposit, no return”–summed it up. Not only was preparing fresh food too much hassle, but even taking an empty back to the store was also a burden to be lifted. 
