Democratic country keeps its distance from Obama  —  Like most people in Mingo County, West Virginia, Leonard Simpson is a lifelong Democrat.  But given a choice between Barack Obama and John McCain in November, the 67-year-old retired coalminer would vote Republican.

Ron Paul's forces quietly plot GOP convention revolt against McCain  —  Virtually all the nation's political attention in recent weeks has focused on the compelling state-by-state presidential nomination struggle between two Democrats and the potential for party-splitting strife over there.

Fierce Fighting Breaks Out East of Beirut  —  BEIRUT, Lebanon — Fierce clashes broke out on Sunday in the mountains east of Beirut between supporters of the Western-backed government and followers of Hezbollah, the militant group backed by Iran.  —  The fighting, in the Shouf and Aley districts …

Voter ID Battle Shifts to Proof of Citizenship  —  The battle over voting rights will expand this week as lawmakers in Missouri are expected to support a proposed constitutional amendment to enable election officials to require proof of citizenship from anyone registering to vote.

900 Trapped After Quake, China State Media Reports  —  BEIJING — A powerful earthquake struck a mountainous region of western China on Monday, killing at least 107 people and trapping more than 900 students beneath a collapsed high school as tremors shook buildings for hundreds of miles …

Drive in Basra by Iraqi Army Makes Gains  —  BASRA, Iraq — Three hundred miles south of Baghdad, the oil-saturated city of Basra has been transformed by its own surge, now seven weeks old.  —  In a rare success, forces loyal to Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki have largely quieted the city …

This Week: Campaign Surrogate Carly Fiorina Doesn't Believe In Economists  —  First thing, was anyone else get surprised by the uncharacteristically accurate title given to Carly Fiorina in this segment of This Week with George Stephanopoulos?  Normally, aren't these surrogates usually called “advisors”?

Democrats Face Rescue Backlash  —  Some Voters Oppose Having to Bail Out Homeowners at Risk  —  Democrats may be risking a backlash at the polls in November by pushing hard to use taxpayer money to rescue homeowners who can no longer afford their mortgages in the face of stiff resistance from President Bush and many other Republicans.

That Pundit on Fox News?  An Upstart Named Rove  —  WASHINGTON — Late Thursday night, Karl Rove, the architect of the last two Republican presidential victories, was on his new television perch at Fox News, offering free advice to Senator Barack Obama as he closed in on the Democratic nomination.