Exclusive: Chief Fired by Palin Speaks Out  —  The July firing of Alaska Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan by Gov. Sarah Palin, who was announced as John McCain's running mate on Friday, has unearthed a stream of soap-opera-like details about Palin, her husband, her family and top state appointees.

The story behind the Palin surprise  —  John McCain on Friday announced a running mate whom he met only six months ago and with whom he spoke just once on the phone about the position before offering it in person earlier this week.  —  McCain's first encounter with Sarah Palin came …

Palin  —  The longer I think about it, the less well this selection sits with me.  And I increasingly doubt that it will prove good politics.  The Palin choice looks cynical.  The wires are showing.  —  John McCain wanted a woman: good.  —  He wanted to keep conservatives and pro-lifers happy: naturally.

KARL ROVE'S BRILLIANT ANALYSIS..... Looking back at Karl Rove's campaign analysis from earlier this month, this might be the single funniest thing I've read in a long time. … Yes, the real problem with Tim Kaine is that he's only been governor of a large state for three years, and before that, he was only the mayor of a mid-size city.

BREAKING: McCain Campaign heading to Alaska to investigate  —  A very reliable source overheard Republican spokesperson McHugh Pierre state TODAY that he had spoken to the McCain Campaign.  They are coming to Alaska tomorrow to check out the “Troopergate” investigation.

Obama tiptoes around Palin in new ad  —  They may have run the “Bush is still is his running mate” ad regardless of who McCain picked, but this spot from Obama's camp reflects just how careful they're now playing the Palin selection.  —  Unlike what Team McCain had with Biden, there are no obvious video or soundbytes to use.

Where We Stand: Advantage Obama  —  Where do things stand?  —  The Democrats had an incredibly successful convention.  The storyline coming into the week was Democratic division — going out it was Democratic unity and the strength of Senator Obama's speech.

Police raid headquarters of RNC protesters  —  ST. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) — Police raided a rental hall used by a group organizing protests at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Friday.  —  The RNC Welcoming Committee, which describes itself as “anarchist/anti-authoritarian …

Buchanan: Palin was a ‘brigader for me’ in '96  —  Perhaps Rep. Robert Wexler's instincts were right here, and the Obama campaign will likely drive this one home with the Jewish community in Florida and Ohio: Palin (along with her husband), says former presidential candidate Pat Buchanan, was a “brigader for me in 1996.”

Three Words  —  Think about what the Palin pick really says about how McCain views this campaign and how he views his potential responsibilities in national security.  —  Think about what it says about the sincerity of McCain's own central criticism of Obama these past two months in foreign affairs.