Kos Presidential Forum: Highs and Lows  —  CHICAGO, Ill. — Seven of the eight Democratic candidates for president just spent 90 rollicking minutes answering questions and — occasionally — jabbing each other in the marquee event of this year's YearlyKos gathering.

Democrats Feel Pressure on Spy Program  —  Under pressure from President Bush, House Democrats on Saturday grudgingly prepared to move ahead with approving changes in a terrorist surveillance program despite serious reservations about the scope of the measure.

Soldier Censored at Kos Convention  —  An as yet unidentified uniformed soldier attempted to address the panel on the subject of the "Surge".  He was unceremoniously escorted out by panelist Jon Soltz.  —  The soldier's words were either suppressed or inaudible on the convention's own video.

Broadcast Networks Ignore Murder of Oakland Post Editor  —  When a member of the journalism community is murdered, wouldn't you expect most news agencies to report it?  —  Well, on Thursday morning, Chauncey Bailey, the editor of the Oakland Post, was gunned down by an at that time unknown assailant.

Democrats' responsibility for Bush radicalism  —  It is staggering, and truly disgusting, that even in August, 2007 — almost six years removed from the 9/11 attacks and with the Bush presidency cemented as one of the weakest and most despised in American history — that George W. Bush can …

The Turn  —  Defeatists in retreat.  —  Hot July brings cooling showers, / Apricots and gillyflowers, as Sara Coleridge's doggerel has it.  But for the American antiwar movement, this July brought only a cold drizzle, wilted blossoms, and bitter fruit.  —  For the Iraq war's opponents, July began as a month of hope.

OBAMA vs. CLINTON REVISITED....Mark Kleiman thinks there's more to the Hillary-Obama foreign policy contretemps than I'm giving it credit for.  I'm not so sure, but it will take a little bit of in-the-weeds explaining to say why.  Here goes.  —  First, on the question of striking al-Qaeda targets in Pakistan, Mark says:

Candidates court bloggers, avoid commitment  —  CHICAGO — The second YearlyKos convention is a show of strength for the new blogging establishment: A parade of major Democratic politicians, including the leaders of the House and Senate and almost every presidential candidate …

Fred Thompson's Powerful but Mysterious Wife  —  She wields tremendous influence over her husband's would-be presidential campaign.  But who is Jeri Thompson—and why won't the campaign discuss her?  —  Man About Town: As a celebrity bachelor during his time in D.C., Thompson …

Republicans try to rebuke Murtha  —  House Republicans sought to rebuke Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) Friday night for his actions while presiding over the chamber earlier in the day.  —  The resolution was just one of the many protest measures Republicans lobbed at the majority Friday …

Hurrah!  The Saudis are coming!  —  Rehavia.  Achievement  —  Condoleezza Rice's aides have become adept at spotting when their boss is irritable: she starts scratching one of her hands.  When she feels like someone has done her wrong, she gets "that look": "Her eyes narrow, her face tightens …

AN OPENING  —  Presumably you've heard about "private contractors," the well-paid, well-armed, not always well-disciplined security people who do a lot of the work in Iraq that in earlier wars would have been done by the U.S. Army.  More than one left-wing blogger has caught flak for describing …

State curtails e-voting  —  L.A. system decertified; restrictions on two others  —  Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A13  —  California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, bowing to fears of computer fraud, Friday decertified Los Angeles County's electronic voting system and sharply curtailed …

Getting Iraq Wrong  —  The unfolding catastrophe in Iraq has condemned the political judgment of a president.  But it has also condemned the judgment of many others, myself included, who as commentators supported the invasion.  Many of us believed, as an Iraqi exile friend told me the night the war started …