Gonzales Contradicts Prior Statements, Confirms Existence Of Other Spying Programs  —  In his testimony today before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was asked by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) to address inaccuracies in his 2006 testimony in relation …

Clinton takes Obama to task over statements  —  TODAY: (Updated 12:25 p.m.) Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton today called rival Barack Obama's statement that he would meet with the leaders of several countries antagonistic to the United States "irresponsible" and "naive."

Comment by Tal on Should the DailyKos be Subject to the Federal Election Commission?  —  As a journalist, may I please point out the difference between blogs and broadcast?  The reason the Fairness Doctrine was introduced was because broadcast channels are both powerful and—this is key—limited.

[TS] Op-Ed Columnist: A Reality-Based Economy  —  The neopopulist story line about skyrocketing inequality and the tides of globalization is incredibly simple-minded.

A cemetery, not a "mass grave"; Update: NYT scrubs TNR editor's "near certainty" that Thomas is a soldier  —  "Scott Thomas" makes the NYT.  Franklin Foer is still trying to corroborate his correspondent's writings by talking to his buddies.  —  Meanwhile, at FOB Falcon:

Spitzer Aides Cited for Use of Police to Tarnish Bruno  —  Gov. Eliot Spitzer's aides, including one of his closest advisers, improperly used the State Police to gather information about the governor's chief rival, Joseph L. Bruno, the State Senate majority leader, in an effort to plant …

Outsourcing the Picket Line  —  Carpenters Union Hires Homeless to Stage Protests  —  The picketers marching in a circle in front of a downtown Washington office building chanting about low wages do not seem fully focused on their message.  —  Many have arrived with large suitcases …

Further politicization of the U.S. military's public statements  —  In light of the decision last week by Gen. David Petraeus to choose Hugh Hewitt, of all people, to interview him, and in light of the post I wrote concerning Gen. Petraeus' three-year history of dubious and seemingly partisan claims …

Diplomats Received Political Briefings  —  White House aides have conducted at least half a dozen political briefings for the Bush administration's top diplomats, including a PowerPoint presentation for ambassadors with senior adviser Karl Rove that named Democratic incumbents targeted …

Another Cheney-Linked Hawk Down  —  Vice President Cheney is losing a trusted aide: David Wurmser, Cheney's chief adviser on Middle East affairs and perhaps the Bush administration's most radical hawk.  According to multiple sources, Wurmser will leave the office of the vice president (OVP) …

Dems crush GOP in money game  —  From almost any angle, Republicans are facing a Democratic financial tsunami in 2008.  —  In the first six months of this year, Democratic federal candidates and the party's three national committees raised $381 million compared with the $291 million their counterparts collected.

In the Wake of the Surge  —  BAGHDAD - 82nd Airborne's Lieutenant William H. Lord from Foxborough, Massachusetts, prepared his company for a dismounted foot patrol in the Graya'at neighborhood of Northern Baghdad's predominantly Sunni Arab district of Adhamiyah.