EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Barack Obama  —  Attention Brody File readers.  —  I was just granted an exclusive one on one interview with Barack Obama here at the Saddleback Civil Forum.  CBN News was the only media outlet to go behind the scenes and conduct an interview.

The Candidate We Still Don't Know  —  AS I went on vacation at the end of July, Barack Obama was leading John McCain by three to four percentage points in national polls.  When I returned last week he still was.  But lo and behold, a whole new plot twist had rolled off the bloviation assembly line …

Condi Rice: Russian reputation in ‘tatters’  —  For Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state and an expert on international relations with the Russians, it's a remarkable statement - the one she made today - that, as a result of the conflict with Georgia, Russia's reputation is “in tatters.”

Did McCain Help Bait Russia into Georgia?  —  Now that the dust is settling the big question about the dust-up in Georgia remains: Why was Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili so stupid to start this war?  —  There are a couple of theories.  One is Saakashvili was under the mistaken impression …

McCain suggests raiding Colorado's water  —  Memo to: John McCain.  —  From: Five million thirst-crazed Coloradans.  —  Yes, fellow citizens of the state whose official motto is “Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting,” John McCain has thunk the unthinkable — and proposed renegotiating the 1922 Colorado River Compact.

McCain As Good As Obama Was Bad  —  I don't want to get to overheated about what occurred tonight, but I do think McCain had a clear and decisive victory over Obama.  It all comes down to something that Phil Bredesen, the Democratic governor of Tennessee recently said about Obama …

Kaine's Push for Obama Rolls Into Loudoun  —  U.S. Is ‘Ready for Excellence,’ Governor Says, Adding That State Will Play Key Role in November  —  Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine spoke with groups of ardent Barack Obama supporters yesterday in Washington's outer suburbs …

Live-Blogging Saddleback - Obama  —  8. 57 pm.  I don't retract anything about my concern that the first debate of sorts should be held in a church.  But actually this forum so far was in no way offensive to secular values.  It did not demand adherence to any religious doctrine …

A New Low  —  On August 5, US newspapers carried the story of the capture of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani woman who was trained in neuroscience here in the United States.  Typical of the stories was this one in the NY Times.  The report was fairly neutral, but there were some gaps in the coverage which seemed a little puzzling.

Forces align against Republicans in Senate races  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Even the top Republican in charge of the party's Senate campaigns concedes that the GOP will lose seats this year — the only question is how many.  —  With President Bush's ratings at rock-bottom, fewer Republicans signing up to vote …

Kobe Bryant Schools Liberal NBC Announcer On Patriotism  —  It's pretty moving to watch a pampered professional jock show more patriotism than the Democratic candidate for president, more pride in his country than the democratic candidate's wife, and more awareness of this country's opportunities than a liberal NBC announcer.

GOP rejects Pelosi's energy proposal  —  Republicans lambasted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) energy plan Saturday advising her to “get out of the way” if she was not going to accept GOP solutions to the energy crisis.  —  In her Saturday radio address Pelosi announced that Democrats …

MCCAIN'S BACK IN THE SADDLEBACK  —  From NBC's Chuck Todd  —  Normally, on a night like tonight, we here at First Read would have been liveblogging every moment of Rick Warren's presidential forum.  But with the Olympics and the fact this is THE Saturday Michael Phelps will be making history, we kept our liveblogging in check.