Only 22% Say McCain Ad Racist, But Over Half (53%) See Obama Dollar-bill Comment That Way  —  Sixty-nine percent (69%) of the nation's voters say they've seen news coverage of the McCain campaign commercial that includes images of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton and suggests that Barack Obama is a celebrity just like them.

John Kerry rebukes Wesley Clark on Meet the Press: Brokaw loses his memory too  —  In one segment Kerry can be really good on NBC and then be equally bad the next.  On Meet the Press today, Tom Brokaw asked John Kerry about Wesley Clark's Face the Nation segment.

McCain's Celebrity Ad: Frivolous, A Waste Of Money, A Waste Of Time  —  I've been asked again and again for my response to the now infamous McCain celebrity ad.  I actually have three responses.  It is a complete waste of the money John McCain's contributors have donated to his campaign.

Mr. Darcy Comes Courting  —  It is a truth universally acknowledged that Barack Obama must continue to grovel to Hillary Clinton's dead-enders, some of whom mutter darkly that they will not only not vote for him, they will never vote for a man again.  —  Obama met for an hour Tuesday …

Obama Central: Peace, Harmony and Deep Secrecy  —  CHICAGO — The bustling Obama headquarters on North Michigan Avenue invites comparisons to a start-up, teeming with young people in jeans clutching BlackBerrys as they walk through the halls.  Yet in Democratic circles, another …

John McCain may turn to Virginia for a VP candidate  —  First came speculation that Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine was on Barack Obama's short list for the Democrats' vice presidential nod.  —  Today, the Associated Press is reporting that John McCain's campaign has asked another son of the Old Dominion …

Hello To All That Again  —  Here you have the current message of the McCain campaign from no less an authority than Rick Davis: … They really played the arugula card?  For all McCain's personal qualities, we're learning that the machine behind the GOP simply re-makes the campaign in its own Coulterite image.

Global Warming Did It!  Well, Maybe Not.  —  We're stuck on the notion that climate change is the culprit every time a natural disaster strikes.  But that's just muddying the waters.  —  We're heading into the heart of hurricane season, and any day now, a storm will barrel toward the United States …

What Happened?  —  This is a must-watch video, recorded from at least three different angles.  (From a John McCain media availability in Panama City, FL held on Friday, August 1, 2008.)  —  Update (10:40AM): Several folks have asked to see what his eventual response was.  C&L has posted it here.

Why Pakistan is unlikely to crack down on Islamic militants  —  WASHINGTON — The Bush administration and its allies are pressing Pakistan to end its support for Afghan insurgents linked to al Qaida, but Pakistani generals are unlikely to be swayed because they increasingly see their interests diverging …

Obama agrees to three fall debates, chances for town halls dim  —  Barack Obama's campaign released a letter this afternoon from campaign manager David Plouffe to the Commission on Presidential Debates only agreeing to the traditional three sanctioned fall debates and single vice presidential forum.