Breaking: Novak cited after hitting pedestrian  —  Syndicated columnist Robert D. Novak was cited by police after he hit a pedestrian with his black Corvette in downtown Washington, D.C., Wednesday morning.  —  A Politico reporter saw Novak in the front of a police car with a citation in his hand …

All Hail ‘McBama’  —  John McCain needs to wake up and smell the Arabic coffee.  —  I know this is not an easy time for him.  When you have been beaten up for four years because of your support for the Iraq war, and then you get something big right — your support for the surge — you want to be able to savor that for a while.

Obama Ignorance Watch (A Very Special Edition!)  —  As you know, Barack Obama is still trotting across the globe, sinking three pointers, ignoring military counsel and healing the occasional leper.  Amidst all the hullabaloo, these Obama comments regarding Israel and terrorism have been sadly overlooked:

Obama tour staged for political pop  —  JERUSALEM - Democrat Barack Obama doesn't travel light.  —  Halfway around the world, the Obama campaign machine appears as sprawling and seamless as it is on its home turf.  As the presumptive Democratic nominee tours five countries in five days …

So Presidential.  So Supremely Confident.  So Confidently Striding.  The Jacket...  The New York Times critic Alessandra Stanley, last mentioned in the Corner for her assertion that Rev. Jeremiah Wright “revealed himself to be the compelling but slightly wacky uncle who unsettles strangers …

Obama Campaign Prints German-language Flyers for Berlin Rally  —  This is pretty extraordinary.  A candidate for the American Presidency is using flyers printed in German to turn people out for his campaign rally in Berlin on Thursday.  This flyer can be found on a bilingual page on BarackObama.com advertising the event:

Jindal Says He's Not Interested in No. 2 Spot With McCain  —  Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said Wednesday he will not run for vice president on the GOP ticket, making him among a growing number of those pulling themselves out of the race.  —  Jindal's comments come as speculation is swirling …

Tales From The JV Squad: No Press Avail  —  WILKES-BARRE, PA — The one scheduled McCain press conference of the week has just been canceled, we are told.  No word as to why.  Grumble, grumble.  —  Why?  Scheduling.  Which is like answering “food” to “what did you eat for breakfast.”

Is McCain inching towards Pawlenty?  —  ROCHESTER, New Hampshire (CNN) - It's VP tea leaf reading season, and a Republican source who attended a small private meeting with John McCain Tuesday in New Hampshire tells CNN that the GOP candidate dropped a serious hint about Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.

McCain message to hit Berlin Thursday  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — Barack Obama is not the only presidential candidate who will be front-and-center in Berlin this Thursday.  Well, sort of.  —  In the latest effort to counter-program Obama's tour of Europe and the Middle East …

HALPERIN'S TAKE: What John McCain Needs to Win  —  What McCain needs to win:  —  Stuff he can't control:  —For Obama to make a substantive mistake on his overseas trip that changes the vector direction of the coverage — especially while he is in Israel.

McCain's Message Gets Makeover  —  ‘Sgt. Schmidt’ Gives New Orders: Hammer, Then Repeat  —  As his campaign bus rolled through northern Wisconsin recently, John McCain interrupted a conversation to take a cell-phone call.  It was “Sgt. Schmidt,” he reported — his nickname for Steve Schmidt …

What did Bush say at Olson Fundraiser?  —  The President's folks didn't let the press in, but we got some exclusive video of POTUS talking up a storm at Pete Olson's fundraiser on July 18th.  Click and take a look. transcript below the video.  —  What President Bush said: