Cheney pushes Bush to act on Iran  —  Ewen MacAskill in Washington and Julian Borger  —  The balance in the internal White House debate over Iran has shifted back in favour of military action before President George Bush leaves office in 18 months, the Guardian has learned.

A GOP comeback strategy  —  Way behind in the polls, the party should exploit the anti-politician mood and offer a hopeful message.  —  ALL THE BIG questions for 2008 are on the Democratic side: Can Hillary Clinton show her humanity?  Does Obama have enough experience?  Will Edwards find a cheaper barber?

Hamas Goes 'on Trial' in Texas in Case Over Muslim Charity  —  The federal government's largest and most aggressive effort to prosecute alleged Hamas financiers in America is to be put to the test beginning today in a Dallas courtroom.  —  Five officials of what was once …

Some Democratic Senators Still Not On Board To Restore Habeas Corpus  —  That title alone should send shivers down your spine.  —  Bob Geiger: … Again, I put it to you that it lies with us to pierce through the Beltway bubble.  Please contact these Democrats (especially if you're in their district) …

Breaking Al-Qaeda Code Islamically: New OBL Video Possibly Announcement Of His Death  —  Osama Bin Laden recently emerged in a new video from Al-Qaeda in a 37 second clip, praising martyrdom.  The rest of the forty minutes of the video was some kind of collage/montage of Al-Qaeda activity.

Execution Of Ga. Man Near Despite Recantations  —  SAVANNAH, Ga. — A Georgia man is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on Tuesday for killing a police officer in 1989, even though the case against him has withered in recent years as most of the key witnesses at his trial have recanted …

New Populism Is Spurring Democrats on the Economy  —  On Capitol Hill and on the presidential campaign trail, Democrats are increasingly moving toward a full-throated populist critique of the current economy.  —  Clearly influenced by some of their most successful candidates …

'Independent' voted off finance island?  —  Mark Burnett, meet the Federal Election Commission.  —  Burnett, the reality TV pioneer behind "Survivor" and "The Apprentice," is teaming with MySpace on a politically themed reality show with an interesting twist.

Darryl Sharratt, father of exonerated Haditha Marine Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt on Pundit Review Radio  —  Darryl, Theresa and Jaclyn Sharratt, photo courtesy of USAToday  —  Investigator Urges Clearing of Marine in Killings at Haditha Home … We really appreciated the opportunity to speak …

'Meet the Press' transcript for July 15, 2007  —  Jim Webb, Lindsey Graham, Al Hunt, Mike Murphy, Bob Shrum, Bob Novak  —  MR. TIM RUSSERT: Our issues this Sunday: The president digs in on Iraq.  —  PRES. GEORGE W. BUSH: I don't think Congress ought to be running the war.

Thompson Uses Loophole to Avoid Reporting Fundraising  —  Opponents Claim Ex-Senator In Violation of Campaign Finance Reform Law  —  Former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., has avoided revealing his fundraising figures by exploiting a legal loophole whereby he says he is simply "testing the waters" …

Pull troops out now and stand up to Bush, inquiry tells Brown  —  British troops should be pulled out of Iraq even though the violence is likely to get worse, a cross-party commission has told Gordon Brown.  —  The commission co-chaired by Lord Ashdown, the former Liberal Democrat leader …

Man of the Flesh to Man of the Cloth  —  SOME people have their midlife crisis in reverse, like Ronald Boyer, who for most of his professional life has been better known as a star of pornographic films, Rod Fontana.  —  After 30 years of sowing the wildest of oats, Mr. Boyer, 54 …

Hungering for Thompson  —  The sound of silence tells an interesting tale when it comes to Fred Thompson.  A week after reports emerged suggesting that the former Tennessee senator once lobbied for an abortion rights group, few leaders of the GOP's conservative wing have expressed concern.

Aid to Pakistan in Tribal Areas Raises Concerns  —  GHALANAI, Pakistan — The United States plans to pour $750 million of aid into Pakistan's tribal areas over the next five years as part of a "hearts and minds" campaign to win over this lawless region from Qaeda and Taliban militants.

Fred Hiatt defends the administration's mild, restrained secrecy  —  Senior Washington Bush spokesman Fred Hiatt — who also works as the Editorial Page Editor of The Washington Post — shatters conventional wisdom this morning by defending the Bush administration's mild, balanced, and restrained use of government secrecy.

Giuliani Has More to Spend Than Romney, Filings Show  —  Rudy Giuliani entered the second half of 2007 with $3 million more in the bank to spend on getting the Republican presidential nomination than former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, according to reports filed today with the U.S. Federal Election Commission.