GOP establishment rallies around Bush  —  The Republican establishment is rallying to the defense of President Bush and his controversial war strategy, with some GOP members of Congress cherry-picking intelligence about a resurgent Al Qaeda to buy at least two more months for Bush's Iraq strategy.

Wamp: Thompson is close to joining '08 race  —  Rep. Zach Wamp (R-Tenn.) said Monday that he expects former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) to soon join the race for the White House.  —  "My view is that he'll enter the race at some point just in the coming days," said Wamp, a key supporter of Thompson.

On Good Morning America, Sawyer falsely claimed Reid "vows to filibuster"  —  During the July 17 edition of ABC's Good Morning America, co-anchor Diane Sawyer falsely claimed that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) "vows to filibuster, talking all night to close out all topics besides a vote on Iraqi troop withdrawals."

Falcons' Vick indicted by grand jury in dogfighting probe  —  Michael Vick has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with the dogfighting probe of his property in Virginia.  —  The indictment alleges that Vick and his co-defendants began sponsoring dogfighting in early 2001 …

The Salon Interview: Elizabeth Edwards  —  On her confrontation with Ann Coulter, why she backs gay marriage — and why Edwards is a better choice for women than Hillary Clinton.  —  Elizabeth Edwards listens to her husband speak at a campaign event in Concord, N.H., April 2, 2007.

Live-Blogging The Senate Iraq Filibuster  —  [ThinkProgress is at the Capitol building, live-blogging the all-night conservative filibuster of Iraq withdrawal legislation.]  —  12:27 AM: 1,000 people gathered outside the Capitol tonight for a rally and candlelight vigil.

Bush office is anti-Muslim, group says  —  A Muslim civil rights group today blamed Bush administration policies for promoting "Islamophobia" and said the "war on terror" won't stop terrorists.  —  "The new perception is that the United States has entered a war with Islam itself," …

FBI: Iraqis Being Smuggled Across the Rio Grande  —  Brian Ross Reports:  —  The FBI is investigating an alleged human smuggling operation based in Chaparral, N.M., that agents say is bringing "Iraqis and other Middle Eastern" individuals across the Rio Grande from Mexico.

Novak: Women's 'venom' toward Bush is 'so vicious.'  —  Appearing on Hugh Hewitt's radio show yesterday, conservative pundit Robert Novak claimed that "women, particularly," are making our current political discourse more "vicious":

More News from Ramadi  —  You don't hear much about Anbar Province anymore.  That's because this area, once the scene of the heaviest fighting in Iraq, has turned remarkably quiet of late.  Attacks are down 80 percent since last year.  If there is any cause for optimism in Iraq this is it …

Myths and Realities of the George Bush Presidency … Near the end of his shows, humorist Mort Sahl used to ask, "Is there anyone I haven't offended yet?"  These days, I find myself asking the same question about President Bush.  Economic libertarians gripe about high government spending.

Cigarmakers in a panic … Eric Newman punches the numbers on his calculator and gapes at the results one more time.  —  It's no mathematical error: The federal government has proposed raising taxes on premium cigars, the kind Newman's family has been rolling for decades in Ybor City, by as much as 20,000 percent.