Top McCain Aides Quit Struggling Campaign  —  Republican presidential candidate John McCain accepted the resignations of two of his top aides today in a stunning shakeup of a campaign that has been roiled by financial and political problems.  —  Campaign manager Terry Nelson …

'Hustler' Call May Have Prompted Vitter Admission  —  Justin Rood Reports:  —  A call from Hustler magazine may have prompted a Louisiana Republican senator to expose his past with an escort service run by the so-called "D.C. Madam," the Blotter on ABCNews.com has learned.

Bush Equals Nixon's Highest Disapproval  —  The Roper Center at the University of Connecticut is an excellent archive for poll junkies, featuring polling archives that go back much further than Polling Report (not that polling report isn't great). the coup de grace (I hope I spelled that right) …

Presidential Candidates In First Ever Gay Debate  —  (Los Angeles, California) For the first time the leading candidates for the presidency will hold a televised debate devoted solely to LGBT issues.  —  The one-hour event will be held on August 9 and broadcast on gay network LOGO at 9:00 pm ET …

Oversight Hearing on the Office of the Surgeon General  —  The Oversight Committee is currently holding a hearing, "The Surgeon General's Vital Mission: Challenges for the Future."  The hearing is focusing on the importance of the Surgeon General's Office, the need to preserve …

Al Qaeda Cell in the U.S. Or On Its Way, According to New Intel  —  Brian Ross Reports:  —  Senior U.S. intelligence officials tell ABC News new intelligence suggests a small al Qaeda cell is on its way to the United States, or may already be here.  —  The White House has convened …

Bush says no Iraq shift; criticism rises  —  WASHINGTON - President Bush threatened to veto legislation setting a date for a troop withdrawal from Iraq on Tuesday despite growing bipartisan calls in Congress for an end to U.S. participation in the war and sharp criticism of the Iraqi government.

This is not our fight  —  Congress must end U.S. role in a civil war nobody voted for  —  On Oct. 11, 2002, the Senate gave President Bush authority to use force against Iraq.  Nearly five years later, it is time for Congress to say enough is enough.  —  The American people have waited long enough for progress in Iraq.

Richardson sorry for 'maricón' moment  —  BUZZ  —  Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Richardson apologized this week for using a Spanish-language slur for gay people, even as he suggested it smacked of politics that news of his "maricón" moment is surfacing now, more than a year later.

Senate Panel Cuts Off Funds to Cheney  —  WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Democrats moved Tuesday to cut off funding for Vice President Dick Cheney's office in a continuing battle over whether he must comply with national security disclosure rules.  —  A Senate appropriations panel chaired by Sen. Richard Durbin …

Women drawn to men with muscles  —  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Muscular young men are likely to have more sex partners than their less-chiseled peers, researchers at the University of California Los Angeles said on Monday.  —  Their study, published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin …

Black jury deadlocked  —  A Chicago federal jury weighing fraud charges against former Sun-Times publisher Conrad Black said today it was deadlocked.  —  "We have discussed and deliberated on all the evidence and are still unable to reach a unanimous verdict on one or more counts.