A Scott Beauchamp Update  —  Since our last statement on "Shock Troops," a Diarist by Private Scott Thomas Beauchamp that we published in our July 23 issue, we have continued our investigation into the article's veracity.  On Wednesday, for a brief period, The Drudge Report posted several documents …

FEMA Meets the Press, Which Happens to Be . . . FEMA  —  FEMA has truly learned the lessons of Katrina.  Even its handling of the media has improved dramatically.  For example, as the California wildfires raged Tuesday, Vice Adm. Harvey E. Johnson, the deputy administrator, had a 1 p.m. news briefing.

Internal Dem memo faults party message  —  Democrats are losing the battle for voters' hearts because the party's message lacks emotional appeal, according to a widely circulated critique of House Democratic communications strategy.  —  "Our message sounds like an audit report on defense logistics …

Court orders Wilson freed in teen sex case  —  ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) — The Georgia Supreme Court on Friday ordered that Genarlow Wilson be released from prison, ruling 4-3 that his sentence for a teen sex conviction was cruel and unusual punishment.  —  Wilson, 21, was convicted in 2005 …

Patriots Stand Up  —  Sen. Chris Dodd gave a great statement on the floor of the Senate this morning.  You can watch video here on his Senate website.  I asked for a written copy of the remarks, because there wasn't a transcript available, and am reprinting them here with permission because I've had several e-mails asking for this.

Comedy Central serious about Colbert run  —  Joke or not, Comedy Central is taking Stephen Colbert's presidential candidacy — or, at least the legal implications of it — very seriously.  —  The network has consulted a top Washington election law firm and appears keenly aware …

Flip-Flop Alert: Senators Suddenly on the Fence  —  Sens. John Sununu, Norm Coleman, and George Voinovich all voted for the Law of the Sea in 2004.  According to sources in the Senate, all are now reconsidering their votes under heavy pressure from the likes of John Bolton, Frank Gaffney …

Bill Clinton Takes On 9/11 Conspiracy Protesters  —  Bill Clinton addressed a crowd in Minneapolis, Minnesota at a fundraiser for his wife's campaign on Tuesday.  —  Clinton's 50-minute speech, which started about an hour behind schedule, was derailed briefly by several hecklers in the audience …

GOP LUNACY....Ron Brownstein looks at the ongoing Republican interest group panderfest from a slightly different angle: … Every two years the losing party has this exact same conversation: (a) move to the center to appeal more to swing voters, or (b) move left (right) in order to stay true …

Andy Sipowicz Goes to Washington  —  The news that John Gotti tried, back in the 1980s, to persuade his fellow organized-crime CEOs to sign off on having Rudy Giuliani killed may be Giuliani's equivalent of the videotape that Osama bin Laden released in time to swing the 2004 presidential election for Bush.

Sen. Webb On Hardball: "The Cheney element of the administration is well represented in the United States Senate"  —  Play (799) (thanks to Heather for vids)  —  On Thursday's Hardball Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) talked with Chris Matthews about the strong push from Dick Cheney and some members of the Senate …

Edwards Gets Tough on Business  —  Susan Davis reports on the presidential race.  —  John Edwards is targeting Corporate America and what he argues are its corrupt and greedy practices.  In a speech today in Des Moines, Iowa, he is outlining his plan to renew the "social contract" between business and government if elected president.