Putin Makes His Move  —  The details of who did what to precipitate Russia's war against Georgia are not very important.  Do you recall the precise details of the Sudeten Crisis that led to Nazi Germany's invasion of Czechoslovakia?  Of course not, because that morally ambiguous dispute …

Wolfson: Edwards' Cover-up Cost Clinton the Nomination  —  Aides Say She Would Have Won Iowa if Edwards Affair was Exposed  —  Sen. Hillary Clinton would be the Democratic presidential nominee if John Edwards had been caught in his lie about an extramarital affair and forced out of the race last year …

Obama to McCain: Who's the ‘celebrity?’  —  In the celebrity by association game, which is worse: Paris Hilton or President Bush?  —  Barack Obama is banking on Bush's association with John McCain, targeted in a new campaign TV ad that links, with several big “embraces,” …

Is John Edwards Still Lying?  —  Former Friend of Ex-Mistress Says Edwards Still Not Telling the Whole Truth  —  A one-time close friend of John Edwards' ex-mistress says the former Senator is still not telling the whole truth about how his affair with Rielle Hunter began.

7 worrisome signs for Obama  —  A few weeks back, Time magazine was musing that John McCain was in danger of sliding from “a long shot” to a “no-shot.”  Around the same time, a hard-nosed former Hillary Clinton insider declared the race “effectively over” thanks to the McCain campaign's ineptitude …

Interview of the President by Bob Costas, NBC Sports  —  Beijing, The People's Republic of China  —  Q All right, Al, we thank you.  In a few minutes we'll have more of the women's team qualifying from Sunday afternoon here in Beijing.  But now, live, we're joined by President George W. Bush …

All American Insult  —  Cokie Roberts said today that Obama shouldn't be going on vacation anywhere that has the “look of a foreign exotic place” and should go to Myrtle Beach instead.  Apparently, Hawaii isn't quite American enough for Cokie and her provincial pals in the beltway, even though it's one of the 50 states.

Can It Happen Here?  —  The draft Democratic Party platform that was sent out last week puts health care reform front and center.  “If one thing came through in the platform hearings,” says the document, “it was that Democrats are united around a commitment to provide every American access to affordable, comprehensive health care.”

Angelina Jolie's Endorsement  —  It may seem as if most entertainment industry figures are aligning with Barack Obama and just a few with John McCain, but there are still a handful of famous names who are still on the fence.  And both campaigns are well aware of one star who stands out among the undecideds: Angelina Jolie.

Vetting teams scour pasts of potential VPs  —  WASHINGTON — Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, who campaigned last week with Barack Obama as news stories weighed his vice presidential prospects, is a blank slate to most Americans.  So is Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who deflected questions about running …

‘No way’ turns into ‘no quit’ for Lezak, men's relay team … BEIJING — Halfway through what might have been the greatest comeback swim in Olympic history, Jason Lezak peered through his goggles at the lane to his right and briefly abandoned hope.  —  “The thought really entered my mind for a split second,” Lezak said.