Political leverage in the 51st state  —  It's almost a convention of politics that when a politician says he was misquoted, but doesn't detail the misquote or offer an alternative, he's really saying he wishes he hadn't said what he did, or that he needs to issue a pro-forma denial to please someone.

Rendering public opinion irrelevant  —  One of the most striking aspects of our political discourse, particularly during election time, is how efficiently certain views that deviate from the elite consensus are banished from sight — simply prohibited — even when those views are held by the vast majority of citizens.

Closed Mouths, but Open Tryouts to Make the Team  —  For all the lengths Senators Barack Obama and John McCain have gone to in keeping their hunt for a vice president under wraps, their deliberations are in some ways being conducted in plain sight.  —  There was Mr. McCain appearing yet again …

Given a Shovel, Americans Dig Deeper Into Debt  —  The collection agencies call at least 20 times a day.  For a little quiet, Diane McLeod stashes her phone in the dishwasher.  —  But right up until she hit the wall financially, Ms. McLeod was a dream customer for lenders.

Obama: Situation in Afghanistan is ‘urgent’  —  KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) — Sen. Barack Obama said Sunday that United States needs to focus on Afghanistan in its battle against terrorism.  —  “The Afghan government needs to do more.  But we have to understand that the situation is precarious and urgent here in Afghanistan.

Palestinians: Israel uses rats against J'lem Arabs  —  The Palestinian Authority's official news agency Wafa says Israel is using rats to drive Arab families out of their homes in the Old City of Jerusalem.  —  In the past the news agency, which is controlled and funded …

Inauguration tix selling fast in Illinois  —  Like Cubs or White Sox fans booking their World Series seats at the All-Star Break, Illinois residents are snapping up tickets to celebrate Barack Obama's potential inauguration in Washington next year.  —  Never mind that native-son Obama …

Obama's steady centrism  —  Throughout the left-wing blogosphere, the cry has come: Barack Obama is moving away from them, and to the center.  “Moving to the middle is for losers,” cried the politically ambidextrous Arianna Huffington.  He's “betraying his claims of being a new kind of politician …

MSNBC prez on Fox News: “You can't trust a word they say”  —  MSNBC president Phil Griffin spoke with me earlier this week, a few hours after he was promoted to his new post (see my earlier story).  Because of what the techies call a “catastrophic failure” of my hard drive (a strange phrase …

Dan Rather: Jesse Jackson paved the way for...Osama bin Laden?!  —  When asked for his opinion on the whole Jesse Jackson/Barack Obama dust up, Dan Rather talks about his admiration for the legendary civil rights activists, and says Osama bin Laden wouldn't be possible without him.  Say what?