A campaign spokesman says Governor Palin won’t speak with an investigator hired by lawmakers to look into the firing of her public safety commissioner. A McCain campaign spokesman, Ed O’Callaghan, told a news conference yesterday that the Republican nominee for vice president will not cooperate as long as the investigation “remains tainted.” He said he doesn’t know whether Mrs. Palin’s husband, Todd, would challenge a subpoena issued to compel his cooperation. The campaign insists the investigation has been hijacked by Democrats. It says it can prove the public safety commissioner, Walt Monegan, was fired because of insubordination on budget issues — not because he refused to fire a state trooper who had divorced Mrs. Palin’s sister.

McCAIN, RNC WITH SPENDING ADVANTAGE

Senator McCain and the Republican National Committee entered the two-month general election campaign with twice as much money to spend as Senator Obama. Mr. McCain had about $200 million at the close of the Republican National Convention on September 4, including $84.1 million in federal funds, $76 million in the Republican Party bank account, plus money left over from the primary campaign. Mr. Obama had about $95 million, with $77 million in his campaign account and $17.5 million from the Democratic National Committee. “McCain will have more than enough communication dollars to display his message,” a Republican consultant, Eddie Mahe, said. Since Mr. Obama is not taking taxpayer funds for the general election, he can continue to raise money privately; in August, he brought in a record $66 million. Mr. McCain can no longer raise money for his campaign, except to cover some legal and accounting costs. In addition, Mr. Obama has already paid for an extensive get-out-the-vote operation that the Republicans are just now funding.

GROUP: JEWISH VOTERS PUSH-POLLED

Jewish voters in Florida and at least one other state are being targeted by a telephone survey tying Senator Obama to Palestinian Arab causes, an advocacy group alleged yesterday. The Jewish Council for Education in Research says at least two women in separate states were push polled, or asked questions intended to influence voters while pretending to take a poll, on Sunday afternoon from a caller who said he was from Research Strategies. Joelna Marcus says she became uncomfortable when the caller asked if she was Jewish, whether she was Orthodox and how often she attends synagogue. The caller then asked if Ms. Marcus would be influenced if she learned that Mr. Obama had donated money to the Palestine Liberation Organization. The caller also asked how she would vote if she learned that someone on the Illinois senator’s staff had close ties to Palestine. Ms. Marcus, a 71-year-old former college professor, said she was furious.

BIDEN AMPS UP ATTACKS ON McCAIN

Senator Biden told backers in industrial Michigan yesterday that Senator McCain will continue the job-destroying economic policies and divisive politics of the Bush administration. “He stands with George Bush in the corner of the wealthy and well-connected,” Mr. Biden said at an evening rally at the football field of Flat Rock Community High School, south of Detroit. The Democratic vice presidential candidate and Delaware senator said the once independent-minded Mr. McCain has adopted President Bush’s serve-the-rich policies. Mr. McCain also has borrowed the attack-and-divided tactics of Karl Rove, Mr. Biden said.

OBAMA CALLS McCAIN ADS ‘SLEAZIEST’ EVER SEEN

The Obama campaign yesterday released a new television commercial accusing Senator McCain of running some of the “sleaziest ads” ever seen — especially an ad that declares that Senator Obama supports sex education for kindergartners. In Colorado yesterday, Mr. Obama also chided Mr. McCain for another new commercial that promises “change that we need.” “Sound familiar?” said Mr. Obama, who has made “change” the central theme of his campaign. “Let me tell you, instead of borrowing my lines he needs to borrow some of my ideas. Change isn’t about slogans. It’s about substance.” He also took a swipe at Governor Palin, raising the “Bridge to Nowhere” in Alaska that she initially supported and later opposed. Saying Mr. McCain put some lobbyists in key roles of his campaign, Mr. Obama said, “If you think those lobbyists are working day and night for John McCain just to put themselves out of business, well I’ve got a bridge to sell you up in Alaska.”