Archive - Oct 27, 2008

LEDE:  As early voting is under way, Voters around the country have complained of 'vote switching', where the machine logs different candidate from the voters' choice. 

In Nashville Tennessee, Patricia Earnhardt, attempted to early vote. On her  electronic touch screen voting machine, she tried to vote for Barack Obama - but her vote didn't register. Earnhardt requested the help of a poll worker, who tried to high light the Obama button but nothing happened. Finally, the machine chose selected Green Party Candidate Cynthia McKinney, whose name was located 5 rows below Obama's.  A poll worker helped her start the process over and her vote finally registered Barack Obama.

• Bailout Expands to Insurance Companies
• Early Voting Reveals Trouble at the Booth
• Clergy Against Florida Gay Marriage Ban Amendment
• Anniversary of Brad Will's Murder
• Colombian Cane Cutters on Strike, Other May Join
• Indonesia Prepares to Execute Three Convicted in Bali Bombings

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• Congolese Protest at UN Headquarters  - One Dead
• US Attacks Syrian Territory
• Pakistan’s Senate Condemns US Attacks
• Judge Rules on Definition of Enemy Combatant
• Chile Election Results

The G7 countries have pledged to work together to stabilize troubled markets. First on their agenda will likely be actions to stabilize currencies. The move was precipitated by the sudden rise of the Japanese yen against the dollar and the euro. The strength of the yen hurts Japan because it makes their goods more expensive to buyers, which in turn decreases exports. This news sent Japanese markets into a tailspin – their stock index hit a 26-year low just as their currency hit a 13-year high. The Japanese stock index has lost half its value so far this year.

Meanwhile, the scope of the bailout in the US is expanding. It's not just for banks anymore – now insurance companies are getting a piece of the pie. Individual mortgages might be next. And experts say the auto industry is in line right behind them. Tanya Snyder reports.

With early voting is under way, problems with voting machines at the polls are also underway. Voters around the country have complained of so-called "vote switching" – that's when a machine logs a different candidate from the voters' choice.  Washington Editor Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.

Voters in California, Arizona, and Florida will decide in eight days whether or not to add language to their state constitutions that would make same-sex marriage illegal. In Florida, opponents there believe the language of the measure could pertain to heterosexual unions as well. Some religious groups have supported these constitutional amendments, but a group of clergy in Tampa led a rally Sunday in opposition to Florida's Amendment 2.  Emily Reddy reports.