DID HE REALLY JUST DO THAT?  —  This is the lead on a story just out over the Reuters wire ...  The Reuters piece hints at it.  But if Obama is going to be in Iraq this weekend, this is a major breach on McCain's part.  As a knowledgeable insider notes ...

McCain POW bud: Muslims ‘going to kill us’  —  One of John McCain's fellow POW's in Vietnam defended the war in Iraq, saying, “The Muslims have said either we kneel or they're going to kill us.”  —  In a phone call with reporters arranged by Republican Party of Florida, Colonel Bud Day added …

Harold Ford Heckled Over Fox Comment At Netroots Nation  —  Former congressman Harold Ford was billed as a sheep amidst the wolves when he was booked for an appearance at the Netroots Nation conference here in Austin.  And while for the most part the DLC head and self-described ‘centrist’ Democrat received …

Statement by the Press Secretary on Iraq  —  President Bush and Prime Minister Maliki spoke yesterday in their regularly scheduled secure video conference, about a range of matters including the improving security situation and the performance of Iraqi Security Forces across Iraq, from Basra, to Maysan, Baghdad and Sadr City, and Mosul.

New Yorker Cover Cartoon NOT a Satire?  —  It is being reported today that Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times has in his possession a tape recording of an interview he once had with Barack Obama that may be very damaging to the latter's campaign for the presidency.

Obama and the captains of American industry  —  Sen. Barack Obama has been meeting secretly with heavy industry CEOs in Washington to discuss issues that he would face as president.  —  On the campaign trail, Obama has been highly critical of corporate executives and promised them nothing but tougher regulation and higher taxes.

California opposes move to ban gay marriage: poll  —  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Californians are likely to uphold the right to gay marriage in the state by voting against a ballot measure that seeks to override a court ruling allowing same-sex unions, poll results showed on Friday.

McCain Campaign's Parting Gift To Obama Traveling Press Corps  —  It's a 17-page briefing book on Obama's Iraq and Afghanistan policy complete with Obama's one-event-only presidential seal.  Download it here.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck in Tears After ‘View’ Discussion on N-Word  —  “View” co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck was in tears Thursday after a discussion about the use of the n-word, in which fellow co-host Whoopi Goldberg told her the two “don't live in the same world.”

Listen Now  —  Angelica Hernandez (left) and her mother, Gloria Nunez, struggle to make ends meet on a very limited budget.  —  Nunez Family Economic Snapshot  —  Want to read more information on the Nunezes household budget and learn about budget cuts they've made?  Click here.

Using Bombs to Stave Off War  —  ISRAEL will almost surely attack Iran's nuclear sites in the next four to seven months — and the leaders in Washington and even Tehran should hope that the attack will be successful enough to cause at least a significant delay in the Iranian production schedule …

Obama's ‘Judgment’  —  Barack Obama departs for Iraq as early as this weekend, with a media entourage as large as some of his rallies.  He'll no doubt learn a lot, in addition to getting a good photo op.  What we'll be waiting to hear is whether the would-be Commander in Chief absorbs enough …

Wes Clark Calls Out “The Right Wing Freak Machine”  —  Greetings from sweltering Austin, Texas, where you can sweat through a shirt a 10:30 p.m....or did somebody just spill a Lone Star on me?  —  It's all good because we're here for Netroots Nation — aka the third annual gathering …

Photographer Detained After Filming Taliban Execution of Two Women in Afghanistan  —  The Afghan journalist who filmed and photographed the July 12 execution of two women by the Taliban says he was detained and held for two days by authorities in Afghanistan for suspected ties to terrorists.