US election at-a-glance: 21 Oct

DAY IN A NUTSHELL

The candidates reiterate their economic messages on the campaign trail, Barack Obama in Florida and John McCain in Pennsylvania, as Sarah Palin sits down for an interview with CNN. Mrs Palin and Mr McCain both continue to seize on Joe Biden's comments about the likelihood that Barack Obama will be "tested" by a crisis early on in his presidency.

KEY QUOTES

"What has really stunned me... is the... viciousness of the media."
Cindy McCain

He's a pretty smart guy

Google CEO Eric Schmidt on Barack Obama

US election at-a-glance: 20 Oct

"McCain's been erratic. What he hasn't been is on your side."
Obama campaign ad

"I think the American people reject the idea that you can buy the presidency."
Steve Schmidt, McCain campaign strategist

"Did you hear what Senator Biden said at a fundraiser on Sunday? He guaranteed that if Barack Obama is elected, we'll face an international crisis within the first six months of their administration... Thanks for the warning, Joe!"
Sarah Palin

"He's a pretty smart guy. I'm sure he could learn how to do it."
Google CEO Eric Schmidt thinks Barack Obama could - probably - run his company.

NUMBER NEWS

The daily tracking polls - which now number eight with the addition of ABC/Washington Post as of Monday - indicate that Barack Obama is maintaining a steady lead nationwide.

In other number news, full details of the extent of the candidates' cash reserves are now available.

Figures show that Barack Obama began October with $133.6m cash on hand, while John McCain was holding just $46.9m.

In previous months, Mr McCain had been able to make up some of the shortfall by relying on the Republican National Committee's superior fundraising prowess.

But this month, things are different.

Certainly, the RNC started October with cash reserves of $77.5m, far more than the $27.4m held by the Democratic National Committee.

But Mr Obama's combined total (with the DNC) of $161m outmatched Mr McCain and the RNC's combined figure of $124.4m.

With Mr Obama's decision to refuse federal funding leaving him - unlike Mr McCain - free to keep raising money, and with the RNC's responsbility to support Republican candidates further down the ballot, the money race is looking pretty good for the Democrats at the moment.

DAILY PICTURE