Rick Warren to God-o-Meter: Obama, Dems Can't Just Talk Faith  —  In an interview with God-o-Meter on the day after his Saddleback Civil Forum with John McCain and Barack Obama, Rev. Rick Warren sounded pretty dubious about Barack Obama's and the Democrats' chances of making inroads among evangelicals.

Smears the Left Can Fight For  —  In the least credible and most vicious corner of the internet, liberal bloggers at the Daily Kos are accusing John McCain of plagiarizing from Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.  The story Solzhenitsyn told was of a prisoner who drew a cross in the dirt in a Soviet Gulag.

PAPER: OBAMA READY TO ANNOUNCE HIS VP  —  The NYT newsroom was buzzing late Monday afternoon after Obama-beat reporter Jeff Zeleny learned how the Dem hopeful has now finalized his choice for a running-mate.  —  Obama has set an elaborate roll-out to announce his decision that will begin …

Edwards went for big time  —  Forgive me if I'm straining to believe John Edwards' version of events.  My last conversation with him wasn't a good one.  —  In some ways, that talk reflected the difficult relationship we've had with him since he became a national political figure.

Obama VP buzz squarely on Biden  —  (CNN) - When Joe Biden returns to Capitol Hill Monday from his two-day trip to embattled Georgia, vice presidential speculation will rest squarely on him.  —  The longtime Delaware senator and former presidential candidate has long been considered …

DEMOCRATS MUST NIX OFFENSIVE BLOGGERS  —  Over 120 blogs have been credentialed as members of the media for the Democratic National Convention; those who have received credentials are allowed to cover the Convention at the Pepsi Center.  While most of them offer legitimate commentary, some do not.

Who Got To Triantafilou?  —  Alex M. Triantafilou, the chairman of the Hamilton Co., Republican Party, wrote on his blog yesterday that McCain would be in Dayton, Ohio on August 29 — the day after the Democratic convention ends — and was looking for a “big” venue. … That was yesterday.

The Chicago Annenberg Challenge - The Fog Thickens  —  Barack Obama and unrepentant Weatherman Bill Ayers worked together on public school reform in Chicago for several years through the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, co-founded by Bill Ayers and originally chaired by Barack Obama.

The Cross In The Dirt, Ctd  —  Many readers have noted that versions of this story - attributed to Solzhenitsyn by Chuck Colson - have been a staple of evangelical sermons for a very long time.  They aren't always attributed to Solzhenitsyn, but this sermon, preached by Father Luke Veronis, is a classic of the genre.

McCain Outspending Obama By Hundreds Of Thousands In Many Core Battleground States  —  The McCain campaign has outspent the Obama camp by hundreds of thousands of dollars, and in some cases by as much as a million dollars or more, in virtually all of the nearly dozen battleground states …

Musharraf Announces His Resignation  —  ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Under pressure over impending impeachment charges, President Pervez Musharraf announced he would resign Monday, ending nearly nine years as the head of one of the United States' most important allies in the campaign against terrorism.

Bloomberg Set To Be On Presidential Ballot In Virginia  —  The state of Virginia is, for the first time in many decades, a toss up in the presidential election.  And with its 13 electoral votes and polls showing a tight race, the commonwealth should host a fierce competition between Barack Obama and John McCain.

Gingrich Claims Tire Inflation Lines Big Oil's Pockets  —  Last night on Fox News, host Sean Hannity and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) returned (as they often do) to Sen. Barack Obama's (D-IL) recent suggestion that Americans inflate their tires properly in order to save energy costs.

Five Ways to Wreck a Recovery  —  Perverse monetary policy was the greatest cause of the Great Depression.  But five non-monetary missteps were important in making the Depression great, and the same missteps damaged the global economy as well.  While many are thinking about the Depression …