Gallup Daily: Obama Leads Clinton by 10 Points  —  Second double-digit lead for Obama in Gallup tracking  —  PRINCETON, NJ — For the third consecutive day, Barack Obama holds a significant advantage over Hillary Clinton in national Democratic preferences for the Democratic presidential nomination, now 51% to 41%.

Obama Prepares Argument to Discard Public-Financing Principle  —  Despite his previous pledge to enter into the public financing system should he be the Democratic presidential nominee,* Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has recently been reluctant to re-commit to entering the system.

The Aria of Chris Matthews  —  Whenever Chris Matthews says something he likes, which happens a lot, he repeats it often and at volumes suggesting a speaker who feels insufficiently listened to at times.  “Tim Russert finally reeled the big marlin into the boat tonight,” Matthews yelled …

As Chicago Bids for Games, Obama Ducks Olympics Criticism  —  ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: Barack Obama doesn't seem to want to talk about the Olympics or Senator Clinton's call for a boycott of the opening ceremonies on August 8, 2008.  —  At a town hall in Malvern, Pennsylvania …

For Many, a Boom That Wasn't  —  How has the United States economy gotten to this point?  —  It's not just the apparent recession.  Recessions happen.  If you tried to build an economy immune to the human emotions that produce boom and bust, you would end up with something that looked like East Germany.

AP photographer granted Iraqi amnesty  —  BAGHDAD - An Iraqi judicial committee has dismissed terrorism-related allegations against Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein and ordered him released nearly two years after he was detained by the U.S. military.

Michelle Obama visits Harrisburg  —  HARRISBURG —This was Michelle Obama's “mom time” in her husband's campaign for president.  —  She'd come Tuesday to meet with 50 working women who filled a room at a Harrisburg preschool, anxious to talk to Barack Obama's wife.  —  But they'd have to wait.

FBI probe: Lieberman campaign to blame for crashing own Web site  —  A federal investigation has concluded that U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman's 2006 re-election campaign was to blame for the crash of its Web site the day before Connecticut's heated Aug. 8 Democratic primary.

Hillary's slick willies  —  Does Hillary surround herself with girly men?  Obama and the experience question.  Plus: Lincoln, Madonna's new face and a Bush with real authority.  —  I would like to get your feedback on the subject of those who end up in Hillary's orbit.

Athens Student Caused Injuries to Herself  —  ATHENS — A 13-year-old girl who claimed she was attacked by a group inside Athens Middle School was caught on a surveillance camera causing the injuries to herself.  —  The girl now faces disciplinary action from the school and will be charged …

Implicit Prejudice Revealed: Opposition to a Woman President … That is from an interesting new paper by Matthew Streb, Barbara Burrell, Brian Frederick, and Michael Genovese (gated here, ungated here).  —  Here's the experiment, which was conducted in a March 2006 poll.

Occupying Iraq Is Just Like Occupying ... Alabama?  —  Earlier this week, I mentioned that the conservative blog RedState is trying to pressure the traditional media to treat critiques of John McCain's embrace of a 100-year occupation of Iraq as lies and distortion.

Wall of silence broken at state's Muslim public school  —  Recently, I wrote about Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy (TIZA), a K-8 charter school in Inver Grove Heights.  Charter schools are public schools and by law must not endorse or promote religion.  —  Evidence suggests, however …

Obama's Minister Problem  —  I have tried to get over my unease surrounding Barack Obama's response to the sermons and writings of his pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.  But the unanswered questions remain.  —  I am a strong supporter …

McCain's “Goodbye To All That”  —  Ross and Mickey don't approve this message:  —  I do.  It's an encouraging sign that McCain is not going to pull a Rove this fall; it's a deft way of dealing with racial difference - check out the number of African-Americans in the ad - and it co-opts the “Goodbye To All That” appeal of Obama.

McCain's path to victory  —  A Republican can win the White House, but first he needs an opponent  —  Republican presidential hopeful John McCain at a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House, April 8, 2008.  —  Political Director  —  WASHINGTON - It is April of 2008 …