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 …

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.

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.

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 …

Obama/Ayers Update: Annenberg Mystery Tour Continues  —  As I blogged yesterday, a small victory for full public disclosure of key information about our presidential candidates has been achieved by the pressure of the blogosphere with a small hand from the MSM.

Georgian Civilians Tell of Miserable Conditions as War Captives  —  Georgian civilians captured and recently freed by Russian and South Ossetian forces on Saturday described beatings, forced labor and miserable living conditions in prison.  —  Georgian officials said that 79 Georgian civilians …

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 …