OBAMA'S DISHONEST OP-ED  —  In this morning's New York Times, Barack Obama published an op-ed on Iraq that presumably previews his “major speech” on the subject tomorrow.  Even by Obama's standards, the piece is breathtakingly dishonest.  —  Obama admits that he opposed the surge …

Ventura: I'm not running for Senate  —  (CNN) — Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura has decided not to run for U.S. Senate in that state, he told CNN's “Larry King Live” Monday night.  —  Ventura, a former professional wrestler, had said last week he was weighing whether to run.

Want Obama in a Punch Line?  First, Find a Joke  —  What's so funny about Barack Obama?  Apparently not very much, at least not yet.  —  On Monday, The New Yorker magazine tried dipping its toe into broad satire involving Senator Obama with a cover image depicting the presumptive Democratic …

JAMIE GORELICK'S TIES TO FANNIE MAE AND WHAT SHE'S DOING NOW— In reading this article about Crony Capitalism at Fannie Mae (tip to Instapundit), I noticed that Jamie Gorelick was one of the Fannie executives who benefited from inflated bonuses based on Enron-style accounting.

Fournier to Rove: “Keep Up the Fight”  —  Buried in the 50-page report on Pat Tillman and Jessica Lynch released today by the House Oversight Committee, is a priceless quote from none other than the new head of the AP's Washington Bureau, Ron Fournier.  —  Straight from page 21 of the report:

ONE DOWN, ONE TO GO  —  This morning President Bush rescinded the executive order that has prohibited drilling on the outer continental shelf since 1990.  Many of us have wondered why he didn't do that some time ago.  Rescinding the order will not, of course, allow exploration to go forward …

Matthews Worries ‘Right’ Will Turn New Yorker Cover into T-Shirt  —  On Monday's “Hardball” Chris Matthews was so upset about the New Yorker's cover, depicting Barack Obama in a turban and Michelle Obama toting an AK-47, because he feared “the right will be using that as t-shirt material within the next couple of weeks.”

Six Questions for Jane Mayer, Author of The Dark Side  —  In a series of gripping articles, Jane Mayer has chronicled the Bush Administration's grim and furtive dealings with torture and has exposed both the individuals within the administration who “made it happen” (a group that starts …

Clinton supporters want floor vote  —  It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings.  — Dan Cook  —  Operation Chaos may not yet have finished, according to CQ Politics.  While Hillary Clinton negotiates for a place of honor at the convention, some of her followers have a more important role in mind for her.

Israel, Iran and the Bomb  —  Iran's test salvo of ballistic missiles last week together with recent threatening rhetoric by commanders of the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guards emphasizes how close the Middle East is to a fundamental, in fact an irreversible, turning point.

Accountability Now and Strange Bedfellows: The strategy and rationale  —  In the 2006 mid-term elections, Americans handed The Democratic Party a sweeping, staggering, and historic victory — as the GOP was removed from power and Democrats given control over both the House and Senate.

McLaughlin takes heat for ‘Oreo’ comment  —  (CNN) — Longtime Washington talk-show host John McLaughlin is facing fire Monday for referring to Barack Obama as an “Oreo” during a segment on his Sunday political program, “The McLaughlin Group.  —  The veteran Washington journalist was discussing …

Paramount forced to suspend $450m financing  —  The credit crunch has hit home in Hollywood after Paramount Pictures, which has released a string of hit movies this year, was forced to suspend plans for a $450m film financing.  —  The studio has been working with Deutsche Bank on a financing …