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.

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.

Senate Approves Bill to Broaden Wiretap Powers  —  WASHINGTON — The Senate gave final approval on Wednesday to a major expansion of the government's surveillance powers, handing President Bush one more victory in a series of hard-fought clashes with Democrats over national security issues.

Congress votes to immunize lawbreaking telecoms, legalize warrantless eavesdropping  —  The Democratic-led Congress this afternoon voted to put an end to the NSA spying scandal, as the Senate approved a bill — approved last week by the House — to immunize lawbreaking telecoms …

He quit rather than lower flag for Helms  —  RALEIGH - L.F. Eason III gave up the only job he'd ever had rather than lower a flag to honor former U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms.  —  Eason, a 29-year veteran of the state Department of Agriculture, instructed his staff at a small Raleigh lab not to fly …

As America Learns About Obama, He Returns the Favor  —  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?

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.

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 …

Holding Up a Mirror to the SEIU  —  On July 17, in New York and 50 other cities, one of America's biggest unions, the Service Employees International Union, will try to demonize prominent New York financier Henry Kravis, a founding partner of the private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts.

My LA Times Readership  —  If you want a sense of how popular I am with the LA Times community, check out the (354 and counting) comments to my Obama national service column.  —  One small point in response (I know, I know: Why bother?).  The 13th amendment lists involuntary servitude and slavery as different things.