Top Items:

Baird sees need for longer U.S. role in Iraq — U.S. Rep. Brian Baird said Thursday that his recent trip to Iraq convinced him the military needs more time in the region, and that a hasty pullout would cause chaos that helps Iran and harms U.S. security. — "I believe that the decision …
RELATED:

Credit Democrats Who Visit Iraq, They're Calling It As They See It — Day by day, I am more surprised at the turn in the Iraq debate. I know this is going to sound like pie-in-the-sky optimism, but I wonder if by the time General Petraeus makes his report, there will be something of a consensus …


White House spokesman quitting — WASHINGTON (CNN) — White House press secretary Tony Snow will step down from his position as early as next month, sources inside and outside the Bush administration told CNN on Friday. — When contacted by CNN about his possible departure, Snow said, "I'm not making any announcement."
RELATED:


Snow to leave White House before Bush — WASHINGTON - White House press secretary Tony Snow said Friday he'll leave sometime before the end of the Bush presidency because of financial pressures. — He declined to say when he would depart, but that, "I'm going to stay as long as I can."
Discussion:
TPMCafe blogs


Thompson: Roe 'bad law and bad medicine' — DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) - Likely Republican White House hopeful Fred Thompson told CNN Friday that he would work to overturn Roe v. Wade if elected president, and would push for a constitutional amendment that protects states from being forced to honor gay marriages performed in other states.


Jenna and Henry: Now They're Really, Really Official — Back in February 2005, Laura Bush was asked about the guy her daughter Jenna was seeing. "This is not a serious boyfriend — I hate to have to be the one to say it on television," said the first lady. "But he's a very nice young man."
RELATED:


Fashion article peeves Bush. — The Washington Post reports, "What really gets George W. Bush riled up? Calling him a fashion victim." After Marques Harper of the Austin American- Statesman wrote a short style piece critiquing Bush's choice of clothing while he down's on the Crawford ranch …

It Shouldn't Have Taken the Deaths of Three Miners to Get the Media to Focus on Mine Safety — So last night, suddenly, after the tragic second collapse at the Utah mine, there was a dramatic shift in the TV coverage of the story. All at once, faux folksy mining boss Bob Murray …
RELATED:

So It Has Come To This — Photo: Utah American Energy Inc …
Discussion:
The Liberal Avenger

Taking cultural editing notes from terrorists — The New York City Police Department issued a disconcerting report this week called, "Radicalization in the West: The Homegrown Threat." In a nutshell, investigators and researchers concluded that the most serious threat the nation faces come …
RELATED:

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."
Discussion:
The Rachel Maddow Show, All Spin Zone, The Carpetbagger Report, Alternate Brain and Obsidian Wings

O'Reilly: "I think everybody's got to relax on all this gay stuff" … On the August 15 edition of his Fox News television show, Bill O'Reilly responded to a viewer's email questioning his August 14 remarks about Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM), who had, at a presidential forum the week before …
Discussion:
The Huffington Post


Fixing The Internet — I don't know what Elaine is so upset about. I mean, without dessicates, those clothes'll be noticeably musty in five years.
Discussion:
The Impolitic


Michelle Obama Speaks — You listen...
Discussion:
Comments From Left Field

MICHIGAN TO MOVE UP ITS PRIMARY — From NBC News' Chuck Todd — According to sources inside both parties, the two state parties in Michigan have agreed to move the state's primary — legislatively — to Jan. 15. This is a compromise date out of respect for Democratic Sen. Carl Levin …

FISA Court to Gov't: Why Shouldn't We Disclose Surveillance Rulings? — Don't get your hopes up yet. But the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court has told the government that it needs to submit an argument for why the court shouldn't disclose rulings from earlier this year …