The national stage has known Barack Obama for at least four years. He was the dude who was the highlight of the 2004 DNC, possibly to the detriment of John Kerry. Both John McCain and Joe Biden have been Washington lawmakers for at least a couple decades each (Biden more so than McCain). And so we have Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska, just one week in the spotlight! Scandals and allegations are apparently making up for lost time on this politician:
Bristolgate I (Triggate),
Bristolgate II (Levigate),
Vettinggate (which is more of a McCain thing, really),
Troopergate,
Bridgetonowheregate,
Librariangate,
Campaignedagainsthermotherinlawgate,
eBaygate,
PDFgate (link leads to a PDF file),
Secessionistgate,
Affairgate,
Sambobitchgate,
ad nauseam-gate.
I am now shaking my fist in anger to the wiseass journalist who started appending the suffix -gate to every scandal, fence entrance, and wall entrance (that's not a door) this side of Washington. After a quick Google search, this blogger (as well as others) beat me to the punch with better -gate lists.
For all this loud static to divert this election from the issues, one positive is the irony of various partisan hacks and the strawmen they rode in on. For example, one commenter on the Sambobitchgate originator's blog wrote:

Just proves there are no depths the left wing liars will not go to get their Messiah elected.