Al Gore's son busted for drugs in hybrid car  —  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The 24-year-old son of former Vice President Al Gore was arrested for drug possession on Wednesday after he was stopped for allegedly speeding in his hybrid Toyota Prius, a sheriff's official said.

'Wonderfully Spared'  —  Our Founders were talented men—and lucky ones too.  —  "You and I have been wonderfully spared," Thomas Jefferson wrote John Adams in 1812.  "Of the signers of the Declaration of Independence I see now living not more than half a dozen on your side of the Potomak, and, on this side, myself alone."

A Stark Edge in Race for '08 Cash  —  New Numbers Heavily Favor The Democrats  —  Campaign contributors to the 2008 presidential candidates heavily favored Democrats in the three-month period that ended Saturday, giving three dollars to the party's leading contenders for every two dollars they gave to the top Republican candidates.

Romney-Clinton encounter friendly  —  CLEAR LAKE, Iowa — Former Gov. Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann, had a little time to kill before the start of the Independence Day parade here, so they decided to go say hello to the other presidential candidate and her spouse taking part in the festivities.

Accountability By Footnote  —  In case you were wondering how truly unusual it is for a President to swiftly commute the prison term of a loyal minion (via NYTimes) in an effort to continue to obstruct justice, wonder no more (via Sentencing Law blog):

New Video From Al Qaeda Number Two  —  Maddy Sauer Reports:  —  As Americans celebrate the 4th of July today, Al Qaeda's top deputy Ayman Zawahiri is appearing in a new internet video praising jihadi fighters in Iraq and elsewhere.  Dressed in all white and sitting before a news studio background …

No Joy This Fourth Of July  —  "A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people."  ~ Declaration of Independence  —  I've always enjoyed the Fourth of July.  —  It's summer, it's a festive holiday about celebration …

Johnston attributes release to Hamas' 'law and order agenda'  —  British Broadcasting Corporation reporter Alan Johnston, freed early Wednesday after four months in captivity in the Gaza Strip, told a Jerusalem press conference later in the day that Hamas is to thank for securing his release.

The Summer of Drugs  —  Forty years ago, dirty, stinky hippies converged on San Francisco to "turn on, tune in and drop out."  —  This summer marks the 40th anniversary of the so-called Summer of Love.  Honest and intelligent people will remember it for what it really was: the Summer of Drugs.

The Brits and The Others  —  Like Mark and Victor, I too have a very bad feeling about Gordon Brown.  Those Orwellian language changes spooked me, as did the appointment of M.M. Brown.  The obvious intent is to reduce the whole unpleasantness to a policing problem, which is what they did with the I.R.A. …

HERO CABBIE: I KICKED BURNING TERRORIST SO HARD IN BALLS THAT I TORE A TENDON  —  HERO CABBIE..  —  A HERO cabbie who took on the Glasgow Airport terror suspects told yesterday how he booted one of them in the privates.  —  Alex McIlveen, 45, kicked the man, whose body was in flames, so hard that he tore a tendon in his foot.

Arrest outside Obama's hotel  —  OTTUMWA, IA — Iowa police arrested a man outside the hotel where Barack Obama spent Tuesday night after the man was confronted by Obama's Secret Service detail.  —  Ottumwa Police Lieutenant Tom McAndrew said Davit Zakaryan, of Cincinnati, Oh. …

Jihad Watch banning update  —  To the City of Chicago, Bank of America, Fidelity Investments and Site Coach we can now add, according to emails I've received from Jihad Watch readers, GE IT, JPMorgan Chase, Defense Finance and Accounting Services, and...the Federal Government …

Washington, Lincoln Most Popular Presidents: Nixon, Bush Least Popular  —  Seven American Presidents are viewed favorably by at least 80% of all Americans.  Those esteemed seven are led by the first President George Washington.  The Father of our Country is viewed favorably by 94% of Americans.