Lawmakers Reach Deal To Expand Surveillance  —  WASHINGTON — After more than a year of partisan acrimony over government surveillance powers, Democratic and Republican leaders have agreed to a bipartisan deal that would be the most sweeping rewrite of spy powers in three decades.

Obama to Break Promise, Opt Out of Public Financing for General Election  —  In a web video to supporters — “the people who built this movement from the bottom up” — Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, announced this morning that he will not enter into the public financing system, despite a previous pledge to do so.

My Mom's White!  And I'm From America!  —  I feel like Barack Obama's new general election ad is a bit unsubtle.  —  The campaign says they're running it on a very aggressive 18 state play that includes Alaska, Georgia, Indiana, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, and Virginia.

Commentary - Bank of America PAC money behind Dodd's Countrywide loan  —  WASHINGTON (Map, News) - “We call it the ‘Bank of America bill on steroids.’” A House staffer told me that, demanding anonymity, but speaking on behalf of aides to GOP members of the House Financial Services Committee.

In with the Old  —  Barack Obama has never been shy about comparing himself to Abraham Lincoln.  He did so when he announced his candidacy at the Illinois state capitol, where both he and Lincoln served in the legislature.  “The life of a tall, gangly, self-made Springfield lawyer tells us …

Sue OPEC  —  THE president of the United States has the power to attack, and perhaps destroy, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, the illegal cartel that has driven the price of oil over $130 per barrel.  This can be accomplished without invasion or bombing.  No special legislation is needed.

Oil uh oh  —  When I first heard McCain come out for drilling offshore for Oil, I knew something must have shifted in public opinion over the matter, especially when FL Gov Crist came out for it: … Rasmussen has more on the polling, in FL, in OH, and nationally.

Congress Reaches Deal on Wiretapping Bill  —  WASHINGTON — After months of wrangling, Democratic and Republican leaders reached a deal Thursday that would re-write the rules for the government's wiretapping powers, and would provide what amounts to limited immunity to the telephone companies …

Obama apologizes to Muslim women  —  Sen. Barack Obama today called the two Muslim women who were barred from sitting behind him at his Detroit rally to apologize, one of the women and two other sources said.  —  “Sen. Obama called himself and he apologized to each of us,” one of the women, lawyer Hebba Aref, told me just now.

Iowa Flooding Could Be An Act of Man, Experts Say  —  As the Cedar River rose higher and higher, and as he stacked sandbags along the levee protecting downtown Cedar Falls, Kamyar Enshayan, a college professor and City Council member, kept asking himself the same question: “What is going on?”

Pregnancy Boom at Gloucester High  —  As summer vacation begins, 17 girls at Gloucester High School are expecting babies—more than four times the number of pregnancies the 1,200-student school had last year.  Some adults dismissed the statistic as a blip.  Others blamed hit movies like Juno …

FOX News Poll: Americans Proud to Have Obama, McCain as President  —  Whether John McCain or Barack Obama wins in November, a majority of Americans say they will be proud of the new president, according to a FOX News poll released Thursday.  —  About two-thirds would be at least somewhat proud …