REV. JACKSON TRASH TALKS OBAMA: ‘CUT HIS N**S OUT’  —  SHOCK: REV. JESSE JACKSON SLAMS OBAMA, WANTS TO ‘CUT HIS N**S OUT’... APOLOGIZES FOR ‘CRUDE AND HURTFUL COMMENTS’ CAUGHT ON TAPE... FOXNEWS WILL PLAY JACKSON TAPE IN ITS ENTIRETY TONIGHT ON 'O'REILLY' 8 PM ET/5 PM PT... DEVELOPING...

Election 2008: Missouri Presidential Election  —  Missouri: McCain Leads By Five in Classic Swing State  —  The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in Missouri shows John McCain attracting 47% of the vote while Barack Obama earns 42%.  A month ago, the candidates were essentially even.

Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on the FISA Amendments Act of 2008  —  One of the great challenges before us as a nation is remaining steadfast in our fight against terrorism while preserving our commitment to the rule of law and individual liberty.

Iran's Photoshopped Missile Launch  —  At least one of the photographs released today by Iran and published by an unquestioning Western media is a Photoshop fake:  —  (Hat tip: webs87.)  —  UPDATE at 7/9/08 8:20:34 pm:  —  An animated version at Suitably Flip: Mahmoud the Fauxtographer.

Barack's Brilliant Ground Game  —  For a campaign that says it wants to end the politics of the Bush-Cheney years, the Obama for President effort has cribbed an awful lot from the Bush-Cheney playbooks of 2000 and 2004.  —  For starters, Barack Obama's manager admitted to the New York Times …

Senators Give Kennedy A Standing Ovation As He Returns To Cast Critical Vote On Medicare Bill  —  Today, the Senate chamber erupted into loud cheers when Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) returned to cast his vote on long-stalled Medicare legislation.  Senators gave Kennedy, who has been battling a brain tumor, a long standing ovation.

Judicial Watch files complaint over Obama's mortgage  —  A watchdog group filed complaints with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the Senate Ethics Committee Wednesday against Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) over a discounted mortgage he received from Northern Trust.

America Gets to Know Obama, and Vice Versa  —  BUTTE, Mont. — Senator Barack Obama marveled at the view here in Big Sky Country.  He discovered that the gumbo in New Orleans was far tastier than in Chicago.  And he was pleasantly surprised that he loved Austin, Tex., and its music — but who doesn't?

Flint, Michigan Battles Crack Epidemic  —  The third most violent city in American had declared war on . . . saggy pants.  Below, a helpful graphic from the Detroit Free Press explains the new law.  —  Send this article to: - StumbleUpon - Digg - Reddit - Fark - Facebook

Build a Wiffle Ball Field and Lawyers Will Come  —  Some town-owned land in Greenwich, Conn., has been turned into a Wiffle ball field by teenagers.  Neighbors are complaining.  Jeff Currivan, 17, shown at bat, said, “They think we're a cult.”  —  GREENWICH, Conn.

Howard Wolfson, ex-Hillary Clinton aide, gets a Fox News platform  —  Two different takes on one pugnacious politico...  The big news in the world of punditry today is the Fox News Channel has added to its ranks former Hillary Clinton aide Howard Wolfson — known for his don't-give-an-inch style …

Offering Reassurance and Change  —  The New Stage of the 2008 Election  —  Barack Obama has slowly moved up to a 4-point lead over John McCain in the race for president (49 to 45 percent) in this special 2,000-sample Democracy Corps survey, a margin consistent with the most recent national poll estimates.