Another Controversy for Sarah Palin  —  Former Police Chief Says He Was Fired for Challenging Palin's Campaign Contributors  —  Gov. Sarah Palin is already facing ethical questions over her firing of the Alaska public safety commissioner, and now she faces questions over the firing of a longtime local police chief.

McCain: Palin more qualified than Obama  —  Mounting a ferocious defense of his embattled running mate, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said he is buying a TV ad arguing that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has more experience than the Democratic presidential nominee, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

McCain Strategist Blasts Media  —  Top Aide Says News Organizations Are ‘on a Mission to Destroy’ Palin  —  Sen. John McCain's top campaign strategist accused the news media Tuesday of being “on a mission to destroy” Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin by displaying “a level of viciousness and scurrilousness” …

PALIN REFUSES TO TESTIFY  —  It didn't take long.  We've already brought you news of the official investigation into Gov. Palin's firing of Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan.  Steve Branchflower, the lead investigator, began trying to arrange a deposition of the governor days before her veep selection.

FIRST THOUGHTS: AMERICA, MEET SARAH PALIN  —  From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro  —  ST. PAUL, MN — And we thought Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton would give the most highly anticipated convention speech.  Well, that was before McCain selected the first-term governor …

McCain had criticized earmarks from Palin  —  Three times in recent years, the Arizona senator's lists of ‘objectionable’ pork spending have included earmarks requested by his new running mate.  —  WASILLA, ALASKA — For much of his long career in Washington, John McCain has been throwing darts …

Palin's Handling of Other People's Pregnant Teens  —  Obviously, from the perspective of a progressive, there is much to dislike about Sarah Palin's politics.  But this tidbit in today's WaPo strikes me as particularly offensive: … I'm sorry, but a politician who opposes abortion …

FINELY AGED WHINE  —  There's quite a tear-jerking piece in the Post by Howard Kurtz today about the McCain campaign's wailing about the media treatment of their botched veep roll-out ...  Schmidt, by the way, is one of the most hard-boiled GOP operatives and Rove proteges around.

Before Speech, Running Mate Gets Some Coaching  —  Since Sunday night, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has been holed up in her suite in the Hilton Minneapolis while a parade of Sen. John McCain's top advisers have briefed her on the nuances of his policy positions, national politics and, above all …