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 …

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.

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 …

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.

Reagan Vet to Head Thompson Effort  —  Fred Thompson tapped another veteran of the Reagan era to manage his soon-to-be-announced presidential campaign today, naming former Reagan aide Bill Lacy to replace the top adviser Thompson moved aside last month.  —  Lacy was a low-level campaign operative …

Army Concludes Baghdad Diarist Accounts Untrue  —  Army investigators have concluded that the private whose dispatches for the New Republic accused his fellow soldiers of petty cruelties in Iraq was not telling the truth.  —  The finding, disclosed yesterday, came days after the Washington …

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" …

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 …

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. …

U.S. Set for a Crackdown on Illegal Hiring  —  In a new effort to crack down on illegal immigrants, federal authorities are expected to announce tough rules this week that would require employers to fire workers who use false Social Security numbers.  —  Officials said the rules would be backed …

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."

Friendly crowd welcomes Stevens  —  BACK HOME: Senator defends earmarks, is mum on investigation.  —  U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, on his first trip back to Alaska since FBI agents searched his Girdwood home last week, vigorously defended controversial budget earmarks on Tuesday before a large and welcoming hometown crowd.