Bob Dole unloads on McClellan  —  Bob Dole yesterday sent a scalding e-mail to Scott McClellan, excoriating the former White House spokesman as a “miserable creature” who greedily betrayed his former patron for a fast buck.  —  In an extraordinary message obtained and authenticated by Politico …

MCCAIN, THE SURGE, AND ‘VERB TENSES’  —  GREENSDALE, WI, MAY 28, 2008. … JOHN MCCAIN GOT AHEAD OF EVENTS THIS WEEK IN CLAIMING THAT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY HAS GONE DOWN TO “PRE-SURGE LEVELS” IN IRAQ.  THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN UNTIL LATER THIS YEAR, EVEN BY THE MOST OPTIMISTIC SCENARIO.

Obama plans election kick-off at GOP convention site  —  Senior political officials tell Politico's Mike Allen that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).is likely to hold a huge rally Tuesday night in the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, the site of the Republican National Convention from Sept. 1 to 4.

Post Updated Below  —  FOREWORD: Barack Obama and Howard Dean are about to walk into Harold Ickes' trap tomorrow, and they aren't likely to even realize their mistake until Hillary Clinton cries “foul!” next week and announces that “justice” and “voters' rights” are forcing her to carry …

Healing the wounds of Democrats' sexism  —  LAST YEAR at the beginning of the presidential primary season, Democrats were giddy with excitement.  Not only did we have an embarrassment of riches in our candidates but we had two historic candidacies to enjoy.

McCain Uses Image of Gen. Petraeus in Fundraising Solicitation  —  On Monday, Memorial Day, Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen wrote an open letter to troops in uniform that “the U.S. military must remain apolitical at all times.  It is and must always be a neutral instrument of the state, no matter which party holds sway.”

DNCC Credentials Record Number Of Blogs To Cover 2008 Democratic National Convention In Denver  —  Bloggers to Receive Unprecedented Access, Connect Diverse Communities to Historic Event  —  Progressive Community to Provide Additional Workspace, Resources for Bloggers During Convention Week

Clinton's Last Stand; Challenges for Obama, McCain  —  (05-30) 13:16 PDT SAN FRANCISCO —  Democrats are preparing for the final curtain in a long 2008 primary drama this weekend as Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton makes a last-stand effort for the party's presidential nomination …

Happy Suck On This Day!  —  Five years, or 10 F.U.s, ago today, America's leading foreign affairs public intellectual explained the Iraq war to us. … Five years and 10 F.U.s later, Iraqis are still sucking on it!

Vatican says will excommunicate women priests  —  VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican issued its most explicit decree so far against the ordination of women priests on Thursday, punishing them and the bishops who try to ordain them with automatic excommunication.

Former Bush donors now giving to Obama  —  WASHINGTON — Beverly Fanning is among the campaign donors who'll be joining President Bush at a gala at Washington's Ford's Theater Sunday night, but she says that won't dissuade her from her current passion: volunteering for Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

McAuliffe doesn't like McClellan book, either  —  Give the Macker credit: he knows from loyalty.  —  In an interview with the multi-media Tammy Haddad for National Journal:

Catholic League slams priest, Obama  —  The Catholic League - a group dedicated to protecting the free-speech rights of Catholics “whenever and wherever they are threatened” - criticized Barack Obama sharply today for his ties to a Catholic priest who stirred controversy at Obama's home church last weekend.

McCain on Israel, Iran and the Holocaust  —  Two weeks ago, I spoke with Barack Obama about the Middle East, Zionism, and his favorite Jewish writers.  Since my blog is both fair and balanced, I had a lengthy conversation with Senator John McCain earlier this week about many of the same subjects.

Kerry: On Sept. 11 We Were at Peace  —  Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) believes that on September 11 “we were basically at peace.”  —  Asked to clarify his remarks, specifically asking about the attacks on the U.S.S. Cole during Barack Obama campaign conference call, Kerry said, “well …