Poll Finds Obama's Run Isn't Closing Divide on Race  —  Americans are sharply divided by race heading into the first election in which an African-American will be a major-party presidential nominee, with blacks and whites holding vastly different views of Senator Barack Obama …

The Iron Timetable  —  BARACK OBAMA yesterday accused President Bush and Sen. John McCain of rigidity on Iraq: “They said we couldn't leave when violence was up, they say we can't leave when violence is down.”  Mr. Obama then confirmed his own foolish consistency.

May We Mock, Barack?  —  When I interviewed Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert for Rolling Stone a couple years ago, I wondered what Barack Obama would mean for them.  —  “It seems like a President Obama would be harder to make fun of than these guys,” I said.  —  “Are you kidding me?”  Stewart scoffed.

Congressional Approval Hits Record-Low 14%  —  Democrats less positive than Republicans about Congress  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Congress' job approval rating has dropped five percentage points over the past month, from 19% in June to 14% in July, making the current reading the lowest congressional …

Top US diplomat to join Iran nuclear meeting  —  WASHINGTON - A top U.S. diplomat heading to Tehran has no plans to meet separately with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, but the mere presence of the Bush administration official at talks between the Iranian negotiator and representatives …

The Comedy Stylings of Shecky McCain  —  I made the mistake of watching Verdict yesterday where they had a John McCain sycophant go on and on about how McCain stuck by his principles when he bucked his party on immigration.  He and the host failed to note that he was lining up with the president …

A talking head with a conflict  —  At 7:35 a.m. Monday, the day after dramatic news that the federal government was stepping in to support the mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, CNBC anchor Carl Quintanilla introduced a guest on his “Squawk Box” program.

So Popular and So Spineless  —  Much ink has been spilled lately decrying the decline in American popularity around the world under President Bush.  Polls tell us how China is now more popular in Asia than America and how few Europeans say they identify with the United States.

Most Offensive Quote of the Day  —  If we had a “Most Offensive Quote of the Day” every day, Joe Biden would probably come to own the prize.  But even by the senator's lofty standards of chronic obtuseness, he outdid himself this afternoon: … I know Democrats get a certain tingling …

Breaking: Eight Supers Switching to Hillary  —  Big news folks - it looks like our efforts in contacting those Superdelegates are starting to pay off, so keep on writing to them (ok, maybe Donna B's a waste of time).  There are unconfirmed reports, based on phone banking efforts to reach out to Super Ds …

Pushing Limits—and Proud of It … To some, it was satire.  To others, it was offensive and malicious.  The New Yorker's cover, “Politics of Fear,” shows Barack Obama dressed as a Muslim fist-bumping his gun-toting wife.  New Yorker Editor David Remnick defended his magazine's decision …

The New Reality in Iraq  —  All of the most important objectives of the surge have been accomplished in Iraq.  The sectarian civil war is ended; al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) has been dealt a devastating blow; and the Sadrist militia and other Iranian-backed militant groups have been disrupted.

New Report Shows Saudi Ministry Textbooks Still Teach Extreme Intolerance  —  WASHINGTON, July 15, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ — State Department-Negotiated Deadline for Reform Nears  —  Today the Center for Religious Freedom of the Hudson Institute released a 90-page report …