CU regents fire Ward Churchill  —  BOULDER — The University of Colorado's Board of Regents today fired professor Ward Churchill, 2 1/2 years after his comments about the victims of the 9/11 attacks sparked a firestorm.  —  The regents, in an 8-1 vote, said Churchill committed academic misconduct.

Gonzales Digs a Deeper Hole  —  Just when it seemed that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' reputation on Capitol Hill couldn't possibly get much worse, he showed up Tuesday for yet another hearing.  And as with so many of his recent appearances before Congress, his testimony …

Billo Scolds Democrats For Planning To Attend YearlyKos  —  It's becoming increasingly painful to watch this man's slow descent into insanity, but hey, it's my job...  Download (1328) |  Play (1665) Download (669) |  Play (744)  —  Never one to let go of a bone, Billo continues …

Topless Protest by Breasts Not Bombs and Code Pink at Hillary Clinton Campaign Launch Party  —  The Hillary Clinton for President Campaign celebrated the opening of its new San Francisco headquarters with a launch party that coincided with the Democratic presidential debate on July 23, 2007.

Clinton: Obama 'Irresponsible and Naive'  —  Democratic Front-Runners Tangle After Monday Night's Debate  —  Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., said today that Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, her chief rival for the Democratic nomination, made comments that were "irresponsible and frankly naive" …

Abuse, Neglect Plague State Schools For Mentally Retarded  —  [Update: The buzz is growing on this story.  Kuff and Eye On Williamson have both covered it, and done great jobs.  We also have this x-posted at DailyKOS, ePluribus Media, and MyDD and would appreciate any recommends.

Collamore out as Thompson manager  —  Tom Collamore, the former Altria lobbyist who had been running Fred Thompson's campaign, has resigned and will be replaced by Randy Enwright.  Enwright is a Florida political hand with ties to former Gov. Jeb Bush.  Also coming on board in a leadership capacity …

Listen to this programme in full  —  Document uncovers details of a planned coup in the USA in 1933 by right-wing American businessmen  —  The coup was aimed at toppling President Franklin D Roosevelt with the help of half-a-million war veterans.  The plotters, who were alleged to involve …

On patrol with Iran's fashion police  —  It all starts with one simple sentence, spoken almost in a whisper, but which has a thunderous effect.  —  A female police officer deployed in Tehran's latest moral crackdown tells a woman that her manto (overcoat) is too short and infringes Iranian Islamic dress rules.

Few Muslims 'back suicide bombs'  —  Support for suicide bombings against civilians has fallen sharply across the Muslim world since 2002, a major survey has suggested.  —  However, 70% of Palestinians interviewed said they believed such attacks were sometimes justifiable.

Disfavor for Bush Hits Rare Heights  —  In Modern Era, Only Nixon Scored Worse, And Only Truman Was Down for So Long  —  President Bush is a competitive guy.  But this is one contest he would rather lose.  With 18 months left in office, he is in the running for most unpopular president in the history of modern polling.

Patterns of Sectarian Violence in Baghdad  —  Over Half the Number of Unidentified Bodies Found in Five Areas of Baghdad  —  Up to 592 unidentified bodies were found dumped in different parts of Baghdad in the period between June 18 and July 18, 2007, according to figures based on media reports compiled by Iraq Slogger.

Poll: GOP Likes Giuliani's Electability  —  With many Republicans increasingly pessimistic about holding the White House in 2008, electability has become former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani's most appealing attribute.  —  A new Washington Post-ABC News poll of the Republican field shows Giuliani …

G.O.P. Leaders Fight Expansion of Children's Health Insurance  —  Republican leaders of the House and Senate on Tuesday attacked proposals that call for a major expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program, to be financed with higher tobacco taxes.  —  "Republicans will fight these proposals …

Iraqi Insurgents, Together at Poolside  —  The convention of Iraqi insurgents was scheduled to take place Monday at the resort-like Sahara Hotel outside Damascus but, within hours of the plenary session actually starting, the Syrian government suddenly canceled the summit.

How One Journalist Defines a 'Staunch Republican'  —  Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:  —  Republican Defector?  —  Chicago Sun-Times columnist Jennifer Hunter is taking heat for a recent story headlined "GOP Lawyer Sold on Dems."  She wrote that after watching …