Obama Calls Cambridge Cop, Still Sees ‘Overreaction’ in Gates' Arrest  —  President Explains His Remarks About Henry Louis Gates Arrest In Surprise Appearance  —  President Obama called the Cambridge police officer who arrested his friend, prominent Harvard University Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. …

House healthcare talks break down in anger  —  House healthcare negotiations dissolved in acrimony on Friday, with Blue Dog Democrats saying they were “lied” to by their Democratic leaders.  —  The seven Blue Dogs on the Energy and Commerce Committee stormed out of a Friday meeting …

Jon Klein on Birthers: “It Seems This Story is Dead”  —  TVNewser has learned CNN/U.S. president Jon Klein sent an email to a handful of “Lou Dobbs Tonight” staffers last night regarding the coverage of the so-called birthers and the validity of Pres. Obama's birth in the U.S.

GOP Not Allowed to Say ‘Government-Run Healthcare’  —  Rep. John Carter (R-Texas), the secretary of the House Republican Conference and a former District Court Judge, is having his messages to constituents censored by Democrats on the Franking Commission.  Republicans are no longer allowed …

Obama: ‘Victory’ Not Necessarily Goal in Afghanistan  —  The enemy facing U.S. and Afghan forces isn't so clearly defined defined, Obama explained in a TV interview  —  President Obama has put securing Afghanistan near the top of his foreign policy agenda, but “victory” …

Perry raises possibility of states' rights showdown with White House over healthcare  —  AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry, raising the specter of a showdown with the Obama administration, suggested Thursday that he would consider invoking states' rights protections under the 10th Amendment to resist …

Graham takes on conservatives  —  When Sen. Lindsey Graham announced his support for Sonia Sotomayor this week, right-wing radio talk show host Mark Levin said it was a sign that Graham is “unreliable ... as a thinker and a leader.”  —  Wendy Long, counsel for the conservative Judicial Confirmation Network …

Common Sense May Sink ObamaCare  —  It turns out the president misjudged the nation's mood.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  This is big, what's happening.  President Obama appears to have misstepped on a major initiative and defining issue.  He has misjudged the nation's mood …

Palin's Favorability Rating Drops as She Prepares to Leave Office, Poll Finds  —  As Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin prepares for the next stage of her political career, a majority of Americans hold an unfavorable view of her, and there is broad public doubt about her leadership skills and understanding …

Costs and Compassion  —  The talking heads on cable TV panned President Obama's Wednesday press conference.  You see, he didn't offer a lot of folksy anecdotes.  —  Shame on them.  The health care system is in crisis.  The fate of America's middle class hangs in the balance.

Why Obamacare Is Sinking  —  What happened to Obamacare?  Rhetoric met reality.  As both candidate and president, the master rhetorician could conjure a world in which he bestows upon you health-care nirvana: more coverage, less cost.  —  But you can't fake it in legislation.

We Blew Away MoveOn!  —  With about 36 hours to organize and no paid staff (unlike the other side), we dominated in front of Sen. Cornyn's office today (July 23rd); about 200 conservatives opposing maybe 20 MoveOn people; it was fantastic!  Everyone was polite; we always are.

Voice of Reason  —  In 2001 Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold famously and courageously stood up as the lone senator to vote against the Patriot Act.  On July 21 he did it again, casting the lone vote opposing Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman's amendment to the 2010 Defense Authorization bill …