For Giuliani, Ground Zero as Linchpin and Thorn  —  As Rudolph W. Giuliani campaigns around the country highlighting his stewardship of New York City after the Sept. 11 attacks, he is widely hailed for bringing order to a traumatized city.  But he has also raised the hackles of rescue …

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 …

What Did We Learn From Padilla?  —  The New York Times provides an interesting analysis of the Jose Padilla conviction, one that essentially credits the Bush administration with a victory.  The jury convicted Padilla in almost no time at all, saying that the evidence was overwhelming …

Obama Takes Sharper Tone to the Trail  —  Senator Barack Obama has moved in recent weeks to sharpen his tone noticeably as he fights for the Democratic presidential nomination, increasingly drawing sharp contrasts with his rivals and seeking to turn criticism of his foreign policy credentials into a fresh argument for change.

Army Audits: Official Sites, Not Blogs, Breach Security  —  For years, members of the military brass have been warning that soldiers' blogs could pose a security threat by leaking sensitive wartime information.  But a series of online audits, conducted by the Army, suggests …

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 …

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."

Democrats and Cannibals  —  The Kos kids try but fail to devour party moderates.  —  Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar is today fond of quoting a famous Lyndon Johnson line: "You know the difference between cannibals and liberals?  Cannibals only eat their enemies."

Pentagon Paid $999,798 to Ship Two 19-Cent Washers to Texas  —  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 a Texas base, U.S. officials said.

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.

For immediate release  —  Financial market conditions have deteriorated, and tighter credit conditions and increased uncertainty have the potential to restrain economic growth going forward.  In these circumstances, although recent data suggest that the economy has continued to expand at a moderate pace …

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 …

Short of Purple Hearts, Navy tells vet to buy own  —  PEARLAND — Korean War veteran Nyles Reed, 75, opened an envelope last week to learn a Purple Heart had been approved for injuries he sustained as a Marine on June 22, 1952.  —  But there was no medal.  Just a certificate and a form stating that the medal was "out of stock."

Pickering Seat Likely to Stay in GOP Column  —  Republicans are likely to retain the Mississippi Congressional District being left open because of the retirement of Rep. Chip Pickering, but that doesn't mean that Mississippi 3rd District voters won't see a competitive campaign.

Best.  Movie.  Line.  Ever.  —  "Sometimes being a bitch is all a woman has to hold onto."  "Dolores Claiborne", not Hillary's forthcoming campaign slogan.

Construction Woes Plague U.S. Embassies  —  The new air-conditioning system in the $66 million U.S. Embassy in Mali broke down in June, sending office temperatures soaring to 100 degrees.  An electrical fire erupted in the rehabilitated annex to the embassy in Rome.

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 …