MIDDAY ROUNDUP

A Wall Street Journal report about divisions in John McCain’s campaign over how to attack Barack Obama helps answer bloggers’ unanswered questions. The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, better known as ACORN, may be helping Obama illegally, conservative bloggers allege. Liberal bloggers, meanwhile, pounce on Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) ahead of the release of a state report on her firing of Alaska’s public safety chief.

The conflicts within the McCain camp explain why the Republican hasn’t done what he needs to do, which is attack Obama for his ties to controversial preacher Rev. Jeremiah Wright in the same way he has attacked ties to 1960s radical William Ayers, writes Contentions’ Jennifer Rubin. But the leaks to the media about the McCain team’s dissension show that the campaign isn’t as disciplined or as likely to win as the Obama campaign, which is operating like President Bush’s successful 2004 machine, writes Oliver Willis.

A report that ACORN filed more than 2,000 invalid voter registration forms in Ohio should prod the networks to do more stories about the group and potential voter fraud, writes Townhall’s Hugh Hewitt. At least nine states are investigating ACORN, which has endorsed Obama and has received funding from his campaign to register voters, notes Power Line’s John Hinderaker.

The media should instead cover the probe of Palin, who may have abused her power as governor to get Alaska’s public safety chief fired over a personal matter involving Palin