FBI Director's Notes Contradict Gonzales's Version Of Ashcroft Visit  —  Then-Attorney General John D. Ashcroft was "feeble," "barely articulate" and "stressed" moments after a hospital room confrontation in March 2004 with Alberto R. Gonzales, who wanted Ashcroft to approve …

What History Taught Karl Rove  —  When I asked Karl Rove this week to summarize his approach to politics, he quoted from memory a 167-year-old letter by Abraham Lincoln to his Whig campaign committee: "Keep a constant watch on the doubtful voters, and from time to time have them talked to by those in whom they have the most confidence."

Reflections On Padilla  —  Looking back, there was a part of the trial I "missed" and thus couldn't share with you or comment upon.  It happened before the trial itself actually started.  I think if I had been as aware of it then as I am now, I would have forecast a much gloomier conclusion.

A Liberal Reconsiders Chavez  —  Jeb Koogler, a staunch liberal at The Moderate Voice, has defended Hugo Chavez for a long time.  He thought that Chavez intended to help the poor and downtrodden and made excuses for his tough tactics as a necessary interlude towards a better society.

A rush to pull out cash  —  Worried about the stability of mortgage giant Countrywide Financial, depositors crowd branches.  —  Anxious customers jammed the phone lines and website of Countrywide Bank and crowded its branch offices to pull out their savings because of concerns …

Max Roach, Master of Modern Jazz, Dies at 83  —  Max Roach, a founder of modern jazz who rewrote the rules of drumming in the 1940s and spent the rest of his career breaking musical barriers and defying listeners' expectations, died early yesterday in Manhattan.  He was 83.

Edwards, Foreclosure Critic, Has Investing Tie to Subprime Lenders  —  As a presidential candidate, Democrat John Edwards has regularly attacked subprime lenders, particularly those that have filed foreclosure suits against victims of Hurricane Katrina.  But as an investor …

Dean already a Cat. 2, could become a Cat. 5 this weekend  —  I'm breaking my Dean-silence 80 minutes early to report that the storm is now a Category 2 hurricane, with 100 mph winds, rapidly approaching the Lesser Antilles.  Indeed, the outer bands are already affecting the islands …

Jenna Bush gets engaged  —  (CNN) — Jenna Bush, President and Laura Bush's daughter, is engaged, the White House said Thursday.  —  Jenna Bush, 25, is marrying Henry Hager, 28, a former White House aide who used to work with Karl Rove.  —  His father, John Hager, is the chairman of the Virginia Republican Party.

Yet Again: AFP's Photo Woes Continue  —  Fresh off of being caught trying to pass off unfired civilian ammunition as evidence of soldiers shooting into the home of an elderly Iraqi woman, the French news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) has been caught once again in a photography scandal involving …

PICKERING TO RESIGN FROM CONGRESS  —  From NBC's Mark Murray  —  Rep. Chip Pickering, R-Miss., is announcing he's resigning from Congress to work on K Street, becoming the latest House Republican to either vacate his seat or decide not to seek re-election in 2008.

Pentagon Paid $998,798 to Ship Two 19-Cent Washers  —  Aug. 16 (Bloomberg) — A small South Carolina parts supplier collected about $20.5 million over six years from the Pentagon for fraudulent shipping costs, including $998,798 for sending two 19-cent washers to an Army base in Texas, U.S. officials said.

An embarrassed Fox News hits Wikipedia  —  It's been a rough week for our ol' friends at Fox News.  Thanks to some IP-address based research, the political world learned that the FNC was responsible for "touching up" Wikipedia pages, editing content that didn't fit with the partisan network's political agenda.

Richardson Aide Quits After Brothel Link Discovery  —  You've been reading about all the Republican sex scandals — and now it's time for a Democratic one: … So he's accused of screwing the brothel.  MORE: … Managing a brothel...working for a political campaign?

Hotel mistakes Nobel laureate for bag lady  —  She was wearing a Mayan dress, the traditional attire of indigenous people in central America, and the hotel's response was also traditional: throw her out.  —  Staff at Cancun's five-star Hotel Coral Beach appear to have assumed …

Polish MEPs boycott UN conference  —  'We can call this conference anti-Israeli,' Polish MEP says  —  A conference of UN NGOs (non-governmental organizations) on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, to be hosted at the European Parliament this month, will be boycotted by Polish Members …