SPB News for Thursday.

New heart troubles for VP Cheney

Black Employees Suit: US Marshals Denied Us Promotions

Latino, Hispanic and Immigrant Voters To Turn Out in Record Numbers
A new report, the Power of the Latino Vote (pdf), predicts 9 million Latino, Hispanic and immigrant citizens will vote on November 4.
The road to the White House passes through key “battleground” states with large numbers of Latino and immigrant voters like Florida, Nevada, Colorado, and New Mexico. These voters are also flexing their muscle in Senate and House races across the nation.

National Republicans Pull Ads in Louisiana — The National Republican Senatorial Committee has decided to pull its television advertising out of Louisiana, a decision that drastically reduces the party's chances at its lone takeover opportunity in this election cycle

Palin unaware of Russian energy meeting in Alaska — DOVER, New Hampshire (CNN) - The campaign of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin said the Alaska governor was unaware of a visit by Russian energy officials to Anchorage on Monday. — Eight high-level officials from Gazprom …

Fears rise of terror plot in UK Multiple home-grown [!] terrorist cells are plotting a UK attack with the threat now rising almost as high as it was after the 2005 London bombings. Britain's Minister for Counter Terrorism Lord West told Parliament yesterday another "great plot" was being investigated by authorities. "Some of the measures that we have put into place in the past 15 months have made us safer, but that does not mean that we are safe," he told peers as the House of Lords debated a new Counter Terrorism Bill.

Suspect to fight Homeland Security charge A 26-year-old Muskegon man arrested last month after he allegedly entered a restricted fenced-in area near the Grand Haven Board of Light and Power's Sims III Power Plant was arraigned this morning on felony trespassing charges in Ottawa County 58th District Court. Jeremy Sowa, who told the court he has no home and lives out of his car, was charged with trespassing a U.S. Department of Homeland Security classified "key facility," a four-year felony.

Ahmadinejad slams US for Iraq oil theft Iran's president has hinted that the White House is to blame for the billions of dollars that have gone missing in Iraqi oil revenues. "Several months ago, we heard that an enormous amount of over 100-million barrels of Iraqi crude have gone unaccounted for since the US-led invasion of the country," President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday. The New York Times quoted a draft government report as saying in 2007 that "between 100,000 and 300,000 barrels a day of Iraq's declared oil production over the past four years is unaccounted for and could have been siphoned off through corruption or smuggling."

US and Iraq draw up draft plan for troops withdrawal by 2011 US troops will withdraw from Iraq by the end of 2011 and American and British soldiers deployed there in the interim period could face prosecution in Iraq's courts for serious, premeditated "off-duty" crimes, under the terms of a draft status of forces agreement outlined today by officials in Baghdad and Washington. Ali al-Dabbagh, the Iraqi government spokesman, left open the possibility that some US and other forces might be asked to stay beyond that date if the Iraqi government felt they were needed.

Verizon and AT&T Provided Cell Towers for McCain Ranch Early in 2007, just as her husband launched his presidential bid, Cindy McCain decided to resolve an old problem -- the lack of cellular telephone coverage on her remote 15-acre ranch near Sedona, nestled deep in a tree-lined canyon called Hidden Valley. By the time Sen. John McCain's presidential bid was in full swing this summer, the ranch had wireless coverage from the two cellular companies most often used by campaign staff -- Verizon Wireless and AT&T. Verizon delivered a portable tower know as a "cell site on wheels" -- free of charge -- to Cindy McCain's property in June in response to an online request from Cindy McCain's staff early last year. Such devices are usually reserved for restoring service when cell coverage is knocked out during emergencies, such as hurricanes. In July, AT&T followed suit, wheeling in a portable tower for free to match Verizon's offer.

Seattle Times: Congress hides $3.5B in earmarks A year ago, Congress passed new ethics rules requiring lawmakers, for the first time, to disclose their earmarks - federal dollars they were quietly doling out as favors. But time after time, Congress exploited loopholes or violated those rules, a Seattle Times investigation has found. An in-depth examination of the 2008 defense bill found $8.5 billion in earmarks. Of those, 40 percent - $3.5 billion - were hidden.

Memos tell wildlife officials to ignore global-warming impact New legal memos by top Bush administration officials say that the Endangered Species Act can't be used to protect animals and their habitats from climate change by regulating specific sources of greenhouse gas emissions, the cause of global warming. The assessment, outlined in memos sent earlier this month and leaked Tuesday, provides the official legal justification for limiting protections under the Endangered Species Act.

Campaign trail for Thursday:

McCain-Palin team

10.16 Road to Victory Rally: Thursday October 16th in Bangor, ME

10.16 Road to Victory Rally: Thursday October 16th in Chester County, PA

Obama-Biden team

10/16 Barack in Londonderry, NH (LIVE) @ 12pm EST

Barack Obama will be holding a Community Gathering at Mack's Apples in Londonderry, New Hampshire. This event will be livestreamed on the HQ blo