Barack Obama broadly accused his Republican rivals of dishonesty Monday, citing former lobbyists working for John McCain, Sarah Palin’s shifting stance on the “Bridge to Nowhere” and their promise to change Washington. “I mean, you can’t just make stuff up,“ Obama said of a new McCain ad that says Palin “stopped the Bridge to Nowhere.“

Republican John McCain seized on running mate Sarah Palin’s popularity to raise money for the party, telling donors at a $4 million Chicago fundraiser Monday that he’s overwhelmed by the buzz she’s generating for his White House bid.

John McCain, a POW turned political rebel, vowed Thursday night to vanquish the “constant partisan rancor” that grips Washington as he launched his fall campaign for the White House. “Change is coming,“ he promised the roaring Republican National Convention and a prime-time television audience.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin claimed her historic spot as the Republican Party’s vice presidential nominee Wednesday night, uncorking a smiling, sarcastic attack on Barack Obama and winning cheers of acceptance and approval after a tumult-filled first week on the national stage.

Republicans opened their storm-shortened national convention on Monday amid distractions involving running mate Sarah Palin. Police made more than 280 arrests in the surrounding streets as anti-war protests turned violent.

Sen. Joe Biden plans to campaign in South Florida on Tuesday, where he’ll address issues related to Israel, and southwest Florida on Wednesday, where he’ll host town hall meetings to talk about women’s economic issues.

Barack Obama’s audience for his acceptance speech likely topped 40 million people, and the Democratic gathering that nominated him was a more popular television event than any other political convention in history.

Republican John McCain introduced first-term Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate Friday.

Surrounded by an enormous, adoring crowd, Barack Obama promised a clean break from the “broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W. Bush” Thursday night as he embarked on the final lap of his audacious bid to become the nation’s first black president.

Obama accepts the Democratic nomination Thursday night at Denver’s Invesco Field at Mile High.

Tuesday night’s local election totals revealed big losses for some incumbents and landslide victories for others, while the hotly contested Jackson County Sheriff’s race was narrowed from 10 to just four candidates.

The Jackson County Supervisor of Elections Office announced unofficial absentee and early voting totals at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

As of early Thursday afternoon in Jackson County, 505 people had taken advantage of the opportunity to vote early by coming to the office of Supervisor of Elections Sylvia Stephens and casting their ballots.