Looks like some investor has been pumping hundreds of thousands into the InTrade prediction markets in order to artificially drive up prices on McCain futures (and thus estimations of his viability) and drive down prices on Obama shares. An InTrade investigation found that the trader wasn't seeking profit, but was trying to influence perceptions. And to some degree, he succeeded: He kept Obama's shares 10 percent lower than they'd have otherwise been, and therefore made McCain look better to anyone who actually pays attention to InTrade. (I am told such people exist, but of course, I've never met any of them.)