Obama Leads, but Margin Is Less Than Some Expect  —  Poll Has Democrat Continuing to Lag With White Males  —  WASHINGTON — Democrat Barack Obama begins his presidential race against Republican John McCain with a lead in the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, but not so great an edge …

Kerry: McCain confused, ‘unbelievably out of touch’  —  John Kerry, who's served in the past as Obama's heavy-hitter on national security, expressed incredulity at McCain's remark this morning that the timing of troops return is “not too important.”  —  “It is unbelievably out of touch …

Fox News calls Michelle Obama “Obama's baby mama”  —  An alert reader wrote in just a little while ago to let us know about something he'd spotted on Fox News Wednesday afternoon.  During a segment discussing conservative attacks against Michelle Obama, the wife of presumptive Democratic nominee Barack …

Is Bobby Jindal — Who May Be On McCain's Veep Shortlist — An Exorcist?  —  Bobby Jindal, the 36-year old governor of Louisiana, is being taken seriously by the national press as a candidate on the shortlist to be John McCain's Vice President.  No one doubts that he's a political prodigy …

Unlike Others, U.S. Defends Freedom to Offend in Speech  —  VANCOUVER, British Columbia — A couple of years ago, a Canadian magazine published an article arguing that the rise of Islam threatened Western values.  The article's tone was mocking and biting, but it said nothing that conservative magazines …

Obscenity trial suspended after judge said he posted sexually explicit materials  —  Alex Kozinski, who is presiding over an obscenity trial in L.A., admits he posted sexually explicit photos and videos.  He says he didn't think the public could see the site, which is now blocked.

New Gang of 14 won't back McCain  —  At least 14 Republican members of Congress have refused to endorse or publicly support Sen. John McCain for president, and more than a dozen others declined to answer whether they back the Arizona senator.  —  Many of the recalcitrant GOP members declined …

President Obama?  Many White Supremacists are Celebrating  —  With the nomination of Barack Obama as the Democratic presidential candidate clinched, large sections of the white supremacist movement are adopting a surprising attitude: Electing America's first black president would be a very good thing.

Johnson resigns  —  Obama and his campaign staunchly defended Jim Johnson against the charge that his ties to troubled mortgage lender Countrywide disqualified him from sitting on Obama's vice presidential search committee, but Johnson just pulled the plug: He resigned as chairman of the steering committee just now.

MORE FURMAN FUROR.  —  What I can't figure out about the furor of Barack Obama's decision to name Jason Furman his economic policy director is where have these people been?  This is like getting pissed at Project Runway because it's a show about clothes.  —  Austen Goolsbee …

Unemployment insurance falls just short in House  —  House Democrats fell just three votes short in their drive to pass an extension of unemployment insurance benefits Wednesday night, however, party leaders vowed they would bring the bill up again on Thursday.

Pakistan Angry as Strike by U.S. Kills 11 Soldiers  —  ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — American air and artillery strikes killed 11 Pakistani paramilitary soldiers during a clash with insurgents on the Afghan border on Tuesday night, a development that raised concerns about the already strained American relationship with Pakistan.

Hispanic Dems warn Obama he risks losing Latinos  —  Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) must commit to helping illegal immigrants achieve citizenship or else risk losing the vital Latino vote in the general election, Hispanic Democratic lawmakers are warning.  —  If he does not promise …

Carville's flotation: Gore for Veep  —  Former Clinton aide James Carville suggested on CNN just now that Obama offer Al Gore the vice presidential nomination.  —  “I think if I was Senator Obama I would say the biggest economic problem we face is the biggest national security problem and the biggest environmental problem.

In Debate Over Permanent Bases In Iraq, U.S. Seeks Authorization For War In Iran  —  The ongoing negotiations between Iraqi leaders and the Bush administration over the future role of the military occupation “have turned into an increasingly acrimonious public debate.”

Code Pink co-founder is Obama bundler  —  A co-founder of the anti-war group Code Pink, which has made a name for itself by interrupting hearings on Capitol Hill, is a fundraising bundler for Barack Obama.  —  Jodie Evans has pledged to raise at least $50,000 for Obama, according the Democrat's campaign site.