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 …

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.

Breaking: Bayh to Be Obama's VP?  Probably a Hoax  —  Update: The longer this story sits without confirmation or updates from CNN, the more it appears that the answer to “Could it be a hoax?” is a solid YES.  —  Could it be a hoax?  Could CNN have dropped the story from their website …

Chicago Annenberg Challenge Shutdown?  —  The problem of Barack Obama's relationship with Bill Ayers will not go away.  Ayers and his wife, Bernardine Dohrn were terrorists for the notorious Weather Underground during the turbulent 1960s, turning fugitive when a bomb …

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.

Election 2008: Georgia Senate  —  Georgia Senate: Chambliss Leads Martin by Six  —  Jim Martin, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate after defeating Vernon Jones in a run-off primary election earlier this month, is now trailing incumbent Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss by just six percentage points.

Mapping the Election  —  A handy feature on the electoral-vote.com web site is a one-click comparison of the current electoral map projections with those on the same date four years ago.  Today's map shows Obama with a projected 275 votes to McCain's 250, with 13 up for grabs.

Obama Camp: Ralph Reed Uninvited to McCain's Fundraiser  —  ABC News' Ron Claiborne reports: The Obama campaign is continuing to hammer Republican Sen. John McCain for former Christian Coalition director Ralph Reed's involvement in a McCain fundraising event in Atlanta.

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.

Islamic terror cell ‘may have been plotting to attack Queen’  —  A terror cell caught with details of bomb-making and suicide vests may have been plotting to attack the Queen and members of the Royal family, it can be disclosed.  —  The cell, which included Britain's youngest ever terrorist …

Countdown Special Comment to McCain: Senator, grow up!  —  Keith Olbermann takes on John McCain and his campaign managers with another powerful Special Comment on Monday's Countdown.  McCain has consistently voted against our troops, but he and his campaign continue to spread lies and distortions …