‘Invasion of Georgia’—a ‘3 a.m. moment’  —  When the North Caucasus slid into war Thursday night, it presented Senators John McCain and Barack Obama with a true “3 a.m. moment,” and their responses to the crisis suggested dramatic differences in how each candidate, as president, would lead America in moments of international crisis.

Mistress' Family Challenges Edwards to Take DNA Test  —  Sister of Other Woman in Edwards Affair: ‘Stop Bad-Mouthing My Sister’  —  The family of John Edwards' former mistress, Rielle Hunter, is challenging the former senator to take a DNA paternity test after his claim that he did not father Hunter's 6-months-old child.

McCain in a nutshell  —  Is Barack Obama fit to be president?  That is a question we hear all the time.  But Rex Nutting of Dow Jones MarketWatch wonders why few are asking the same question about St John McSame.  He takes a look on John McCain's resume and doesn't see much that would qualify him to lead the nation.

K2: What The Mainstream Media Isn't Reporting  —  The media frenzy surrounding the recent tragedies on K2 climaxed on Wednesday with a front page article in the New York Times.  Though disjointed, the article did sketch out the rough facts that by now have been widely reported in the mainstream news.

Obama: star of his own movie  —  His ‘celebrity’ comes from an emotional identity with voters, not from ‘rock star’ hysteria.  —  THE MOST UBIQUITOUS POLITICAL trope of the presidential campaign has been that Barack Obama is not just any old politician; he's a “rock star.”

Minnesota's Vice Presidential Contender  —  Being on John McCain's short list for vice president makes Tim Pawlenty a busy guy.  —  One day last week began with a meeting on security for the upcoming Republican convention in St. Paul, Minn., where Gov. Pawlenty will play host.

Gallup Daily: Obama 47%, McCain 42%  —  Preferences have been stable last few days  —  PRINCETON, NJ — The latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking update finds Barack Obama with a 47% to 42% lead over John McCain, when registered voters are asked for whom they would vote if the presidential election were held today.

Where have all the Vikings Gone?  —  This morning, I read the magazine What Is Enlightenment that Glenn picked up for me from a local health food store because the cover had a number of articles about men including “Constructing the New Man,” “19 Powerful Women Tell the Truth about Men,” …

More Tax Deceptions  —  McCain misrepresents Obama's tax proposals again.  And again, and again.  —  McCain released three new ads with multiple false and misleading claims about Obama's tax proposals.  —  A TV spot claims Obama once voted for a tax increase “on people making just $42,000 a year.”