So Where's Murphy?  —  From the gun clubs of Northern Virginia to the sports bars of Capitol Hill — wherever D.C.-area Republicans gather — you hear the question:  —  “Where's Murphy?”  —  “Murphy” is Mike Murphy, the 46-year-old G.O.P. strategist who masterminded John McCain's 2000 primary race …

McCain promises to balance budget  —  Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) plans to promise on Monday that he will balance the federal budget by the end of his first term by curbing wasteful spending and overhauling entitlement programs, including Social Security, his advisers told Politico.

Old guy vs change: McCain, Obama images take shape  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Now more than ever, it's the old guy against the agent of change.  —  Ask people to blurt out their first words about the two presidential candidates and one in five say “change” or “outsider” for Barack Obama and …

Disconfirmations Disconfirmed: Saddam Had Nuke Program (Updated)  —  The media have been telling us for years that Saddam had no WMD, so “Bush's War”: was based on a “lie.”  And those who believed Saddam did have WMD or WMD programs were delusional or worse.  —  But today, on July 6, 2008, the Associated Press reports that

Sunday Talkers Not Kind  —  There was much discussion this Sunday over whether Barack Obama is shifting ground.  Over at This Week, Mark Halperin, Ted Koppel and host George Stephanopoulos were not shy about pointing out the divergence between the old and new Obama.

Aims of Democrats Reach Beyond the Oval Office  —  Summer is the season of political dreams.  And this summer Democrats are dreaming big up and down the ballot.  —  Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee-apparent, has started a broad approach to the general election …

Gallup Daily: Obama Leads, 48% to 42%  —  Little signs of change over the first part of the July 4 weekend  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Democratic candidate Barack Obama continues to maintain a slim margin over Republican John McCain, 48% to 42%, according to Gallup Poll Daily tracking conducted July 2-3 and July 5.

A WORD FROM ROBERT CORAM  —  Robert Coram is the author of American Patriot: The Life and Wars of Colonel Bud Day.  He has forwarded a message related to our post “Setting the record straight on Bud Day, and CNN.”  Mr. Coram writes: … The description of Col. Day as a member …

Ancient Tablet Ignites Debate on Messiah and Resurrection  —  JERUSALEM — A three-foot-tall tablet with 87 lines of Hebrew that scholars believe dates from the decades just before the birth of Jesus is causing a quiet stir in biblical and archaeological circles, especially because it may speak …

Doctors Press Senate to Undo Medicare Cuts  —  WASHINGTON — Congress returns to work this week with Medicare high on the agenda and Senate Republicans under pressure after a barrage of radio and television advertisements blamed them for a 10.6 percent cut in payments to doctors who care for millions of older Americans.

In Organizing, Obama Led While Finding His Place  —  CHICAGO — The year was 1985 and Gerald Kellman, a community organizer, was interviewing an applicant named Barack Obama to work in the demoralized landscape of poor neighborhoods on this city's South Side.

Post-9/11 Dragnet Turns Up Surprises  —  In the six-and-a-half years that the U.S. government has been fingerprinting insurgents, detainees and ordinary people in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Horn of Africa, hundreds have turned out to share an unexpected background, FBI and military officials said.

Obama Strikes First  —  The campaign of 2008 started on July 1 when Obama launched his first national advertising buy of the season.  How McCain responds and whether or not he does, will have a big impact in determining whether Obama can solidify or expand his current lead in the polls.

Decider on the High Court  —  The most dramatic stories in any field of competitive endeavor are those that recount events that almost never happened.  It's the scoreless ballgames that end with a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth that linger in the psyches of winners and losers — not the 9-3 walkovers.