WHAT MURTHA REALLY SAID  —  Previously we noted a controversial speech by Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) at a town hall meeting in Miami, FL, June 24, 2006.  Elizabeth Baier, the reporter on the story, was forced by her editors at the Sun-Sentinel to do a hatchet job (or it was done for her) …

Judge's ruling keeps DeLay on ballot  —  AUSTIN - A federal judge ruled today that Republicans cannot replace former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay on the ballot for the 22nd Congressional District race.  —  U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks, a Republican appointee, ruled that DeLay must appear …

Ken Lay's Last Evasion  —  To Some, CEO Is Cheating Them One More Time  —  Ah, Kenneth Lay of Enron: America hardly knew you before your trial, but learned after your big-hammer jury conviction that you had left countless suckers broke, employees cheated and stockholders betrayed.

N.Y. Court Says Lawmakers Should Consider Gay Marriage  —  The New York Court of Appeals ruled this morning that the state Constitution does not guarantee a right to marriage for same-sex couples, and that state lawmakers, not the courts, are better suited to consider the issue.

Splits Over Immigration Reform On Display From Coast to Coast  —  PHILADELPHIA, July 5 — House and Senate Republicans sparred over immigration in hearings on opposite coasts Wednesday, holding firm to their starkly different viewpoints on what has become one of the most intractable and divisive issues to confront the GOP in years.

ARE THE BLOGGERS DISPLACING THE UNIONS?:  —  Garance Franke-Ruta has a smart post over at Tapped about the emerging split between the Netroots and some traditionally Democratic-leaning interest groups, like unions and environmentalists.  Based on two recent articles in The Hill …

IDF soldier, 21 Palestinians killed in IDF raid in north Gaza  —  An Israel Defense Forces soldier was killed Thursday afternoon during an Israel Defense Forces operation in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia.  —  First Lieutenent Yehuda Bessal was seriously wounded when shot …

Fallen Soldier Gets a Bronze Star but No Pagan Star  —  At the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in the small town of Fernley, Nev., there is a wall of brass plaques for local heroes.  But one space is blank.  There is no memorial for Sgt. Patrick D. Stewart.  —  That's because Stewart was a Wiccan …

al-Qaeda releases tape commemorating the 7/7 London bombings (UPDATED)  —  As-Sahab banner announcing upcoming al-Qaeda tape commemorating the 7/7 London bombings.  Banner courtesy of Rita Katz of the SITE Institute.  —  Last evening, ABC News' Brian Ross reported, via the Blotter …

Bloggers battle old-school media for political clout  —  Online journals gaining greater influence, scrutiny  —  WASHINGTON — When a writer for The New Republic, the 92-year-old doyen of elite Washington opinion journals, accused the nation's most prominent political blogger of using …

Left's bloggers try to play kingmaker in lower races  —  Four of the most powerful left-wing political bloggers have developed a new joint strategy to steer financial support from the "netroots," or Internet-based activists, to Democratic challengers, many of whom they know have little chance of winning their mid-term election races.

Iraq How-to Manual Directed Arab Military Operatives In Afghanistan  —  An Arab regime, possibly Iraq, supplied how-to manuals for Arab operatives working throughout Afghanistan before 9/11, and provided military assistance to the Taliban and Al Qaeda.  —  That's the most likely conclusion drawn …

Consultant Breached FBI's Computers  —  Frustrated by Bureaucracy, Hacker Says Agents Approved and Aided Break-Ins  —  A government consultant, using computer programs easily found on the Internet, managed to crack the FBI's classified computer system and gain the passwords of 38,000 employees …

Reports conflict about Zubeydi's fate  —  Conflicting reports emerged on Thursday night about the fate of the the Al-Aksa Martyrs Brigades West Bank commander Zakariya Zubeydi, after Border Police's undercover elite Yamas unit, surrounded the home where Zubeydi was believed to be holed up in together with a number of other wanted men.

Steiger, Downie Refused to Join Keller/Baquet Op-Ed  —  NEW YORK Managing Editor Paul Steiger of The Wall Street Journal and Executive Editor Leonard Downie Jr. of The Washington Post were both asked to be part of last weekend's unique joint Op-Ed piece by the editors of The New York Times …