Supreme Court Rejects Death Penalty for Child Rape  —  WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled, 5 to 4, on Wednesday that sentencing someone to death for raping a child is unconstitutional, assuming that the victim is not killed.  —  “The death penalty is not a proportional punishment for the rape of a child …

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.

Gallup Daily: Obama, McCain Tied at 45%  —  Obama had held at least a slim advantage for most of June  —  PRINCETON, NJ — The latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking update on the presidential election finds John McCain and Barack Obama exactly tied at 45% among registered voters nationwide.

Inside Barack Obama's iPod  —  Barack Obama is a Stevie Wonder geek.  In the Democratic presidential candidate's new interview with Rolling Stone editor-in-chief Jann S. Wenner, Obama waxed rhapsodic about his favorite artists, many of whom — Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Jay-Z — have shown him love with endorsements.

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?

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 …

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.

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.

New Wine in Old Bottles  —  A campaign between Barack Obama and John McCain once offered enormous possibilities for something new.  Instead, the two presumptive nominees have opened their campaigns for the White House with what looks and sounds like a repeat of the kind of politics both have promised to leave behind.

Tough-guy actor eyes Senate seat  —  LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (AP) — Sonny Landham carved out a tough-guy reputation in a series of big-screen roles, from roughing up Sylvester Stallone to getting tossed out a window by Carl Weathers.  —  He pulls no punches in his newest role …

Obama Making Private Calls Appealing To Hillary's Top Fundraisers — And Sometimes Hearing Criticism In Return  —  Barack Obama has begun privately calling Hillary's top fundraisers and making personal appeals for their support, and in some cases is getting some criticism in return …

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 …

AGAIN!  —  Chris Matthews, for the second day in a row, makes the Obama/Osama goof:  —  In case you missed yesterday's, which to his credit Matthews caught: