Edwards Admits Sexual Affair; Lied as Presidential Candidate  —  In ABC News Interview, Edwards Says He Cheated, but Did Not Father Child  —  John Edwards repeatedly lied during his Presidential campaign about an extramarital affair with a novice filmmaker, the former Senator admitted to ABC News today.

Russia Threatens Retaliation After Georgia Says It Fired on Planes  —  MOSCOW — The sharpest fighting since the early 1990s in the disputed Caucasian enclave of South Ossetia threatened to draw Russia and the American-backed former Soviet republic of Georgia into direct military conflict on Friday.

An Antichrist Obama in McCain Ad?  —  It's not easy to make the infamous Willie Horton ad from the 1988 presidential campaign seem benign.  But suggesting that Barack Obama is the Antichrist might just do it.  —  That's just what some outraged Christian supporters of the Democratic nominee …

MCCAIN'S NEW AD CONTAINS DUBIOUS CLAIMS  —  From NBC's Mark Murray  —  The McCain campaign has announced it's running yet another TV ad hitting Obama for his “celebrity” and for wanting to raise taxes.  —  The campaign says the ad is being cycled into its buy in Colorado, Iowa, Michigan …

When Identity Politics Backfire  —  Nikki Tinker's resounding defeat in her primary challenge to Rep. Stephen Cohen may suggest that identity politics don't work quite as well as they used to.  —  This week the Democratic primary in the mostly African-American Ninth District in Memphis, Tennessee made national headlines.

Required Reading: Don't Drill Mania!  —  From the New York Times, “Know-Nothing Politics” by Paul Krugman  —  In his trademark understated and genteel manner, Paul Krugman tries with today's column to buck up the fortitude of the Don't Drill Democrats.  I truly wish him the best of luck in the endeavor.

Group Plans Campaign Against G.O.P. Donors  —  Nearly 10,000 of the biggest donors to Republican candidates and causes across the country will probably receive a foreboding “warning” letter in the mail next week.  —  The letter is an opening shot across the bow from an unusual …

Suskind to Release CIA Interview Transcripts on ‘Forged’ Document  —  Author Ron Suskind says he will release transcripts of his interviews with a top CIA official that will confirm his story that in 2003 the White House ordered the agency to fabricate a phony document linking Iraq to the Sept. 11 …

More on the Tire Gauge Lie  —  Thinking more about this McCain tire gauge lie, I'm wondering why Barack Obama doesn't just outright call McCain a liar.  All politicians spin, some more agresssively than others, but McCain's claim that Obama's energy policy consists of urging people to inflate …

Atlantic Scores Internal Clinton Campaign Emails  —  Just when you thought everyone had moved on... former advisers to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton are in a tizzy over an upcoming piece in the Atlantic Monthly that chronicles the inner workings of the now-defunct campaign.

Accountability Now/Strange Bedfellows money bomb  —  Richard Nixon, August 8, 1974, 9:01 p.m. from the Oval Office: … Thirty-four years ago today, Richard Nixon was forced from office as a result of mounting public anger, which in turn fueled the bipartisan intent of Congress to impeach him …

Evangelical Leader Warns McCain On VP Pick  —  Political Players: Richard Land Says VP Selection Is The “Most Important” Decision Of The Campaign … CBSNews.com: You've not always been the biggest McCain fan.  Has he done a good job in this campaign reaching out to you, and reaching out to the Southern Baptists you represent?

Republican Energy Fumble  —  Politics has its puzzling moments.  John McCain and most of the GOP experienced one late last week.  That was when five of their own set about dismantling the best issue Republicans have in the upcoming election.  —  It's taken time, but Sen. McCain and his party …

Clinton backers want vote  —  Brenda Krause is tired of fearmongering among the Democrats.  —  The 55-year-old delegate to the Democratic National Convention doesn't think the party — or its unity — is in any way compromised by her voting for Hillary Rodham Clinton at the roll call.

Just Asking...  If there were a group of questionable donations all with the name Abdullah  —  that were funneled through a guy in Jordan  —  who is under investigation for war profiteering  —  would this be a bigger deal?

Obama's Tactical Gift to McCain  —  There is now one question in American politics: With the Republican Party in such bad shape — measured by polls, voter registration and general enthusiasm — why isn't Barack Obama in better shape?  (Most national polls show him slightly ahead.)