The Real FISA Vote Passes 80 to 15 With the Presidential Nominees Passing  —  They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.  - Benjamin Franklin  —  The FISA Cloture vote just passed.  The Senate will now consider the motion …

While Fundraising, Bush Mounts Attack on Obama  —  LIVONIA, Mich. — President Bush came to suburban Detroit Wednesday to mount a clear attack on Sen. Barack Obama, though he never actually mentioned the Democratic candidate's name.  —  Instead, Bush suggested through red-meat GOP rhetoric …

KEITH GOES NUTS OVER KETCHUP  —  MSNBC blowhard Keith Olbermann couldn't even control his temper at a memorial reception for beloved Tim Russert.  —  Network sources told Page Six Olbermann was furious last week when MSNBC didn't get him a first-class ticket to Washington, DC …

What the child rapist, saved today by Supreme Court liberals, did to his 8-year-old stepdaughter  —  Anthony Kennedy and the leftists on the Supreme Court ruled this morning that what child rapist Patrick Kennedy did to his 8-year-old stepdaughter is a crime that should not be punishable by death.

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.

HALPERIN'S TAKE: What Smart Republican Strategists Think Should Be on John McCain's To-Do List  —  1. Prove to your staff you can drive a message for more than one consecutive day.  —  2. Tell Americans what the one, key difference is between you and Obama.

The Latest NIE Scandal  —  A friend on the Hill writes:

BREAKING ELECTION NEWSGAYPATRIOT EXCLUSIVE:John McCain Meets with Log Cabin Republicans President  —  GayPatriot has exclusively learned that presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Senator John McCain held a personal meeting with the head of the national gay Republicans organization, the Log Cabin Republicans.

BlueDogs seek a hunting ground in upper chamber  —  Blue Dog Democrats, frustrated that their fight to end deficit spending has been stymied by the Senate, may endorse candidates running for the upper chamber.  —  Leaders of the group told The Hill on Wednesday that they are considering plans …

Law ‘will ban age discrimination’  —  The government is to bring forward new legislation to outlaw all forms of age discrimination, the BBC has learned.  —  Equalities Minister Harriet Harman is expected to announce the plan on Thursday as part of a package of measures in an Equalities Bill.

Parties Split on How to Expand Offshore Drilling  —  HOUSTON — The two political parties have settled on markedly different strategies for improving domestic oil supplies to help lower gasoline prices.  —  Republicans want to end the 27-year ban on offshore drilling along much of the nation's coastline …

Why it's time to lay off NAFTA  —  Campaign season is just getting warmed up, but looking back on the primaries we've already seen plenty of the usual fare: candidates shaking hands, hanging out at diners, and scaring voters about foreigners who are taking your jobs.

Shock of the Old  —  Belle Waring returns to the United States from Singapore where she lives: … I believe it's the Pulaski Skyway (pictured above).  In part, a country like the United States just isn't going to be able to compete infrastructure-wise with a newly-prosperous country like Singapore …

Partial transcript of Ralph Nader's comments  —  Below is a partial transcript of independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader's comments to the Rocky Mountain News about presumed Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama.  The interview was conducted on Monday at Nader's campaign headquarters in Washington, D.C.