The Nashville event garnered more than 63 million viewers, making it the ninth-most-watched presidential debate since audience tracking began in 1960. ABC again came out on top.

The second matchup between John McCain and Barack Obama proved a strong draw with television viewers Tuesday night. More than 63 million people tuned in to watch the debate, a sizable increase over the 52.4 million who watched their first forum Sept. 26.

Barack Obama, in the unlikely swing state of Indiana, retools a theme of hope amid financial gloom.

For nearly two years, Barack Obama has made hope a chief selling point of his campaign for president. Now, unpredictably, national despair over the foundering economy has given new resonance to his message.

The satirical show is sharpening its focus on politics, attracting more viewers and generating plenty of criticism. The show will add three prime-time specials before election day.

Lorne Michaels, the executive producer of "Saturday Night Live," has a message for those convinced that the program's presidential campaign sketches have a secret political agenda.

In an affidavit, the husband of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin defends his role as a close advisor to his wife but adamantly denies that he meddled in her administration to try to settle a family dispute.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's husband defended his role as a close advisor to his wife Wednesday but adamantly denied that he meddled in her administration to try to settle a family dispute.

After a speaker at a rally in Pennsylvania twice uses Barack Obama's middle name -- Hussein -- McCain's campaign says it does not condone 'inappropriate rhetoric.' Obama criticizes McCain's housing plan.

BETHLEHEM, PA. -- Republican John McCain's presidential campaign today disavowed an introduction here that included Democrat Barack Obama's middle name, Hussein, injecting a note of civility into a presidential campaign that has become increasingly nasty.

The Democratic vice presidential candidate also characterizes John McCain as 'an angry man.' A day after the presidential debate in Nashville, both campaigns set their sights on battleground states.

WASHINGTON -- Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden criticized Republican counterpart Sarah Palin today for injecting "mildly dangerous" rhetoric into the campaign. Biden also faulted Republican presidential candidate John McCain for condoning her attacks.

He then leaves the country, but questions remain about whether he went voluntarily or was deported. He was in Kenya to promote his book 'The Obama Nation.'

The American author of a controversial book attacking Barack Obama was detained Tuesday by the other Obama nation.

The political art was spray painted on a house fence by three teens.

Paul Trujillo decided it was time to do something positive and inspiring.

The second presidential debate provides a stark contrast between the candidates and little evidence that McCain succeeded in reversing a recent shift in the polls toward Obama.

Tuesday's debate in Nashville was supposed to be John McCain's night. His favorite format, a town hall meeting with ordinary voters. His moment to unveil a new proposal for pulling the economy out of its slump. And, most important, one of his last chances to change the direction of a campaign in which undecided voters have been steadily drifting toward his Democratic opponent, Barack Obama.

Some undecided voters at an Albuquerque get-together see their initial inclinations reinforced; others are surprisingly swayed by the opposition. And a few find that their needle hasn't budged at all.

Voters leaning toward John McCain found themselves drawn to Barack Obama. Obama leaners found themselves entranced by words from McCain. And several voters who were undecided at the start of Tuesday's presidential debate found themselves in exactly the same place afterward.