Lawmakers Describe 'Being Slimed in the Green Zone'  —  The sheets of paper seemed to be everywhere the lawmakers went in the Green Zone, distributed to Iraqi officials, U.S. officials and uniformed military of no particular rank.  So when Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D-Va.) …

Sources: Craig resignation likely soon  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — Several well-placed GOP sources in Washington and Idaho have told CNN that embattled Republican Sen. Larry Craig is likely to resign soon, possibly as early as Friday.  —  A GOP source with knowledge of the situation told CNN's Dana Bash …

White House Press Secretary Snow Resigns  —  Ailing White House Press Secretary Tony Snow Resigning, Deputy Dana Perino Will Take His Place  —  Tony Snow, the highly visible White House press secretary, will leave his job on Sept. 14 and be replaced by his deputy, Dana Perino, an administration official said Friday.

"Redacted" stuns Venice  —  VENICE (Reuters) - A new film about the real-life rape and killing of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl by U.S. soldiers who also murdered her family stunned the Venice festival, with shocking images that left some viewers in tears.  —  "Redacted", by U.S. director Brian De Palma …

Top Dem fundraiser turns himself in  —  REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - A top Democratic fundraiser wanted as a fugitive in California turned himself in Friday to face a grand theft charge.  —  San Mateo County Superior Court Judge H. James Ellis ordered Norman Hsu handcuffed and held on $2 million bond.

"WE SHOULD START OVER"....Another draft report has been leaked to the press, this one a detailed look at the Iraqi police force in the wake of 2006's "year of the police": … This is becoming a comedy of the absurd.  Scrap the Iraqi police force?  Start over from scratch?  Is this a joke?

Reid Opens Door to Pact With Antiwar Republicans  —  LAS VEGAS — Saying the coming weeks will be "one of the last opportunities" to alter the course of the war, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said he is now willing to compromise with Republicans to find ways to limit troop deployments in Iraq.

What Women Want  —  How the GOP can woo the ladies.  —  Hillary has herself.  Barack has Oprah.  John Edwards has his wife, Elizabeth.  And what secret weapon do Republican presidential candidates have to curry the all-important "women's vote"?  —  (Cue silence.)

HHS Toned Down Breast-Feeding Ads  —  In an attempt to raise the nation's historically low rate of breast-feeding, federal health officials commissioned an attention-grabbing advertising campaign a few years ago to convince mothers that their babies faced real health risks if they did not breast-feed.

Justice Department Lawyers Refuse Detainee Cases  —  Some lawyers in the civil appeals division object to the government's policies on Guantánamo Bay  —  The government's legal arguments justifying the detention of hundreds of people at the Guantánamo Bay naval base …

New Frontburner Issue in Iowa: Same-Sex Marriage  —  The Nation — Iowa will in all likelihood remain the state that opens the process of nominating the Democratic and Republican candidates for president in 2008.  As such, it is a "must visit" and "must impress" state for contenders in both parties.

Plane Carrying Lawmakers Attacked in Iraq  —  Congressional sources confirmed late Thursday that a military transport plane carrying three Republican senators and a Democratic representative was attacked by either missiles or rocket-propelled grenades after taking off from the Baghdad airport.

Housing, Housing Finance, and Monetary Policy  —  Over the years, Tom Hoenig and his colleagues at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City have done an excellent job of selecting interesting and relevant topics for this annual symposium.  I think I can safely say that this year they have outdone themselves.

Why bathroom sex is hot  —  Larry Craig is the latest politician to get caught with his pants down.  So what is the eternal allure of sex in a stall, and does it make you gay?  —  When Idaho Sen. Larry Craig says, "I'm not gay," I believe him.  But that doesn't mean he wasn't cruising …