Top Items:
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Newsweek Poll: Obama drops like a rock — Last month, Newsweek's poll surprised many by showing a huge gap between Barack Obama and John McCain, with the Democratic nominee-apparent enjoying a 15-point lead over the Republican. One month later, Obama has lost all of the momentum and has dropped into a virtual tie with McCain.
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Jonathan Darman / Newsweek:
Glow Fading? — The latest NEWSWEEK Poll shows Barack Obama leading John McCain by only 3 points. What a difference a few weeks can make. — Jae C. Hong / AP — Poll Drop: Obama is down is the latest poll, but still shows signs of strength — A month after emerging victorious …
Washington Wire:
Hagel to Join Obama on Iraq Trip — Susan Davis reports on the presidential race. — The buzz this week that Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska is planning to join Sen. Barack Obama on an up-coming visit to Iraq is correct, two sources with knowledge of the trip confirmed Friday.
Discussion:
The Carpetbagger Report, Hotline On Call, Comedy Central, MyDD, Newshoggers.com, Blue Girl, Red State, Macsmind, Taylor Marsh, TIME.com and Donklephant
Alexander Mooney / CNN:
Polls: Obama ahead by eight — (CNN) — As the dog days of summer set in and Americans take a break from the daily political band-and-forth, a new CNN analysis of several recent national opinion surveys show Barack Obama with a sizeable lead over John McCain.
Discussion:
Reuters
Wall Street Journal:
U.S. Shuts Big Bank As Crisis Intensifies — IndyMac Bank, a prolific mortgage specialist that helped fuel the housing boom, was seized Friday by federal regulators in one of the largest bank failures in U.S. history. — The Pasadena, Calif., thrift was one of the largest savings and loans …
Discussion:
Buck Naked Politics, Associated Press, Firedoglake, Hot Air, The American Mind, Angry Bear, Hullabaloo, Redstate, Bucks Right and alicublog
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Louise Story / New York Times:
Regulators Seize Mortgage Lender — Banking regulators seized IndyMac Bancorp, one of the country's largest mortgage lenders, on Friday evening. — The bank, a star in the subprime era, is the second largest ever to fail and the first major bank to shut its doors since the savings and loan crisis of the 1980s.
Bloomberg:
IndyMac Seized by U.S. Regulators Amid Cash Crunch — IndyMac Bancorp Inc. became the second-biggest federally insured financial company to be seized by U.S. regulators after a run by depositors left the California mortgage lender short on cash. — The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp …
Karl / protein wisdom:
The Iranian threat, real and Photoshopped — Wired's Noah Shachtman rounds up some of the better mockeries of Iran's attempt to Photoshop a failed missile launch into a success. My favorite may be the old school approach of a Boing Boing commenter: — While the Photoshop folly is deserving …
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Brad DeLong / Grasping Reality with Both Hands:
Every Time I Try to Crawl Out, They Pull Me Back in! — You know something? … No, that is not right: … No, that is still not right: … Maybe this will do it: … Called on forty minutes' notice, I trot over to the J-School studio to be a talking head on BBC/Newsnight about Fannie and Freddie.
Discussion:
Discourse.net
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Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Obama's latest flip-flop: Death penalty for bin Laden! Update: Double flip-flop with a global test? — Just three weeks ago, Barack Obama said that he would not make Osama bin Laden into a martyr if he was captured. Today, Barack Obama suddenly thinks the death penalty would be keen-o for OBL.
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Randyj / TIME.com:
Obama: Death Penalty for Bin Laden — In an interview with CNN, the Senator says he's no “cheerleader for the death penalty,” but “I think plotting and engineering the death of 3,000 Americans justifies such an approach.” … Also criticizes Afghanistan's president: “I think the Karzai government has not gotten out of the bunker.”
Mohammad Rafiq / Reuters:
U.S. air strike kills 47 civilians: official — JALALABAD, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A U.S. coalition force air strike on Sunday killed 47 civilians, including 39 women and children, in the eastern province of Nangarhar, an Afghan official said on Friday. — The issue of civilian casualties …
Ben / Think Progress:
Barnes Defends Gramm: Americans Are ‘Whining All The Way Through’ The Bad Economy — Last night on Fox News's Special Report, the “All-Star panel” discussed top McCain adviser Phill Gramm's recent controversial remarks that regarding the economy, the U.S. has become a “nation of whiners” and the U.S. is merely in a “mental recession.”
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Jonah Goldberg / The Corner:Phil Gramm — From a reader: … Me: Fair enough.
Discussion:
The Jed Report
Jennifer Parker / Political Radar:
Como Se Dice? Obama Clarifies Comments Over Foreign Languages — ABC News' Sunlen Miller reports: Sen. Barack Obama reiterated his belief Friday that America's children to learn a foreign language, firing back against criticism he received from some conservative groups who suggested …
Discussion:
The Corner, DownWithTyranny!, The Campaign Spot, NewsBusters.org, Weekly Standard Blog, Hullabaloo, Hot Air and TIME.com
Drudge Report:
IRAN MISSILE TEST BLUFF: OLD ROCKETS, BOGUS VIDEO — Many of Iran's claims related to missile tests during “Great Prophet III” war games — appear to be smoke and mirrors! — The missiles tested DID NOT not have 2,000-kilometer range, the NEW YORK TIMES is planning to report on Saturday.
Discussion:
Gateway Pundit
Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:
New Obama Radio Ad Hits McCain As “Shameful” For “Makin' Stuff Up” — A source sends over a copy of a sharp new radio ad the Obama campaign will release a bit later today responding to this earlier RNC ad claiming Obama will hike taxes. — The Obama ad hammers McCain for the spot …
Discussion:
Eschaton
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Tom Bowles / Sports Illustrated:Presidential candidate Obama to sponsor Cup car at Pocono race
Discussion:
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