Ohio Guv Won't Run with Obama  —  ABC News' Teddy Davis and John Santucci Report: Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D) was Shermanesque on Tuesday in saying that he would “absolutely not” be Sen. Barack Obama's, D-Ill., running mate even if asked to join the Democratic ticket.

Webb's rebel roots: An affinity for Confederacy  —  Barack Obama's vice presidential vetting team will undoubtedly run across some quirky and potentially troublesome issues as it goes about the business of scouring the backgrounds of possible running mates.  But it's unlikely they'll find …

President Bush regrets his legacy as man who wanted war  —  Tom Baldwin and Gerard Baker in Ljubljana  —  President Bush has admitted to The Times that his gun-slinging rhetoric made the world believe that he was a “guy really anxious for war” in Iraq.  He said that his aim now was to leave …

Activists Preparing Against Use of ‘Brown Note’ at Dem Convention  —  Political activists planning protest rallies at the upcoming Democratic Convention in Denver have their stomachs in knots over a rumor about a crowd control weapon - known as the “crap cannon” - that might be unleashed against them.

Ron Paul plans his own convention  —  TRIBUNE-REVIEW  —  Maverick GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul has booked an arena in Minneapolis for a “mini-convention” that could steal some of John McCain's thunder just days before he accepts the Republican nomination.

Top Lieberman Campaign Official: We Begged Obama For Help In 2006 — And He Came Through  —  Now that Joe Lieberman has emerged as John McCain's lead attack dog against Barack Obama — even going so far as to suggest that Obama's judgment could pose a danger to our safety …

Changes to Fox News Afternoons  —  TVNewser has learned beginning Monday Live Desk with Martha MacCallum will be expanded to two hours, airing from 1-3pmET.  MacCallum will also be getting a co-anchor and a new set.  Trace Gallagher joins as co-anchor, while continuing to fill in for Shepard Smith on Studio B and Fox Report.

Gallup Daily: Obama's Lead Stabilizing  —  Leads McCain 48% to 41% in latest presidential trial heat  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Barack Obama has a 48% to 41% lead in the latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking presidential election trial heat, based on June 7-9 polling.

OBAMA MEETS WITH RELIGIOUS LEADERS  —  From NBC/NJ's Athena Jones  —  CHICAGO — Obama will hold a private meeting this afternoon with religious leaders. … A spokesperson said the meeting of some 30 people will include leaders from several denominations including Evangelical, Catholic and Protestant members of the faith community.

Jewish Dem donor joins McCain team  —  Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is attracting elite Jewish Democratic donors who backed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and are concerned about Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) stance toward Israel, say McCain backers who are organizing the effort to court Democrats.

Nev gov Gibbons sends 100s txt msgs 2 other womans cell, not wifes  —  You know that unidentified estranged wife of a Reno doctor that the governor of Nevada is not having an affair with?  —  Well, during one month last year he exchanged 850 text messages with her phone from his official state phone, at 15 cents per.

Actress has a crush on Obama  —  Every presidential candidate can use a sexy blonde movie star to liven up his or her campaign, appear at big money events and rally the entertainment community.  Sen. Barack Obama's go-to Hollywood hottie is Scarlett Johansson, a starlet who trades frequent e-mails …

BBC uncovers lost Iraq billions  —  A BBC investigation estimates that around $23bn (£11.75bn) may have been lost, stolen or just not properly accounted for in Iraq.  —  For the first time, the extent to which some private contractors have profited from the conflict and rebuilding …

I Was Wrong About The War On Drugs — It's A Failure  —  I'll admit it, just five years ago I was “Public Enemy Number 1” in the eyes of the Libertarian Party.  In my 2002 congressional race for Georgia's Seventh District, the Libertarian Party ran scathing attack ads against my stand on Medical Marijuana.