More Fun in Obamaconspiracyville: In Which Larry Sinclair Gets Arrested  —  I blogged a few weeks back about a convicted criminal, Larry Sinclair, who'd been begging the media to cover his wild allegations about Barack Obama.  Today Sinclair trotted into the National Press Club to air …

Obama: NAFTA not so bad after all  —  The Democratic nominee, in an interview with Fortune, says he wants free trade “to work for all people.”  —  WASHINGTON (Fortune) — The general campaign is on, independent voters are up for grabs, and Barack Obama is toning down his populist rhetoric - at least when it comes to free trade.

Muslims barred from picture at Obama event  —  Two Muslim women at Barack Obama's rally in Detroit Monday were barred from sitting behind the podium by campaign volunteers seeking to prevent the women's headscarves from appearing in photographs or on television with the candidate.

Working Group  —  Obama announces his “National Security Working Group”  — Secretary of State Madeleine Albright  — Senator David Boren, former Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence  — Secretary of State Warren Christopher  — Greg Craig, former director …

Michelle on The View  —  Okay, I watched it.  Or I tried.  It was hard to pay attention, frankly, because it was the same twaddle as always, which is why it never occurs to me to watch The View.  Kathryn has captured perfectly the essential banality of Michelle Obama's appearance …

Cindy McCain Presses Obama Patriotism Case  —  ABC News' Ed O'Keefe Reports: Laura Bush may be ready to give Michelle Obama the benefit of the doubt when it comes to her patriotism but Cindy McCain may not.  —  “I don't know why she said what she said,” Mrs. McCain explains in an interview …

The Obama Smear Merchants Keep On Smearin'  —  Here comes the torrent of bulls**t.  —  Yesterday morning Floyd Brown and Co. sent out a press release and e-mail announcing the Barack Obama's brother had acknowledged he was raised Muslim — something that Obama himself has denied.

McCain's Drilling Flip-Flop Is a Good First Step  —  Warts and all, John McCain's flip-flop on offshore drilling is a very welcome development.  When circumstances change, political leaders should change their policies.  And $4 at the pump and $140 in the open market is certainly enough …

House Dems Call to “Nationalize” Oil Industry  —  Right after McCain and Bush call to lift the ban on drilling here, the Democrats Socialists send in their counterpoint and it is blatant!  They skip right over socialism into Communism.  No talk about where they'd get the trillions to buy out stockholders …

Discuss: “We would have loved to knock his head off, too, but we had nothing to knock it off with.”  —  I can't get this story out of my head and heart.  —  How do you feel about the quote by the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department's spokesman at the very end of the piece?

Backstory on AP - Drudge Retort Issue  —  In reading a small slice of the coverage of the AP - Drudge Retort contretemps it struck me that a lot of the more breathless coverage in the blogosphere stems from the rather larger misperception that one day last week, out of the blue, Rogers Cadenhead got slapped with a lawsuit by AP.

Boeing wins tanker protest, but drama is far from over  —  The saga of the Air Force refueling tanker contract is not over by a long shot, though Boeing won a huge victory Wednesday when the Government...  The saga of the Air Force refueling tanker contract is not over by a long shot …

BELLY OF THE EARMARK BEAST!  —  We've just gotten a hold of “Intern's Survival Guide” which is part of the initiation material handed out to new interns in the office of Congressman Don Young (R) when they start at the office.  —  Lots of fun color, as you'd expect.

Blackwater wants lawsuit decided under Islamic law  —  The private military company Blackwater has cultivated a patriotic reputation, with its staff of retired military and former police officers, and the requirement that most of its workers swear an oath to support and defend the U.S. Constitution.