Nader: Obama ‘talking white’  —  Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader accused Sen. Barack Obama, the presumed Democratic Party nominee, of downplaying poverty issues, trying to “talk white” and appealing to “white guilt” during his run for the White House.

Court rejects death penalty for raping children  —  WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court on Wednesday outlawed executions of people convicted of raping a child.  —  In a 5-4 vote, the court said the Louisiana law allowing the death penalty to be imposed in such cases violates the Constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

More Phony Myths  —  Karl Rove was impressed with Barack Obama when he first met him.  But now he sees him as a “coolly arrogant” elitist.  —  This was Rove's take on Obama to Republicans at the Capitol Hill Club Monday, according to Christianne Klein of ABC News:  —  “Even if you never met him, you know this guy.

FIRST THOUGHTS: A FOCUS GROUP IN YORK  —  From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro  —  YORK, PA — A focus group conducted last night here in a county that Hillary Clinton carried in April showed that her supporters are coming around to Obama.  But the group — 12 likely voters …

To the Loser Go the Spoils  —  Hillary Clinton was taking the elevator up to her Senate office yesterday for the first time since she lost the Democratic presidential nomination when one of her aides, Philippe Reines, warned her about the condition of her office.

Taking Ownership of Iraq?  —  Having recently returned from Egypt, I have the Suez Canal on my mind.  And looking at Iraq from Cairo, the thought occurred to me that maybe the Iraqis have just crossed the Suez Canal.  If so, that's good news.  —  What am I talking about?

Do NOT Mock Obama!  —  Joseph Palermo of the Huffington Post gets so incensed that Jon Stewart mocked Obama's decision to opt out of public financing that he denounces Jon Stewart as having led us into war: … And that's why proper libs shouldn't mock Obama now, since it inadvertently makes the Republican case for McCain.

Meet the make-believe strategists of TV  —  Jane Fleming Kleeb went on “The O'Reilly Factor” two weeks ago to talk about global warming, a topic on which, by her own admission, she's hardly an expert.  So who, then, is Jane Fleming Kleeb?  Well, according to the Chyron that flashed across …

Cannon spiked by newbie Chaffetz in 3rd District primary  —  Jason Chaffetz's promise to change Washington, starting with Rep. Chris Cannon, resonated with Republican voters, who ousted the six-term incumbent in a GOP primary Tuesday.  —  “We rocked the vote here in Utah and we rocked the Republican Party …

Barack Obama buzz sweeps through the BET Awards  —  LOS ANGELES (AP) - Barack Obama didn't attend the BET Awards, but that didn't stop attendees from talking about him.  —  “If we all register and vote, we will have the first black president in the history of America,” Sean “Diddy” …

Chris Dodd's speech and a glimmer of hope for stopping the FISA bill  —  Back in December, Harry Reid's plan was to have the Senate quickly pass the Cheney/Rockefeller FISA bill before the Senate recessed for Christmas.  But Chris Dodd's relentless delaying tactics — his filibuster and holds …

BREAKING: Bush Administration to Ask Congress on Thursday to REMOVE North Korea from TERROR WATCH LIST  —  (Asst. Secretary of State for East Asia Christopher Hill)  —  Tonight, The Washington Note confirmed that the Bush administration will “ask Congress” to de-list North Korea from America's “terrorist watch list.”

Eighth Amendment Question: Isn't Brutally Raping an Eight-year-old More Cruel Than Lethal Objection?  —  Even if you agree with their bottom line, do Justice Kennedy and the justices in Kennedy v. Louisiana have a clue about how offensive it is to write this line in rationalizing why a man …

Pelosi on ‘Hush Rush,’ and Filibustering FISA  —  The speaker of the House made it clear to me and more than forty of my colleagues yesterday that a bill by Rep. Mike Pence (R.-Ind.) to outlaw the “Fairness Doctrine” (which a liberal administration could use to silence Rush Limbaugh …