ALEXANDER SOLZHENITSYN, RIP: Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the great Russian dissident and exposer of communist crimes, has passed away.  —  In books such as The Gulag Archipelago and A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, he did more than any other Russian writer to expose the crimes of communism.

Bill Clinton Has Regrets on Campaign for Wife  —  Insists, ‘I Am Not a Racist,’ Despite Anger Over His S.C. Comments  —  In his first broadcast interview since his wife dropped out of the Democratic presidential race, former President Bill Clinton said he still has regrets, and insisted he's …

Housing Lenders Fear Bigger Wave of Loan Defaults  —  The first wave of Americans to default on their home mortgages appears to be cresting, but a second, far larger one is quickly building.  —  Homeowners with good credit are falling behind on their payments in growing numbers …

Obama Leads, Pessimism Reigns Among Key Group  —  Democratic Sen. Barack Obama holds a 2 to 1 edge over Republican Sen. John McCain among the nation's low-wage workers, but many are unconvinced that either presidential candidate would be better than the other at fixing the ailing economy …

O-Force One  —  From CBS News' Allison O'Keefe:  —  Barack Obama's new campaign plane is nothing short of grand.  Well, for the candidate that is.  —  Obama's section of the plane rivals that of any first class.  Recently the front cabin of the Boeing 757 was retrofitted to install four individual chairs that resemble La-Z-Boys.

David Gergen: McCain's “Moses” ad is code for calling Obama “uppity”  —  In which the single dumbest, most paranoid racial charge of the campaign is recycled on national television by a former presidential advisor and current Harvard professor.  I said it before but it bears repeating …

The Phantom Session, Part II  —  Having thoroughly enjoyed their revival-style meeting on the House floor Friday, a group of Republican lawmakers plan to return to the chamber today to deliver more speeches on why they believe Congress should come back from its August break to vote on allowing more domestic and offshore oil drilling.

How to Pick a V.P.  —  When you try to talk with McCain staffers about vice-presidential prospects, as I did last week, the normally garrulous become guarded and the usually talkative turn taciturn.  Still, here's what I was able to discern.  —  John McCain apparently intends to announce his pick after the Democratic convention.

McCain likely to let Obama choose VP first  —  John McCain's extended circle is divided on whether he should announce his running mate in the immediate days ahead—but the Republican is more likely to wait for Barack Obama to announce his choice first, according to advisers.

Mining Racism and Murder in a Northeastern Pennsylvania Town (Guest Voice)  —  This is a Guest Voice original-report post is by journalism professor and author Walter Brasch who is also an award-winning syndicated newspaper columnist and radio commentator, and president of the Pennsylvania Press Club.

8 years later  —  George Walker Bush brought honor and dignity back to the White House — as he had promised on Aug. 3, 2000.  —  Today marks the 8th anniversary of Bush's acceptance speech.  2000 seemed to be a meaningless election between 2 privileged sons of Washington bowers.

New Low For McCain Campaign: Obama == The Anti-Christ  —  Normally I save the anti-McCain stuff for Friday, as don't want the blog to become a one-note operation.  But this ...  The McCain campaign just released another anti-Obama commercial, The One.  —  Perhaps to most viewers …