Alaska's Sen. Ted Stevens indicted by federal grand jury  —  WASHINGTON — Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican in the U.S. Senate and one of the chamber's most powerful members, was indicted Tuesday in Washington, a result of a year-long investigation into corruption in Alaska politics.

As a Professor, Obama Enthralled Students and Puzzled Faculty  —  CHICAGO — The young law professor stood apart in too many ways to count.  At a school where economic analysis was all the rage, he taught rights, race and gender.  Other junior faculty dreamed of tenured positions; he turned them down.

Things I learned today about democracy  —  (updated below - Update II - Update III)  —  Here's what I learned today about democracy and ideology as a result of my debate with Ed Kilgore and having read the comments to the piece I wrote about targeting Blue Dogs:

MEDIA BASH BARACK (NOT A TYPO)  —  Study Finds Obama Faring Worse On TV News Than McCain  —  Barack Obama is getting more negative coverage than John McCain on TV network evening news shows, reversing Obama's lead in good press during the primaries, according to a new study by Center for Media and Public Affairs (CMPA).

Huck compares McCain to Dole  —  Mike Huckabee, speaking a bit more freely in his new capacity as a Fox News contributor, used a “Hannity & Colmes” appearance last night to offer a candid assessment of McCain's performance last week.  —  Huck used two words that dare not speak their name in McCainworld: “Dole” and “anger:”

Earthquake rocks Los Angeles  —  LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) — A magnitude-5.8 earthquake has struck just east of Los Angeles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.  —  The quake's epicenter was about 2 miles southwest of Chino Hills and about 5 miles southeast of Diamond Bar, the USGS said.

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine cancels appearance at Baltimore fundraiser  —  By Politicker Staff  —  Category: President Tags: Tim Kaine Top Story: Breaking  —  Due to a “scheduling problem,” PolitickerMD.com has learned that Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine will not attend tomorrow night's Unity '08 Fundraiser …

Man charged in Tenn. church shooting that killed 2  —  KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A man suspected of opening fire on a roomful of people during a church youth performance was in custody Monday after being tackled by witnesses.  —  But church members are still searching for answers …

A Few Thoughts  —  I'm just back from a week's vacation.  A few thoughts by way of catching up:  —The best thing about Obama's Europe trip was the images, and that's because Obama is a politician of physical genius.  He looks great, moves with grace, and holds himself with a natural authority.

From the Fact Check Desk: Did Obama Say During the Debate Over the Surge That “There's No Doubt that Additional U.S. Troops Could Temporarily Quell the Violence?”  —  Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, on January 10 2007 predicted (watch HERE) that the surge of troops in Iraq would fail.

One of Fournier's job options: McCain  —  Before Ron Fournier returned to The Associated Press in March 2007, the veteran political reporter had another professional suitor: John McCain's presidential campaign.  —  In October 2006, the McCain team approached Fournier about joining the fledgling operation …

10 Things to Scratch From Your Worry List  —  For most of the year, it is the duty of the press to scour the known universe looking for ways to ruin your day.  The more fear, guilt or angst a news story induces, the better.  But with August upon us, perhaps you're in the mood for a break …

Gallup Daily: Obama 47%, McCain 41%  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Barack Obama's lead over John McCain, having reached a nine percentage point margin a few days ago, has been reduced for the second Gallup report in a row, and is now at a 6-point, 47% to 41%, margin among registered voters in Gallup Poll Daily tracking conducted July 26-28.

McCain Spokesman: John McCain Doesn't Know What He's Talking About On Social Security  —  On Sunday, ABC's George Stephanopoilos asked Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) about his plans to fix social security.  McCain said repeatedly that “everything has to be on the table” regarding possible reforms — including a payroll tax increase: