In Obama's Choice, a ‘Very Personal Decision’  —  WASHINGTON — In the beginning, Senator Barack Obama was not entirely sold on Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. And Mr. Biden told friends that he was pessimistic of his chances of becoming Mr. Obama's Democratic running mate.

Support for Each Candidate Holds Steady  —  Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain are locked in a highly competitive race for the White House, with voters giving McCain a clear edge as a potential commander in chief but Obama a sizable advantage on economic issues …

Colin Powell in McCain mix  —  Retired Gen. Colin Powell is among the potential running mates who have been considered by John McCain, campaign advisers told Politico.  —  Powell was among the possible vice presidential choices the Arizona Republican senator was thinking of when he said he would not rule …

Finding the Mess Behind the Mess  —  A BURSTING real estate bubble set off the Japanese recession of the 1990s, which deepened as ailing banks languished.  It took Japan's economy more than a decade to resume steady, noticeable growth.  —  Will this happen to the United States?

Too Much of a Bad Thing  —  My mom did not approve of men who cheated on their wives.  She called them “long-tailed rats.”  —  During the 2000 race, she listened to news reports about John McCain confessing to dalliances that caused his first marriage to fall apart after he came back from his stint as a P.O.W. in Vietnam.

Some Comic Relief And A Real Problem  —  Share This: Digg!  —  Provided by Frank Rich: … Of course, Rich is so for Obama, that he hurts him like this: … Relatedly, Todd Beeton provides an interesting anecdote from Denver: … It is this arrogance that could sink Obama's campaign.