Key Reason Palin Gave For Quitting May Be False  —  One of the chief reasons Sarah Palin has given for resigning as Governor of Alaska is that her state's taxpayers are being forced to spend money defending her government against ethics complaints that would otherwise fund teachers, cops, and road repair.

Pool Boots Kids Who Might “Change the Complexion”  —  Campers sent packing after first visit to swim club  —  More than 60 campers from Northeast Philadelphia were turned away from a private swim club and left to wonder if their race was the reason.  —  “I heard this lady, she was like …

Brian Kilmeade Would Like Species and ‘Ethnics’ to Remain Pure  —  To stave off dementia!  Yes, today the befuddled screech owls on Fox & Friends were discussing a study that states that those that stay married fend off Alzheimer's and dementia better than lonely divorcees.  Brian Kilmeade took issue with this.

White House spells Obama's name wrong  —  Someone might want to look into whether an impostor took President Obama's place during his trip to Russia  —  In a release touting an agreement between Obama and President Dmitry Medvedev over how to craft a follow-up to the START arms reduction treaty …

Mass. challenges federal Defense of Marriage Act  —  Massachusetts, the first state in the nation to legalize gay marriage, has become the first to challenge the constitutionality of a federal law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman, saying Congress intruded into a matter that should be left to individual states.

New York Times Magazine Withdraws Altered Photo Essay  —  UPDATE, 5:57 p.m. ET: The New York Times has published a new editors' note about the altered photo essay that was published in Sunday's Times Magazine.  The newspaper says “most of the images did not wholly reflect the reality they purported to show.”

The Place of Women on the Court  —  In late February, three weeks after she had an operation for a recurrence of cancer, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg went to Barack Obama's first address to Congress.  Given the circumstances, it wasn't an event anyone expected her to attend.

Under Pressure, Blanche Lincoln Shifts On Public Plan  —  Looks like pressure from the left might be getting results, albeit limited ones, in the case of “centrist” Dem Senator Blanche Lincoln, who has been resisting any commitment to backing a public health care option.

Democratic Leader Laughs at Idea That House Members Would Actually Read Health-Care Bill Before Voting On It  —  Washington (CNSNews.com) - House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Tuesday that the health-care reform bill now pending in Congress would garner very few votes if lawmakers actually …

Hampton speaks publicly, says Ensign paid severance  —  Doug Hampton spoke publicly for the first time today about the affair his wife had with Sen. John Ensign, saying the Nevada Republican continued his pursuit even after intermediaries tried to get him to stop.

Henry Waxman: GOP ‘rooting against’ USA  —  Waxman: GOP ‘rooting against’ USA  —  Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), who has had an eventful couple of weeks to say the least, believes House Republican opposition to climate change legislation and the stimulus indicates they're cheering against the good ol' US of A.

Madigan Declines Senate, Gov Bids  —  Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan (D) will run for re-election to her current post in 2010, according to a Democratic source aware of the decision, ending months of speculation about whether she might make the leap to a Senate or gubernatorial bid.

Morgan Stanley Plans to Turn Downgraded Loan CDO Into AAA Bonds  —  Morgan Stanley plans to repackage a downgraded collateralized debt obligation backed by leveraged loans into new securities with AAA ratings in the first transaction of its kind, said two people familiar with the sale.

Glad He Cleared That Up  —  We've gotten an explanation from Rep. Steve King (R-IA) for why he was the lone vote against acknowledging the role of slaves in building the U.S. Capitol.  He did it to protest “a several year effort by liberals in Congress to scrub references to America's Christian heritage from our nation's Capitol”:

Jeb Bush: The Future of the Republican Party  —  With no obvious candidate to lead the Republican party (and one having just stepped down), some are looking to Jeb Bush.  Which is news to him.  —  Jeb Bush interview, Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables, Florida. … I'm waiting for the next iteration.

Countdown to 12:34:56 7/8/9  —  Shortly after half-past noon today.  Be there.  I predict the end of the world, with gnashing of teeth, rending of garments, gnawing of tongues for pain, emergence of many-headed beasts, horsemen, plus final determinations on wickedness vs. righteousness, etc.

Risking Israel's ire, US takes 1,350 Palestinian refugees  —  The US is generally reluctant to resettle Palestinians, but these are refugees from Iraq who have been targeted since the invasion.  —  ATLANTA -  —  The State Department confirmed today that as many as 1,350 Iraqi Palestinians …

Unpersons  —  One of the mysteries of the way issues are covered in much of the news media is how certain views get ruled “out of the mainstream” and just don't get covered — even when many well-informed people hold those views.  —  The most notorious example was during the buildup to the Iraq war …

Socialized Medicine  —  Here's some historical data on female life expectancy in Russia:  —  My understanding is that the post-Soviet collapse had more to do with lifestyle factors (vodka got cheaper) than problems in the health care system.  But the point, broadly speaking …

Introducing the Google Chrome OS  —  It's been an exciting nine months since we launched the Google Chrome browser.  Already, over 30 million people use it regularly.  We designed Google Chrome for people who live on the web — searching for information, checking email, catching up on the news …

Democrats Split on Stimulus as Job Losses Mount, Deficit Soars  —  Democrats who control the levers of power in Washington are divided over whether to push for more deficit spending to end the recession and stem job losses, complicating the possibility of a second stimulus bill.

Obama Administration Grant Program De-Emphasizing Job Creation  —  ABC News' Rick Klein reports:  —  When Vice President Joe Biden announced a new $3.3 billion grant program to upgrade the nation's electricity network, the rationale was simple: “This is jobs — jobs,” he said in April.

The Barry Archives Voicemails reveal depths of councilmember's obsession with girlfriend.  —  Listen: Recorded voicemails left by Marion Barry for Donna Watts-Brighthaupt.  (Transcripts)  —  Clip 1:  —  Get the Flash Player to see the podcast player.  —  Clip 2:  —  Clip 3:  —  Clip 4:

White House threatens veto over intel disclosure  —  The White House said Thursday that if the intelligence authorization bill contains language broadening who the president must inform on covert activities, President Obama would be advised to veto the bill.

GM, Chrysler Defect Victims Out of Luck  —  General Motors and Chrysler Are Rebuilding but Those With Injury, Death Claims May Not Get Their Day in Court  —  A third-degree burn is devastating to anyone, but for Terry Cole, it meant the end of a dream: walking again.

Obama Averages 61% Job Approval in June  —  Obama at 89% approval among Democrats, 25% among Republicans  —  PRINCETON, NJ — U.S. President Barack Obama averaged a 61% job approval rating for the month of June, down from his 65% average in May, and one point below his previous monthly low of 62%, recorded in March.

Developing Nations Rebuff G-8 on Curbing Pollutants  —  L'AQUILA, Italy — The world's major industrial nations and newly emerging powers failed to agree Wednesday on specific cuts in heat-trapping gases by 2050, undercutting an effort to build a global consensus to fight climate change, according to people following the talks.