Romney speaks up for sons' decisions  —  BETTENDORF, Iowa - Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on Wednesday defended his five sons' decision not to enlist in the military, saying they're showing their support for the country by "helping me get elected."

The Democratic Candidates Forum  —  The following is the transcript of the A.F.L.-C.I.O. candidates forum, as provided by Federal News Service.  —  PARTICIPANTS:  —  MODERATOR: KEITH OLBERMANN: These formalities out of the way, the lucky recipient of our first question has been determined by lottery.

THEY WANT TO FIRE ALBERTO GONZALES AND GIVE HIM NEW EAVESDROPPING POWERS?  —  Happy six-month anniversary, U.S. attorney scandal!  (And what do you get for the scandal that has everything?)  —  The half-birthday of the purge scandal's explosion onto the front pages last February brings …

"To set the ship on a better course, you have to be ready to sink it."  —  The debate over bipartisanship continues.  I wrote a response to the many responses I got, on this blog and others, to my initial article calling for more bipartisanship in the Washington Post.

INSTAPUNDIT IS SIX YEARS OLD TODAY: Here's what it looked like that first week.

Prosecutor: Islamic students had pipe bombs  —  Tampa, Florida - When 24-year-old Ahmed Mohamed and 21-year-old Yousef Megahed appeared in court, there was no question in the prosecutor's mind what this was all about.  She says Mohamed was in possession of pipe bombs and materials that could have been made to make more bombs.

Terrorists teaming with drug cartels  —  Islamic extremists embedded in the United States — posing as Hispanic nationals — are partnering with violent Mexican drug gangs to finance terror networks in the Middle East, according to a Drug Enforcement Administration report.

Let Wisconsin Experiment with Socialized Medicine  —  "On, Wisconsin ... run the ball clear down the field!"  —  It's time to amend the Wisconsin football song so we can cheer on the Badger State's politicians as they move toward health-care socialism.  —  The Wall Street Journal editorial …

The political patrons of Your Black Muslim Bakery  —  The SFChron's Matier and Ross report on the political backers of Your Black Muslim Bakery.  You'll be thrilled to know that millions in federal tax dollars have been forked over to this thug enterprise (at least $1.2 million …

Bonds Makes History With 756th Home Run  —  SAN FRANCISCO: Barry Bonds hit No. 756 to the deepest part of the ballpark Tuesday night, and hammered home the point: Like him or not, legitimate or not, he is baseball's new home run king.  —  Bonds broke Hank Aaron's storied record in the fifth inning …

General Blames Clerical Errors In the Case of Missing Arms  —  Bookkeeping deficiencies allowed thousands of weapons issued to Iraqi security forces in 2004 and 2005 to then go missing, Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said yesterday.  —  "Some percentage" …

Disaster looms as 'Saddam dam' struggles to hold back the Tigris  —  As world attention focuses on the daily slaughter in Iraq, a devastating disaster is impending in the north of the country, where the wall of a dam holding back the Tigris river north of Mosul city is in danger of imminent collapse.

Clark County Republican leader elected to national post  —  Clark County's Republican Party chairman has been elected head of the Young Republican National Federation.  —  Glenn Murphy Jr., a 33-year-old from Utica, was elected to the chairman's post July 7 in Hollywood, Fla. …

Art movies: R.I.P.  —  Long before Bergman and Antonioni died, the mystical art-house film experience faded to black.  Plus: How rock can rehabilitate, and a vote for Kelly Clarkson.  —  The 2008 presidential sweepstakes have hit the doldrums as the pack of eager candidates of both parties dutifully …