McCain Prepares Rezko Ad; Wright “Now Fair Game”; GOP 527 Attacks  —  Sen. John McCain's campaign is finishing a hard-hitting television ad highlighting Barack Obama 's ties to shady Chicago land dealer Tony Rezko, the one-time Obama patron who was convicted earlier this summer of fraud.

Obama says he's chosen his VP — won't reveal who it is yet  —  Barack Obama told USA TODAY this afternoon that “yes,” he has made up his mind about whom his running mate will be — but he would not reveal the name or just when he will tell the nation about his choice.  —  USA TODAY's Kathy Kiely writes that:

International Olympic Committee launches probe into He Kexin's age  —  Tim Reid in Washington, Jeremy Griffin and Jane Macartney in Beijing  —  The International Olympic Committee has ordered an investigation into mounting allegations that Chinese authorities covered up the true age …

McCain campaign offices get threatening letters  —  DENVER, Colorado (CNN) — Sen. John McCain received two suspicious letters at two campaign offices, with at least one containing an unidentified white powder, U.S. Secret Service and McCain's spokespeople said.

Video: Volleyball team wins gold, blindsides NBC with shout-out to Bush  —  A palate cleanser by popular request; you'll remember our heroines here from the Butt-Pat That Wasn't.  The official Olympics site has highlights of the match but this snippet had to be rescued from oblivion by Tivo.

BARACK'S FAVORS FOR CORRUPT CRONY  —  Barack Obama has ad mitted it was “boneheaded” to get involved in a land deal with Tony Rezko, his friend and fund-raiser.  But the media's focus on that deal has distracted from the bigger question: Why would Obama become involved in any deal with a man like Rezko …

Obama gives nod to success of surge  —  Sen. Barack Obama, edging away from a long-held position, tacitly acknowledged the success of the Iraq troop-surge strategy during an appearance Tuesday before the country's largest organization of combat veterans.  —  “Let's be clear …

The Anatomy of a Deception: How The McCains Changed Their Baby Adoption Story Just Before 2008 Campaign Began  —  As was pointed out yesterday by the Christian Science Monitor, the McCain campaign was called out for lying about the purported urging of Cindy McCain by Mother Teresa herself …

Born in the U.S.A.  —  The truth about Obama's birth certificate.  —  In June, the Obama campaign released a digitally scanned image of his birth certificate to quell speculative charges that he might not be a natural-born citizen.  But the image prompted more blog-based skepticism about the document's authenticity.

More Americans Question Religion's Role in Politics  —  Some Social Conservative Disillusionment  —  Some Americans are having a change of heart about mixing religion and politics.  A new survey finds a narrow majority of the public saying that churches and other houses of worship should keep …

OBAMA VS. BALDILOCKS  —  A blogger's African dad came here on the same airlift as Obama's dad.  All similarities end there  —  Los Angeles blogger Juliette Ochieng has a lot in common with the man who might be the next president, Barack Obama.  A lot.  —  Both were born to Kenyan fathers …

Who Has The Cooler Podium?  — SUSPENDED  —  This vote suspended until I get an official picture of the DNC podium...  The GOP...  Or the DNC?  —  (image courtesy of Reuters)