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 …

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.

The New Right-Wing Smear Machine  —  On February 27, 2001, two members of the American Gold Star Mothers, an organization of women who've lost sons or daughters in combat, dropped by the temporary basement offices of the new junior senator from New York, Hillary Clinton.

Court frees Wilson 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 …

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 …

Panel to See Papers on Agency's Eavesdropping  —  The White House on Thursday offered to share secret documents on the National Security Agency's domestic surveillance program with the Senate Judiciary Committee, a step toward possible compromise on eavesdropping legislation.

Sen. Webb On Hardball: "The Cheney element of the administration is well represented in the United States Senate"  —  Play (557) (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 …

Another Man From Hope  —  Who is Mike Huckabee?  —  Republicans have won five of the last seven presidential elections by running candidates who broadly fit the Ronald Reagan model—fiscally conservative, and firmly but not harshly conservative on social issues.

Officials balked on '05 Blackwater inquiry  —  State Department e-mails obtained by ABC News discuss how to deflect a Times reporter's questions about a civilian shooting death.  —  Even as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice defended her department's oversight of private security contractors …

MIL-PAKISTAN-SAWAT-OPERATION  —  Pakistani forces launch offensive against militants in Sawat valley  —  Hundreds of Pakistani troops with aerial support launched an operation against a local militant commander and his supporters in the once peaceful Sawat valley in northern frontier province …

Democrats, the War and Shays's Rebellion  —  A poll released yesterday by the Associated Press made it official: Americans are more likely to believe in ghosts (34 percent) than to believe that President Bush is doing a good job with the war in Iraq (29 percent).