It's official: Rahm Emanuel is running for Mayor of Chicago! He's got a website and a boring YouTube video and everything. Let's listen to mayoral candidate Rahm Emanuel announce his candidacy and his "Tell It Like It Is" Tour.

Have you noticed all of the really, really strange, embarrassing, or disturbing political ads coming out this election year? If you've missed any, here's a collection of the year's "best."

[Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez voted with a little help in that country's congressional elections yesterday. Image via AP]

The Democrats have found themselves a fresh new cliff to drive over, everyone! Yesterday the party leadership decided not to vote on extending middle-class Bush tax cuts before election day. That just would've mobilized their supporters too much, you see?

The filing deadline for Chicago's 2011 mayor's race is November 22, with a Democratic primary in February. Not far away! So White House chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel, should he run, would have to leave "relatively soon" — before the midterms, probably.

Are fringe candidates winning GOP primaries good for Democrats? Yes! According to Political pollmeister Nate Silver, odds of a GOP takeover of the Senate in November have dropped from 26 percent last week to 15 percent, post-primary.

Twenty-six major amendments to the Turkish constitution were approved by voters 58-42, bringing the country closer to EU membership.

Tonight, Jon Stewart noted President Obama's shift from bipartisan love machine to Republican-killing campaign shark, and—namely—the media's reaction to it. The verdict? MSNBC should emulate Fox News' skew-the-news-to-fit-our-narrative mantra, and Rick Sanchez is an effing idiot. Video inside.

Across the country, Tea Party groups are raising concerns ahead of the midterm elections about potential voter fraud—a problem that most voting experts say has been exaggerated by the GOP in order to push for policies that suppress Democratic turnout.

Australia has a government! Two independent MPs pledged support to Prime Minister Julia Gillard, ending two weeks of deadlock.

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R - AK) has conceded her primary race against challenger Joe Miller.

Former Bush administration U.N. ambassador and angry flappy-mouthed war monster John Bolton has been asked, out of the blue, if he'd consider a presidential run in 2012. He can't bring himself to say "no." Oh god. Run for cover!

New Jersey guy Wyclef Jean is still whining about being disqualified from a presidential election in a country that he doesn't live in. So he wrote a song! In it, he says the electoral council should be thrown in prison.

Thinking about running for eighth grade class president at Mississippi's Nettleton Middle School? Are you white? Because only white kids can run for president. Black kids can be vice-president, though! But only black kids. Update: They changed the policy.

A bunch of states held primary elections on Tuesday night, and I know what you're thinking: More elections, really? Can't Obama do something about that? But don't despair! These ones featured America's second choice for President, Arizona Senator John McCain!

Levi Johnston, who had a baby with vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's daughter last year, and is now famous in that vague, 21st-century way, is running for political office in Wasilla—where Palin was once mayor. Here's his filing.

On Friday, Haiti's electoral committee disqualified New Jersey resident Wyclef Jean from running for president, and he issued a statement saying, "I respectfully accept the committee's final decision." That respect was short-lived, because he's now going to appeal the ruling.

The Republican National Committee only has $5.5 million on hand as mid-term elections heat up. The DNC has almost twice that. This explains why Michael Steele has been giving speeches wearing nothing but a barrel held up by suspenders.

Har har, politicians always lie. Except this Filipino politician. Slogan: "I will do my best but I can't promise anything." His stance on health care? "Sure, health care is a human right. Whaddaya want me to do about it?" (Via)

Reuters says Wyclef Jean isn't on the list of government-approved candidates for Haiti's November presidential election, which will be finalized tomorrow. Currently, Haitians only have a measly 34 candidates to choose from. Bet none of them have rented a lion!