What the Palin Pick Says  —  John McCain is not a normal conservative.  He has instincts, but few abstract convictions about the proper size of government.  He's a traditionalist, but is not energized by the social conservative agenda.  As Rush Limbaugh understands, but the Democrats apparently do not …

Scarborough rips Bush for using Gustav to demand more offshore drilling: ‘Just stop!’  —  This morning, President Bush discussed Hurricane Gustav, using the occasion to push for more offshore drilling: … Reacting to Bush's statement on MSNBC's Morning Joe, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman …

Obama defends natural disaster experience  —  (CNN) — Barack Obama defended his experience in dealing with natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, and took a swipe at newly minted GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.  —  In an interview on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 Monday night …

Gallup Daily: Obama Hits 50% for First Time  —  Leads McCain by eight percentage points, 50% to 42%  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Gallup Poll Daily tracking from Aug. 30 through Sept. 1, finds Barack Obama leading the race for president with his highest share of support to date.

Paul Is Here, and the RNC Isn't Happy  —  Amid Questions of His Book's Authorship, He Hosts ‘Counterconvention’  —  Former Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has boasted that he wrote a book slamming the Iraq war and challenging the nation's economic system to continue a grass-roots movement …

Look Long & Hard At This Photograph, America.  I Mean Really Long & Hard  —  Look long and hard at this photograph, America.  I mean really long and hard.  Because when all is said and done, this is what selecting a vice presidential running mate is all about.  —  Look long and hard at this photograph, America.

Sun Makes History: First Spotless Month in a Century  —  Drop in solar activity has potential effect for climate on earth.  —  The sun has reached a milestone not seen for nearly 100 years: an entire month has passed without a single visible sunspot being noted.

John McCain Has a Tax Plan To Create Jobs  —  John McCain's tax policies are designed to create jobs, increase wages and allow all Americans — especially those in the hard-pressed middle class — to keep more of what they earn.  His plan achieves these goals in three important ways.

Answer Jake's Question  —  Actually, we'll put two questions to the readership this morning.  Both of them come, at different times, from Political Punch.  Feel free to take a crack at them.  —  First: “What would the response be if Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, and his wife Michelle had a pregnant unmarried teenage daughter?”

The TNR Q&A: Charles Barkley  —  Liberal is a word “rich people on television use to divide and conquer” and other life lessons from the (potential) future governor of Alabama.  —  With the political season kicking into high gear, it seemed like the right time for another chat with Sir Charles Barkley.