Wall Street Journal (via Shenanigans):

The traditional Jewish head covering is usually plain, with solid colors or simple patterns. But this year, a number of American Jews will observe the Jewish New Year, which begins Monday night, with yarmulkes promoting presidential candidates.

Shlomo Perelman, owner of Judaism.com, said political yarmulkes first became popular during the 2000 election season, when Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut became the first Jew on a major-party presidential ticket. That year, Mr. Perelman sold 60 of the yarmulkes, also known as kippahs. This year, they are making a bigger splash in the Jewish community. Mr. Perelman has sold about 160, and another retailer, Shmuel Tennenhaus, has sold more than 400. “You’re going to have quite a political statement in all the [synagogues] around the country,” said Mr. Perelman.

Color us old-fashioned, but we’re still suckers for nostalgia …

And Bill Clinton, too, looked downright smashing in one of those things …

Spotted in Yeas & Nays:

“[Steny Hoyer is] not the kind of guy you want to drink a beer with. He’s more the kind of guy who oversees the licensing of those who would serve you beer.”
–Larry Smith, who engaged in short-lived run for Congress this year, writing about his meeting with the House Majority Leader in the latest issue of GQ

From today’s Howard Kurtz column on media behavior at the debate:

While Axelrod fielded questions in one corner, McCain spokeswoman Nicolle Wallace was surrounded by a second press pack six feet away. She lauded her boss for suggesting he would consider a partial freeze on federal spending. “That was a leadership moment,” Wallace said again and again.

Minutes later the two stood awkwardly side by side, staring straight ahead at a robot camera, waiting for an interview with CBS’s Katie Couric.

“Go ahead, David, spin me,” Couric began.

John McCain on the charge that he intentionally avoided eye contact with Barack Obama during their Friday night debate as a way of expressing his disdain for him.

“I was looking at the moderator a great deal of time. I was writing a lot of the time. I in no way know how that in any way would be disdainful.”

He also noted that in many of the debates in which he has participated, “I don’t look at my opponents because I’m focusing on the people and the American people that I’m talking to.”

At least Obama’s no Putin.  Here’s McCain from the debate:

“I looked in Mr. Putin’s eyes and I saw three letters — a K, a G and B.”

Tina Fey as Sarah Palin was funny:

“Every morning, when Alaskans wake up, one of the first things they do, is look outside to see if there are any Russians hanging around. And if there are, you gotta go up to them and ask, ‘What are you doing here?’ and if they can’t give you a good reason, it’s our responsibility to say, you know, ‘Shoo! Get back over there!’”

Ross Perot as Ross Perot was funnier:

Let us begin at the third presidential debate in 1992, the one between George Bush, Bill Clinton and Ross Perot. George Bush was trying to defend his presidency, Bill Clinton was promising a middle class tax cut and Ross Perot was talking about the night his dog rounded up a group of Black Panthers that had been hired by the North Vietnamese to kill him.

“The Vietnamese had sent people into Canada to make arrangements to have me and my family killed,” Perot said. “The most significant effort they had one night is five people coming across my front yard with rifles.” This attempted hit was taking place in 1969 and the reason the North Vietnamese had hired the Black Panthers to kill Perot is that Perot was trying to get our POWs out of Vietnam.

So it’s night on the Perot estate in Dallas and the five Black Panthers come crawling onto the grounds and what does Perot do? Call the police?

No, he does not! Not by a long shot. No, Perot sics his dog on them and the dog chases them away! “He worked them like a sheep dog,” Perot said.

Barack Obama at last night’s debate: “I’ve got a bracelet, too.”

Close-up:

What is it with presidential candidates having to look at their wrists during debates?

George Bush 1992 …

and Barack Obama 2008 …