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Democrat Barack Obama's presidential campaign is a sign that America's racial divisions are eroding, right? Not exactly. A New York Times/CBS News poll finds blacks and whites deeply divided on Obama and his rival, Republican John McCain, as well as the state of race relations as a whole. The Times has the full story.

Reuters

John McCain may have meant it as a joke, but Iranian leaders are not laughing. When asked about the rising level of U.S. cigarette exports to the Islamic Republic, the GOP presidential candidate said it may be "a way of killing 'em." Although McCain said he was just kidding, Iran calls it a "crude" remark and says it shows his "warmongering" foreign policy attitude.

The Green Party chooses former Georgia Rep. Cynthia McKinney as its 2008 presidential candidate. McKinney, who served six terms in Congress, names hip-hop artist and activist Rosa Clemente as her running mate.

AP

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AP

The Rev. Jesse Jackson apologizes for "crude and hurtful" remarks he made about Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama. Even as he rejects suggestions that he's jealous of the presumed Democratic presidential nominee, Jackson appears to take a swipe at him. Talking about the civil rights movement and Obama, Jackson says: "He's running the last lap of a 54-year marathon."

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You might feel like you know them all personally. So which of these familiar faces would you want as a guest at your holiday barbecue? Weigh in on a couple of matchups below, then click inside to see what a new poll reveals about whether most Americans would rather grill burgers with Barack Obama or John McCain.

AP

He's a lame duck suffering from low approval ratings, but President Bush can still work his magic when in comes to hauling in cash for GOP candidates. While his total for this election cycle is behind what he's raised in past cycles, he's brought in at least $134 million so far.
Also: Bush to Send More Troops to Afghanistan