THE BLOGOSPHERE'S SMOKE-FILLED BACKROOM:  —  Are Jerome Armstrong and Markos Moulitsas (of the famous Daily Kos) engaged in a pay-for-play scheme in which politicians who hire Armstrong as a consultant get the support of Kos?  That's the question that's been bouncing around the blogosphere ever since …

Senate rejects bid to raise minimum wage  —  WASHINGTON - The Republican-controlled Senate smothered a proposed election-year increase in the minimum wage Wednesday, rejecting Democratic claims that it was past time to boost the $5.15 hourly pay floor that has been in effect for nearly a decade.

Iran won't respond to offer 'til August  —  TEHRAN, Iran - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday that Iran will respond in mid-August to the package of incentives on its nuclear program offered by the West, but President Bush accused Tehran of dragging its feet.  —  "We are studying the proposals.

House Delays Renewal of Voting Rights Act  —  House GOP leaders delay renewal of Voting Rights Act under objections from Southern Republicans  —  (AP) House Republican leaders on Wednesday postponed a vote on renewing the 1965 Voting Rights Act after GOP lawmakers complained it unfairly singles …

On Iraq, Kerry Again Leaves Democrats Fuming  —  WASHINGTON, June 20 — When Senator John Kerry was their presidential nominee in 2004, Democrats fervently wished he would express himself firmly about the Iraq war.  —  Mr. Kerry has found his resolve.  But it has not made his fellow Democrats any happier.

Troops echo frustration over war in Iraq  —  JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - While Staff Sgt. Randy Myers was dodging roadside bombs in Iraq, his congressman was calling the war a lost cause.  —  Sixteen-term Rep. John Murtha (news, bio, voting record), a decorated Vietnam veteran and military hawk …

Global Warming Affecting Your Life?  E-Mail Us  —  Send Us Your Stories and Video...Extend the Reach of ABC News' Reporting by Sharing Your Observations  —  Witnessing the impact of global warming in your life?  —  ABC News wants to hear from you.  We're currently producing a report …

Some 85 Iraqi workers abducted by gunmen  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - Gunman abducted about 85 workers Wednesday as they left an industrial plant north of Baghdad, police and a witness said.  —  The workers were thought to be mostly Shiite and the plant is located in a predominantly Sunni Arab area.

Shill Wind  —  All of Washington's political reporters read ABC's The Note.  That's why they keep missing the story.  —  In the spring of 2005, a story came along that was so important, so history-altering that it threatened to revive a killer press instinct that had been dormant for the previous four years.

Did George Bush deface American flags in Vienna, Austria today?  —  UPDATE: The Associated Press caught Bush defacing American flags in 2003.  The Democrats need to offer an amendment to the "flag burning amendment" that says that writing on the flag is also illegal.

Where Did Safavian Work Again?  —  You wouldn't know it from the coverage of David H. Safavian's conviction yesterday for lying and obstructing justice, but some of his criminal activity actually took place while he was working at the White House.  —  Safavian managed to avoid being frog-marched …

Kentucky Tech Official Responds on Blog Ban  —  Finally, we have a response from the Fletcher administration on their blog ban.  —  Mark Routledge, Deputy Commissioner of the state's Commonwealth Office of Technology (COT), which manages internet service for the state government, told me that the state had not targeted specific sites.

U.S. Hybrids Get More Miles Per Congress  —  EVER since the first Prius rolled off the assembly line almost a decade ago at the Takaoka plant not far from Toyota City, hybrid cars have basically been a luxury item.  If you owned one, you could feel good about using less gasoline and being a trendsetter …

AT&T rewrites rules: Your data isn't yours  —  AT&T has issued an updated privacy policy that takes effect Friday.  The changes are significant because they appear to give the telecom giant more latitude when it comes to sharing customers' personal data with government officials.

Taheri-Azar plans to plead guilty  —  From staff reports  —  HILLSBOROUGH — The man accused of driving a rented SUV onto the UNC campus in March and striking nine people told a judge he plans to plead guilty to the charges against him.  —  Mohammed Taheri-Azar entered the courtroom …