Today’s Election News Roundup

Some political analysts have voiced concern that Ill. Sen. Barack Obama’s lead in the polls will not translate into a win in November. Citing the Bradley Effect—named for the 1982 case when African-American mayor Tom Bradley (D) of Los Angeles lost the gubernatorial race in California despite a lead in the polls—some pollsters are concerned that Sen. Obama’s lead may not be indicative of how voters will choose on election day.

President Bill Clinton, Sen. Hillary Clinton, and Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden, attended a rally in Scranton, PA. as part of Obama’s campaign outreach in the battleground state. Both Clinton and Biden are natives of the area. A Northeastern Pennsylvania paper, The Times Leader, outlines pivotal moments from the event.

Ariz. Sen. John McCain and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will campaign in the South this week, beginning with a stop in Virginia. Sen. McCain has recently slipped in Southern polls: a survey released Thursday by Public Policy Polling of Raleigh, N.C., indicated that 52 percent of white voters favored Sen. McCain, down from 60 percent three weeks ago.

Republicans face growing concern that McCain may lose Florida, a pivotal state with strong GOP dominance. According to a report by the Miami Herald, “No Republican has won the White House in modern times without carrying Florida … Some Republicans say the state party hasn't done enough, while others blame McCain's national campaign.”

Vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin noticeably toned down her anti-Obama rhetoric during a campaign rally in St. Clairsville, OH. The candidate did not bring up Sen. Obama’s connection to William Ayers, for example. ABC News cites some of Palin’s remarks.

Sen. McCain has rescheduled a previously cancelled appearance on David Letterman’s “The Late Show.” The candidate will appear on the program this Thursday.

The findingDulcinea 2008 Election Web Guide highlights the best online resources relating to the candidates and the election.

Project Vote Smart describes the process of nominating a presidential candidate, with concise descriptions of the convention, caucuses, primaries and the process of awarding delegates.

An overview of the role of delegates and superdelegates is presented by the Council on Foreign Relations.

Daily coverage of the 2008 Election is gathered from media sources across the political spectrum and presented by Real Clear Politics to provide up-to-the-minute coverage. The site publishes daily political transcripts, including addresses on the campaign trail and withdrawal speeches. It also constantly updates and compares polling reports from Rasmussen, Gallup, CNN, Pew Research, and other major media sources. Additionally, the site provides a 2008 Primary Delegate Count, which presents the delegate counts of each candidate.

NPR provides an interactive calendar of past primaries. Headline stories that detail the events of the primaries and campaigns accompany the primary map. In addition, NPR hosts a “National Delegates Total,” with an ongoing count of delegates won by each candidate.

Minnesota Public Radio’s online “President Survey” matches the political convictions of respondents with the candidates’ policies in order to help voters make an informed choice come election day.

The New York Times publishes a constant stream of articles from the Associated Press. These concise AP stories cover new developments on the campaign trail.

As election momentum picks up, the Times of London offers British readers a glossary of campaign jargon that will be of use to many Americans as well.

OpenSecrets.org compares the total campaign donations for each candidate and looks into the war chests to see where the money comes from.