Ensign Acknowledges Extramarital Affair  —  UPDATE, 6:55 p.m.: In a press conference moments ago, Ensign admitted the affair but seemed resolved to remain in political life.  “Last year I had an affair,” said Ensign.  “I violated the vows of my marriage.”  Ensign did not name the woman …

Iran's senior ayatollah slams election, confirming split  —  Mousavi supporters streaming down Vali Asr Street in Tehran Tuesday.  —  TEHRAN, Iran — Supporters of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his main rival in the disputed presidential election, Mir Hossein Mousavi …

Obama Intends to Extend Federal Benefits to Unmarried Partners  —  President Obama will announce tomorrow that he is extending federal benefits to include unmarried domestic partners of federal workers, including same-sex partners, White House officials said tonight.

Key Obama Ally Says President Obama Did Not Follow the Law in IG Firing  —  After being briefed today on President Obama's firing last week of Gerald Walpin, Inspector General of the Corporation for National and Community Service, Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., said the president did not abide …

ABC TURNS PROGRAMMING OVER TO OBAMA; NEWS TO BE ANCHORED FROM INSIDE WHITE HOUSE  —  On the night of June 24, the media and government become one, when ABC turns its programming over to President Obama and White House officials to push government run health care — a move that has ignited an ethical firestorm!

McCain Unhinged  —  For two years now, John McCain has been entirely consistent on Iran: every last statement he's made—at least, those that I've seen—has been (a) fabulously uninformed and (b) dangerously bellicose.  He's still at it, apparently.  There is no question that President Obama's …

BREAKING: HRC official & former top Clinton aide pull out of DNC gay fundraiser; Blade plans to photograph and video gay donors who attend  —  UPDATE: Show Obama you mean business, donate to AMERICAblog.  —  It's over, folks.  A lot of us have been saying that if Marty Rouse …

U.S. State Department speaks to Twitter over Iran  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department contacted the social networking service Twitter over the weekend to urge it to delay a planned upgrade that could have cut daytime service to Iranians, a U.S. official said on Tuesday.

‘Fire Dave!’:  Crowd lines up to protest Letterman's ‘Late Show’ Palin joke … An apology from David Letterman was good enough for Sarah Palin - but not for protesters who demanded the late night host's dismissal Tuesday at a Broadway demonstration.  —  “Fire Dave!

Grand Ayatollah Montazeri Issues Statement On Protests Against Poll Result  —  In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful  —  The noble and oppressed Iranian nation,  —  Greetings and salutation.  In the recent days, I witnessed the exuberant and devoted endeavour and presence …

E-Mail Surveillance Renews Concerns in Congress  —  WASHINGTON — The National Security Agency is facing renewed scrutiny over the extent of its domestic surveillance program, with critics in Congress saying its recent intercepts of the private telephone calls and e-mail messages of Americans …

HALPERIN'S TAKE: 10 True Things About President Obama His Opponents Are Wrong About  —  1. He will not pressure Israel into some deal that will undermine its security.  —  2. He will not push for a health care plan without regard for cost savings.  —  3. He is not captive to his party's liberal interest groups.

House Approves $106B Bill to Fund Wars in Iraq, Afghanistan  —  The House today passed a $106 billion bill funding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through September, as House Democrats backed President Obama despite misgivings among the ranks about his strategy in Afghanistan.

Pardon Me, Sir, But is My Eye Hurting Your Elbow? … Sorry to say, the world can be divided into two kinds of people—those who apologize, and those who don't.  Among the former is David Letterman, a man so sorry he apologized to Sarah Palin twice; and Harry Whittington, above …

Reid Clarifies His Position On DADT: ‘We Would Welcome A Legislative Proposal From The White House’  —  During a press conference yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) attracted attention when a reporter asked him whether the Senate will be pushing for a bill to repeal “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” (DADT):