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 …

McCain calls Biden ‘formidable’  —  Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) told CBS News' Katie Couric on Saturday that Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) is a “formidable” but “wise” choice for the Democratic ticket.  —  Couric, anchor and managing editor of the “CBS Evening News,” sat down with McCain at his cabin in Sedona …

I'm literally intrigued by Joe Biden's speech  —  Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama's choice for running mate, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, used the word “literally” literally eight times in his speech Saturday afternoon, suggesting we're in for a metaphorical deluge of misuses of …

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 …

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.

Political exile strengthens Democrats  —  When Democrats awoke Nov. 6, 2002, they found that for the first time in decades, the party didn't control a single branch of government.  The future looked bleak.  —  When Barack Obama accepts his nomination on Thursday, he will sit atop …

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?

In Denver, Police and Protesters Try to Prepare for Each Other  —  DENVER — To the uninformed visitor, it has become difficult to tell whether Denver is preparing for a Democratic National Convention or the institution of martial law.  Helicopters filled with armed commandos swooped …

Last Call for Change We Can Believe In  —  AS the real campaign at last begins in Denver this week, this much is certain: It's time for Barack Obama to dispatch “Change We Can Believe In” to a dignified death.  —  This isn't because — OMG!  — Obama's narrow three- to four-percentage-point lead …