McCain unsure how many houses he owns  —  Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said in an interview Wednesday that he was uncertain how many houses he and his wife, Cindy, own.  —  “I think - I'll have my staff get to you,” McCain told us in Las Cruces, N.M. “It's condominiums where - I'll have them get to you.”

When Daley says shhh, library is quiet on Obama  —  Conservative writer Stanley Kurtz—researching an article for the National Review about connections between Barack Obama and former Weather Underground terrorist William Ayers—made a big mistake.  —  The poor man took a wrong turn on the Chicago Way.

U.S., Iraq Are Said to Have Set Withdrawal Timetable  —  BAGHDAD — U.S. and Iraqi negotiators reached agreement on a security deal that calls for American military forces to leave Iraq's cities by next summer as a prelude to a full withdrawal of combat troops from the country, according to senior American officials.

Obama's VP: The Candidate Drops Some Hints  —  One reason for the feverish running-mate speculation is that those who actually know anything are a small, leakproof circle.  And most leakproof of all is the man who is actually making the decision.  —  But in an interview (you can see and hear it here) …

The joke's on McCain: Late-night comedians lay off Obama  —  A hilarious new study of late-night political jokes, due to be released later today, finds the network comedians clearly avoiding humor about Democratic candidate Barack Obama, while piling the jokes on President Bush and Sens. John McCain and Hillary Clinton.

Russia warns of response to US missile shield … MOSCOW (AP) - Russia says its response to the further development of a U.S. missile shield in Poland will go beyond diplomacy.  —  Russia's Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying the U.S. missile shield plans are clearly aimed at weakening Russia.

Republicans Plan to Grab Some Denver Limelight  —  John McCain and the Republican Party have their own plans for next week in Denver, including a parade of high-profile surrogates, a Web site touting new attack videos, and a tagline for the Democrats' convention: A Mile High and an Inch Deep.

Exclusive: No single-term pledge for McCain  —  LAS CRUCES, N.M., — John McCain stated unequivocally in an interview with Politico Wednesday that he would not pledge to serve only a single four-year term, rejecting a suggestion that some allies believe would allay questions about his age …

Maddow Hire Speeds MSNBC's Leftward Drift  —  Well, it's not Rosie O'Donnell, but MSNBC has added a lesbian host to its ever-more-liberal lineup after all.  Rachel Maddow, a tough-nosed and witty Air America host whose profile has risen sharply of late, will get a new show at 9 p.m., displacing Dan Abrams and his Verdict.

A Few Speculators Dominate Vast Market for Oil Trading  —  Regulators had long classified a private Swiss energy conglomerate called Vitol as a trader that primarily helped industrial firms that needed oil to run their businesses.  —  But when the Commodity Futures Trading Commission examined Vitol's books …

We Can't Tax Our Way Out of the Entitlement Crisis  —  Given the hearty support Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama received in Europe last month, he must have noticed the surprise and skepticism among some Germans when he asked that Europeans contribute more for defense.

McCain, Obama agree to four fall debates  —  RICHMOND, Va. — John McCain and Barack Obama will face each other in three debates this fall, with an additional one scheduled for their still unannounced running mates.  —  Their campaigns released a joint statement this morning that follows a previously proposed schedule.

Expertinent: Why Obama Could Use a Big Convention ‘Bump’  —  Right now, much of the political world is obsessing over a series of new polls indicating that the gap between Barack Obama and John McCain is shrinking.A just-released Quinnipiac survey, for example, shows McCain cutting Obama's lead …