Via Jonathan Martin, Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) issued this statement today:

"What I am seeing reminds me too much of another destructive period in American history," Lewis said in a statement issued today. "Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are sowing the seeds of hatred and division, and there is no need for this hostility in our political discourse." ...

"George Wallace never threw a bomb," Lewis noted. "He never fired a gun, but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights. Because of this atmosphere of hate, four little girls were killed on Sunday morning when a church was bombed in Birmingham, Alabama."

To which McCain responded in a statement:

"Congressman John Lewis' comments represent a character attack against Governor Sarah Palin and me that is shocking and beyond the pale. The notion that legitimate criticism of Senator Obama's record and positions could be compared to Governor George Wallace, his segregationist policies and the violence he provoked is unacceptable and has no place in this campaign. I am saddened that John Lewis, a man I've always admired, would make such a brazen and baseless attack on my character and the character of the thousands of hardworking Americans who come to our events to cheer for the kind of reform that will put America on the right track.

"I call on Senator Obama to immediately and personally repudiate these outrageous and divisive comments that are so clearly designed to shut down debate 24 days before the election. Our country must return to the important debate about the path forward for America."

UPDATE: Obama spokesman Bill Burton has issued this statement:

"Senator Obama does not believe that John McCain or his policy criticism is in any way comparable to George Wallace or his segregationist policies. But John Lewis was right to condemn some of the hateful rhetoric that John McCain himself personally rebuked just last night, as well as the baseless and profoundly irresponsible charges from his own running mate that the Democratic nominee for President of the United States 'pals around with terrorists.' As Barack Obama has said himself, the last thing we need from either party is the kind of angry, divisive rhetoric that tears us apart at a time of crisis when we desperately need to come together. That is the kind of campaign Senator Obama will continue to run in the weeks ahead."

Following the Bush administration's removal of North Korea from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, the candidates released the following statements.

McCain:

"Reports indicate that the administration may soon remove North Korea from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. I have previously said that I would not support the easing of sanctions North Korea unless the United States is able to fully verify the nuclear declaration Pyongyang submitted on June 26. It is not clear that the latest verification arrangement will enable us to do so.

"I am also concerned that this latest agreement appears to have been reached between Washington and Pyongyang and only then discussed with our Asian allies in an effort to garner their support. Diplomacy is a critical tool in ending the North Korean nuclear weapons program, and it must involve our closest partners in Northeast Asia. While we conduct this diplomacy, we must keep our goal in sight -- the verifiable denuclearization of North Korea -- and avoid reaching for agreement for its own sake, particularly if it leaves critical verification issues unaddressed. I am also concerned that recent negotiations appear not to have addressed the issue of North Korean abductions of Japanese citizens, a serious omission and directly relevant to any decision about North Korea's support for terrorist activities.

'As this process moves forward, I expect the administration to explain exactly how this new verification agreement advances American interests and those of our allies before I will be able to support any decision to remove North Korea from the list of state sponsors of terrorism."

Obama:

North Korea's agreement to these verification measures is a modest step forward in dismantling its nuclear weapons programs. President Bush's decision to remove North Korea from the list of state sponsors of terrorism is an appropriate response, as long as there is a clear understanding that if North Korea fails to follow through there will be immediate consequences. It is now essential that North Korea halt all efforts to reassemble its nuclear facilities, place them back under IAEA supervision, and cooperate fully with the international community to complete the disablement of the Yongbyon facilities and to implement a robust verification mechanism to confirm the accuracy of its nuclear declaration.

The last eight years have demonstrated the necessity of confronting the threat from North Korea through aggressive, sustained, and direct bilateral and multilateral diplomacy. Too often, there has been a failure to effectively engage our partners throughout this effort. We must dramatically improve coordination with our allies Japan and South Korea, as well as with China and Russia, particularly as we ensure that any agreement reached on verification is fully implemented.

If North Korea refuses to permit robust verification, we should lead all members of the Six Party talks in suspending energy assistance, re-imposing sanctions that have recently been waived, and considering new restrictions. Our objective remains the complete and verifiable elimination of North Korea's nuclear weapons programs. This must include getting clarity on North Korea's efforts to enrich uranium and its proliferation of nuclear technology abroad.

Looking ahead, North Korea must also resolve all questions about the abduction of Japanese and South Korean citizens, and of the Reverend Kim Dong-Shik. I urge the Bush Administration to continue to use our diplomatic and economic leverage to press North Korea to cooperate fully with Tokyo, Seoul and Washington on these matters.

The Six Party Talks offer North Korea a clear choice. If North Korea abandons its nuclear weapons programs, there will be meaningful incentives. If it refuses, it faces a future of political and economic isolation.

This is where the national daily tracking polls stand as of today:

Gallup: Obama 51 (nc), McCain 42 (+1)
Rasmussen: Obama 52 (+2), McCain 45 (nc)
Diageo/Hotline: Obama 50 (+2), McCain 40 (-1)
Reuters/CSpan/Zogby: Obama 48 (nc), McCain 44 (+1)
(change since yesterday)

Obama now leads by 7.6 points in the RCP National Average

New state polls out in four states:

Alabama - SurveyUSA
McCain 62 (-2 vs. last poll, Sept. 16-17)
Obama 35 (+1)

McCain leads by 25.0 points in the RCP Average for Alabama

Iowa - SurveyUSA
Obama 54 (nc vs. last poll, Sept. 17-18)
McCain 41 (-2)

Obama leads by 11.8 points in the RCP Average for Iowa

North Carolina - WSOC-TV
McCain 48
Obama 46

Obama leads by 1.2 points in the RCP Average for North Carolina

Ohio - Ohio Newspaper Poll
McCain 48
Obama 46

Obama leads by 2.7 points in the RCP Average for Ohio

A new Research 2000 poll taken this week in Florida shows Obama leading McCain by 5 points (Oct. 6-8, 600 LV, MoE +/- 4%).

Obama 49 (+4 vs. last poll, Sept. 15-18)
McCain 44 (-2)

Obama leads by 3.8 points in the RCP Average for Florida

Barack Obama is speaking at four separate rallies around Philadelphia today -- for good reason. Support in and around Philly is central to a Democrat's chances of winning the state.

In 2004, John Kerry carried Pennsylvania by about 145,000 votes -- just a 2.5-point margin. But in Philadelphia County alone, Kerry pummeled Pres. Bush, racking up more than 400,000 more votes than the president, thus allowing him to lose other less-populated portions of the state.

Democrat Bob Casey took 290,000 more votes in Philadelphia County than Republican Sen. Rick Santorum in their 2006 Senate race. Casey would cruise to victory statewide, helped in large part by his 84% take in the county.

In the April Democratic primary, Obama took close to 300,000 votes in the county -- just 70,000 less votes than Casey won in the 2006 general election. Combined with Hillary Clinton, the two Democrats took in a total of some 442,000 votes, only 100,000 less than Kerry won in the county in the 2004 general.

Obama appears set for a result in the state that will more closely resemble Casey's win than Kerry's. Obama's lead has continued to grow since mid-September, when the RCP polling average margin between Obama and McCain was within just a couple of points. Obama now leads by 13.8 points in the RCP Average for Pennsylvania.

As the video posted on this blog earlier showed, McCain attempted at a rally yesterday to tamp down the strange insults being hurled toward Obama. Politico reports that one supporter even referred to Obama as an "Arab," which McCain quickly corrected:

"Come on, John!" one audience member yelled out as the Republicans crowd expressed their dismay at their nominee. Others yelled "liar," and "terrorist," referring to Barack Obama.

McCain passed his wireless microphone to one woman who said, "I can't trust Obama. I have read about him and he's not he's not uh -- he's an Arab. He's not --" before McCain retook the microphone and replied:

"No, ma'am," the Arizona senator assured. "He's a decent family man [and] citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues and that's what this campaign's all about. He's not [an Arab]."

The Alaska Legislature concluded yesterday its "Troopergate" investigation of Sarah Palin, finding that she both "abused her power" and was "proper and lawful" in her actions. The investigation looked into the firing of the state public safety commissioner, who claimed to have lost his job due to his refusal to fire a state trooper who was divorcing and in a custody battle with Palin's sister. Basically, as the AP writes, the firing was lawful "but the pressure Palin and her husband put on" the commissioner was not.

The full report can be read here.

From the AP:

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- The politically charged investigation into Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is over, and its conclusions are stinging. But the fallout, if any, might not come until Election Day.

A legislative investigator found that Palin violated state ethics laws and abused her power by trying to have her former brother-in-law fired as a state trooper.

The next move may be at the ballot box. The legislative committee that released the report Friday recommends no criminal investigation and has no authority to sanction the governor, the Republican vice presidential nominee.

"It is out of the Legislative Council's hands. It goes to anyone's hands who got a copy or clicks the link on the Web," said Democratic state Sen. Kim Elton, the chairman of the committee that released the report. "I can't tell you how the process ends."

In a statement to reporters, McCain-Palin spokeswoman Meg Stapleton said:

"Today's report shows that the Governor acted within her proper and lawful authority in the reassignment of Walt Monegan. The report also illustrates what we've known all along: this was a partisan led inquiry run by Obama supporters and the Palins were completely justified in their concern regarding Trooper Wooten given his violent and rogue behavior. Lacking evidence to support the original Monegan allegation, the Legislative Council seriously overreached, making a tortured argument to find fault without basis in law or fact. The Governor is looking forward to cooperating with the Personnel Board and continuing her conversation with the American people regarding the important issues facing the country."

This afternoon in Minnesota, John McCain thanked the faithful for their enthusiasm and said that he would fight hard to win the presidency, but also asked his followers to be respectful of Senator Obama:

McCain went on to add that Obama is "a decent person and a person who you do not have to be scared as president of the United States."