After Mixed U.S. Messages, a War Erupted in Georgia  —  WASHINGTON — One month ago, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Tbilisi, Georgia, for a high-profile visit that was planned to accomplish two very different goals.  —  During a private dinner on July 9, Ms. Rice's aides say …

Limbaugh: “Edwards might be attracted to a woman whose mouth did something other than talk”  —  On the August 12 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh said of former Sen. John Edwards' recent disclosure of an extramarital affair: “I've got a theory about the motivations.

Yes, She Can  —  While Obama was spending three hours watching “The Dark Knight” five time zones away, and going to a fund-raiser featuring “Aloha attire” and Hawaiian pupus, Hillary was busy planning her convention.  —  You can almost hear her mind whirring: She's amazed at how easy it was to snatch Denver away from the Obama saps.

Reverend Wright Plans An October Surprise  —  New York Magazine has done a special issue this week on race and the US election.  There's lot of good stuff in the package but this line from John Heilemann's cover story stood out to me: … This is a huge problem for Obama.

Eight Strikes and You're Out  —  John McCain recently tried to underscore his seriousness about pushing through a new energy policy, with a strong focus on more drilling for oil, by telling a motorcycle convention that Congress needed to come back from vacation immediately and do something about America's energy crisis.

Book on Obama Hopes to Repeat Anti-Kerry Feat  —  In the summer of 2004 the conservative gadfly Jerome R. Corsi shot to the top of the best-seller lists as co-author of “Unfit for Command,” the book attacking Senator John Kerry's record on a Vietnam War Swift boat that began the larger damaging campaign …

FCC Commissioner: Return of Fairness Doctrine Could Control Web Content  —  McDowell warns reinstated powers could play in net neutrality debate, lead to government requiring balance on Web sites.  —  Business & Media Institute  —  There's a huge concern among conservative talk radio hosts …

Ill and in Pain, Detainee Dies in U.S. Hands  —  He was 17 when he came to New York from Hong Kong in 1992 with his parents and younger sister, eyeing the skyline like any newcomer.  Fifteen years later, Hiu Lui Ng was a New Yorker: a computer engineer with a job in the Empire State Building …

Chasing the Mythical ‘Obamacan’ Masses  —  Barack Obama is no Chris Rock, but there's one story he likes to tell on the trail that always makes me laugh.  According to the Democratic nominee, there's a particular breed of Obamaniacs who approach him after events to confess their Obamania—sotto voce.

Alleged Mata Hari of Al Qaeda Could Provide ‘Treasure Trove’ of Intelligence  —  Aafia Siddique Had a List of Targets in New York & Chem-Bio Weapons Information in her Possession  —  When she was arrested in Afghanistan last month, Aafia Siddique allegedly had in her possession maps of New York …

DANGEROUS AND UNSTABLE  —  I know I've made this point in various ways in several posts over the last day or so.  But watching John McCain speak about the Georgian crisis in the video below should deeply worry anyone interested in a sane US foreign policy — or the safety of their children.

BACKGROUNDERS: SITUATION REPORT, RUSSO-GEORGIAN CONFLICT  —  Situation Report, Russo-Georgian Conflict  —  • Russia has announced a unilateral ceasefire because its operations have achieved their aims.  —  • Medvedev and Sarkozy have drafted a document that encapsulates …