Pentagon Confirms That It Told Obama He Couldn't Visit Army Base With Campaign Staff  —  I've just gotten clarification from the Pentagon on what really happened with regard to Barack Obama's canceled visit to an Army base in Germany, something the McCain campaign has been using to hit Obama since yesterday.

McCain May Act Soon on VP Pick  —  Aides Predict Announcement Before Olympics  —  Anxious to counter the blanket media coverage that has followed Sen. Barack Obama on his overseas journey, Sen. John McCain is weighing whether to announce his running mate in the coming weeks before the spotlight shifts …

He ventured forth to bring light to the world  —  The anointed one's pilgrimage to the Holy Land is a miracle in action - and a blessing to all his faithful followers  —  And it came to pass, in the eighth year of the reign of the evil Bush the Younger (The Ignorant), when the whole land …

Security Guard Confirms Late-Night Encounter Between Former Sen. John Edwards, Tabloid Reporters In Beverly Hills Hotel  —  A hotel security guard told FOXNews.com he intervened this week between a man he identified as former Sen. John Edwards and tabloid reporters who chased …

Thesis Follies  —  Steve Sailer darkly hints: … Meanwhile, Noam Scheiber writes about reporters' efforts to get their hands on a copy of Barack Obama's senior thesis, all copies of which have apparently gone missing from Columbia.  The thesis was about nuclear negotiating strategies …

Obama's path to presidency is far from clear  —  The Democrat is winning fans on his trip abroad, but is struggling to gain real ground against McCain at home.  Some key Clinton backers remain alienated.  —  WASHINGTON — Even as his turn on the global stage hit an emotional peak Thursday …

What Bush and Batman Have in Common  —  A cry for help goes out from a city beleaguered by violence and fear: A beam of light flashed into the night sky, the dark symbol of a bat projected onto the surface of the racing clouds . . .  Oh, wait a minute.  That's not a bat, actually.

Playing Innocent Abroad  —  Radical optimism is America's contribution to the world.  The early settlers thought America's founding would bring God's kingdom to earth.  John Adams thought America would emancipate “the slavish part of mankind all over the earth.”

Rove Threatened GOP IT Guru If He Does Not ‘Take the Fall’ for Election Fraud in Ohio, Says Attorney  —  Karl Rove has threatened a GOP high-tech guru and his wife, if he does not “'take the fall' for election fraud in Ohio,” according to a letter sent this morning to Attorney General Michael Mukasey …

Senate energy speculation bill fails key vote  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. legislation to rein in excessive energy speculation failed a key procedural vote on Friday to move forward in the Senate, and now lawmakers will set aside the bill to consider other legislation.

The parade of “shrill, unserious extremists” on display at today's impeachment hearings  —  Former Reagan DOJ official, constitutional lawyer, and hard-core conservative Bruce Fein was one of the first prominent Americans to call for George Bush's impeachment in the wake of the illegal NSA spying scandal.

Maliki Votes for Obama  —  In a stunning upset, Barack Obama this week won the Iraq primary.  When Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki not once but several times expressed support for a U.S. troop withdrawal on a timetable that accorded roughly with Obama's 16-month proposal, he did more than legitimize the plan.

Sarkozy: Obama's my ‘pal’  —  French President Nicolas Sarkozy is offering Obama a warm welcome on the day of their meeting, in an interview with the conservative daily Le Figaro.  —  “Obama?  He's my pal,” the president told Le Figaro.  “Unlike my diplomatic advisors, I never believed in Hillary Clinton's chances.

For Targeted GOP Senate Candidates, St. Paul Is Not A Choice Destination  —  Nine of 12 targeted Republicans running in the most competitive Senate races this fall are either skipping the Republican convention in St. Paul, Minn., or have not decided whether to attend.

Israeli paper publishes Obama Western Wall prayer … JERUSALEM (AP) - A written prayer that Barack Obama left this week in the cracks of the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, asks God to guide him and guard his family, an Israeli newspaper reported Friday.