Politics

Sarah Palin unlawfully abused her power as governor by trying to have her former brother-in-law fired as a state trooper, the chief investigator of an Alaska legislative panel concluded Friday. The politically charged inquiry imperiled her reputation as a reformer on John McCain's Republican ticket. Full story »

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., has to give John Yarmuth, D-Ky., some Memphis ribs if Louisville wins tonight's football game. If Memphis wins, Yarmuth has to give Cohen "a bucket of KFC and a derby pie," Cohen said this afternoon. Full story »

Wall Street extended its devastating decline today as investors, still seeing no resolution to the credit crisis, sold frantically and propelled the Dow Jones industrials to their eighth straight day of losses and worst week ever. Full story »

President Bush said today that the government's financial rescue plan was aggressive enough and big enough to work, but would take time to fully kick in. Full story »

Trying to head off a state ethics report on GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, campaign officials released their own report Thursday that clears her of any wrongdoing. Sen. John McCain's running mate is the subject of a legislative investigation into whether she abused her power as governor by firing her public safety commissioner. Full story »

As fuel prices spiraled to new heights this year, the trucking company that Michael Bruns launched and nurtured into one of the nation's leading intermodal carriers became a diesel-powered symbol of the Memphis area's sensitivity to energy issues. Full story »

Democrat Barack Obama told a campaign audience today that Republican John McCain's mortgage buyout plan would cost taxpayers billions of dollars and reward bad behavior by lenders. Full story »

News that the Bush administration is considering taking ownership stakes in a number of U.S. banks helped restore a relative calm over global financial markets today. Full story »

After a sedate debate in Nashville, presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama punched and counterpunched Wednesday, with McCain fighting back in Pennsylvania and Obama invading the traditionally red state of Indiana. Full story »

The son of Democratic state Rep. Mike Kernell of Memphis faces a December trial in Knoxville on a charge that he hacked into a personal e-mail account of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Full story »

Regardless of who wins the presidential election, the next two years will be ripe for reforming the U.S. health care system. Full story »

The Bongo Java coffeehouse and Circle K convenience store are across Belmont Boulevard from Tuesday night's debate, but the crowds gathered around them during the second face-off between John McCain and Barack Obama were different. Full story »

Highlights from the town hall-style debate between Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama. Full story »

Barack Obama and John McCain clashed repeatedly over the causes and cures for the worst economic crisis in 80 years Tuesday night in a debate in which Republican McCain called for sweeping action by the government to directly shield many homeowners from mortgage foreclosure. Full story »

Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain stretched facts, sometimes past the breaking point, as they addressed the financial crisis and more during their second presidential debate. Full story »