Top Items:
Alissa J. Rubin / New York Times:
Obama Arrives in Baghdad on Mideast Tour — BAGHDAD — Senator Barack Obama arrived in Baghdad on Monday on the latest leg of a weeklong overseas tour, his first as the presumptive Democratic nominee for president. — A United States Embassy official said Mr. Obama, who was traveling …
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Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
News in terror hot spots appears to aid Obama — Barack Obama's long-awaited and much-hyped trip overseas, in large part intended to overcome a perception that he's not up to the job of commander-in-chief, seems to have come at the perfect time as recent events in Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran have played into his message.
David D. Kirkpatrick / New York Times:
After 2000, McCain Learned to Work Levers of Power — Senator John McCain was all but a sworn enemy of Senator Trent Lott, the former Republican leader. — Mr. Lott had quashed Mr. McCain's most cherished legislative goals. And, worse, Mr. McCain believed that in the 2000 Republican primaries …
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Kate Phillips / The Caucus:
Dobson Leans Toward Endorsing McCain — There seems to be a kumbaya moment occurring on the conservative front, and it's one that would apply a salve to Senator John McCain's uneven, unsettled relationship with the religious right. — Enter James Dobson, who has at times been blistering in his criticisms of Mr. McCain.
Eric Gorski / Associated Press:
Dobson shifts positions, may endorse McCain
Dobson shifts positions, may endorse McCain
Discussion:
Top of the Ticket, TBogg, Shakesville, PoliBlog (TM), AMERICAblog News and The American Mind
Jerry Markon / Washington Post:
Detainee's Trial in Military System Begins Today — GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba — Nearly seven years after President Bush declared an “extraordinary emergency” that empowered him to bring terrorists before military judges, Osama bin Laden's former driver is scheduled to go on trial Monday …
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Jeanne Cummings / The Politico:
Obama roars with $25M one-day haul — After locking up his party's presidential nomination, Barack Obama's fundraising operation came roaring back to life in June, generating more than a million dollars on five days, including a whopping $25 million that came in on the last day of the month.
Discussion:
Prairie Weather
Tahman Bradley / Political Punch:
Barack Obama's Butterfly Effect — Today on CBS's Face the Nation, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., in Afghanistan, told the paparazzi-pursued correspondent Lara Logan that “the objective of this trip was to have substantive discussions with people like President Karzai or Prime Minister Maliki …
Jim Rutenberg / New York Times:
McCain and Obama Agree to Attend Megachurch Forum — It has taken a man of God, perhaps, to do what nobody else has been able to do since the general election season began: Get Barack Obama and John McCain together on the same stage before their party conventions later this summer.
Discussion:
The Daily Dish, The Caucus, TPM Election Central, Glamocracy, The Political Carnival, TIME.com, Real Clear Politics and TalkLeft
Ian Urbina / New York Times:
Influx of Voters Likely to Test New Machines — With millions of new voters heading to the polls this November and many states introducing new voting technologies, election officials and voting monitors say they fear the combination is likely to create long lines, stressed-out poll workers and late tallies on Election Day.
William Kristol / New York Times:
No Substitute for Victory — I'll go out on a limb and say that Barack Obama will be well received when he speaks in Berlin on July 24. — O.K., it's not exactly a limb. A recent poll shows that the German public prefers Obama to John McCain by 67 percent to 6 percent. — But there is angst in Germany.
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog
Wall Street Journal:
Their Fair Share — Washington is teeing up “the rich” for a big tax hike next year, as a way to make them “pay their fair share.” Well, the latest IRS data have arrived on who paid what share of income taxes in 2006, and it's going to be hard for the rich to pay any more than they already do.
Jose Antonio Vargas / Washington Post:
Liberal Bloggers Brace for Victory — Obama's Prospects Pose New Concerns for Netroots — AUSTIN, July 20 — “Yep, the way it's looking, we might actually win this thing . . .” — That's Markos Moulitsas talking, a.k.a. “Kos” to everyone here at Netroots Nation, the four-day liberal blogapalooza …
Times of London:
Gordon Brown aide a victim of honeytrap operation by Chinese agents — A top aide to Gordon Brown has been a suspected victim of a “honeytrap” operation by Chinese intelligence agents. — The aide, a senior Downing Street adviser who was with the prime minister on a trip to China earlier this year …
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Times of London:
President Bush lobbyist Stephen Payne in ‘bribes’ row quits — Cash for access at the White House is under scrutiny by Congress — An American government adviser and lobbyist, caught offering access to top White House figures in exchange for a $250,000 (£126,000) …
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Lindsay Beyerstein / Majikthise:
McCain's senior foreign policy advisor tied to global petro-influence peddling
McCain's senior foreign policy advisor tied to global petro-influence peddling