Murkowski: Don't tell lies about the health-care reform bill  —  HOT TOPIC: Some things in the legislation are already bad enough, she says at civic center.  —  ldemer@adn.com  —  U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski on Tuesday told an Anchorage crowd that critics of health care reform …

Little girl at Obama town hall has not-so-random political connections  —  As we always like to point out: There are no coincidences in Obama world.  —  Via the Boston Globe: Surprise! … Tons of readers point to this AR15.com post tracking Hall's political footprint, including this Facebook page and photo:

Dianne Feinstein's Office Gripes To White House About OFA-Inspired Constituent Visits  —  A rare bit of friction between Dems and Obama's political operation, Organizing for America:  —  Aides to Senator Dianne Feinstein have complained to the White House about a deluge of visits to her offices …

The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare  —  Eight things we can do to improve health care without adding to the deficit.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  “The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out  —  of other people's money.  —Margaret Thatcher

BUSTED!:  “Obama As Hitler” Poster Was A Democrat/Union Plant At John Dingell Townhall!  UPDATED with video interview!  —  ***scroll to bottom for an important update (after reading the post of course!)  Watering the plants, as Glenn Reynolds would say.  Nancy Pelosi, the dimmest bulb …

Obama's healthcare horror  —  Buyer's remorse?  Not me.  At the North American summit in Guadalajara this week, President Obama resumed the role he is best at — representing the U.S. with dignity and authority abroad.  This is why I, for one, voted for Obama and continue to support him.

CNN Poll: Favorable view of Palin dipping  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) - Americans appear to be souring on Sarah Palin, according to a new national poll.  —  Thirty-nine percent of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Wednesday have a favorable opinion …

The Democrats' senior problem  —  Democrats have a senior citizen problem.  —  Frustrated older Americans are packing the town halls on health care.  They are incredibly passionate about their Medicare benefits.  Polls show senior citizens largely disapprove of health care reform ideas so far.

Sanford: It's ‘hard’ living alone in governor's mansion  —  (CNN) - South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford opened up about the state of his family on Wednesday — the first time he has done so since his wife, Jenny, moved out of the governor's mansion last week.  —  Asked during a radio interview …

Birthers: Ignorance is No Excuse  —  According to Public Policy Polling (PPP), a North Carolina polling firm, only 24% of self-identified Republican voters in the state believe Barack Obama was born in the United States.  47% do not believe that Obama is American born, and 29% of Republicans aren't sure.

A President as Micromanager  —  WASHINGTON — In briefing President Barack Obama one day this spring, White House economist Jared Bernstein delved into such arcana as the yields on different forms of credit relative to the risk.  Later, Paul Volcker pulled Mr. Bernstein aside.

Michelle Malkin's attacking little kids again  —  Wasn't Malkin's infamous, and creepy, 2007 Baltimore drive-by* bad enough?  I guess not, because now Malkin's zeroing in on a young Massachusetts school girl.  Why?  Because she got to ask president Obama a question at a town hall forum.  Bad idea!

GOP demanding apology from Baron Hill  —  INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Indiana Congressman Baron Hill is on the hot seat in the health care reform debate.  —  Hill is a leader of the so-called Blue Dog Democrats, Moderates and Conservatives who recently won a health care compromise.

For immediate release  —  Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in June suggests that economic activity is leveling out.  Conditions in financial markets have improved further in recent weeks.  Household spending has continued to show signs of stabilizing …

Analysis: Press Largely Ignored Incendiary Rhetoric at Bush Protest  —  News outlets that are focusing on the incendiary rhetoric of conservatives outside President Obama's town hall meeting Tuesday ignored the incendiary rhetoric — and even violence — of liberals outside an appearance by former President George W. Bush in 2002.

Deeds Shakes Up Campaign  —  Larry Sabato, proprietor of the excellent Crystal Ball, offers this report on the Virginia gubernatorial race:  —  One good way to separate happy, successful campaigns from troubled ones is to watch for staff upheavals.  Often, these occur in the summer when polls go south for one candidate.

Police: Man arrested before Obama event had loaded gun … By Staff reports  —  news@seacoastonline.com  —  PORTSMOUTH — Police said a man arrested at the scene of President Barack Obama's visit to the city Tuesday was found to be in possession of an unlicensed loaded gun.

Michigan madness  —  Things are pretty bad in my native state of Michigan, which has the nation's highest unemployment rate and is the headquarters of government- and union-owned General Motors and Chrysler.  Conditions are so bad that they seen to have sent some Michiganians …

Leaked Email: CNBC Went To Tea Partiers Looking for Angry Protests  —  CNBC approached Tea Party activists, looking for angry protest events that would make good television, according to a leaked email from a Tea Party discussion group.  And one Tea Bagger responded by flagging an upcoming event that …

Falling says putting Christian creationism display in the Tulsa Zoo is top priority  —  Republican mayoral candidate Anna Falling said Tuesday that putting a Christian creationism display in the Tulsa Zoo is No. 1 in importance among city issues that include violent crime, budget woes and bumpy streets.

Here's to You, Mrs. Robinson  —  On Wednesday, President Obama will drape the Presidential Medal of Freedom around the neck of former Irish president Mary Robinson.  The White House says Robinson deserves it because she was the first female president of Ireland and is a “prominent crusader for women's rights.”

Holbrooke on Success in Afghanistan: 'We'll Know It When We See It'  —  At a filled-to-capacity event with most of the interagency team run by Ambassador Richard Holbrooke to manage the deteriorating security and political conditions in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Obama administration's special envoy …

Fog bank adds an air of mystery to a Boston afternoon  —  Fog nearly obscured the boats off the ramp along Morrissey Boulevard in Dorchester yesterday afternoon.  The fog forced Logan Airport to close for three hours.  (Essdras M Suarez/ Globe Staff)  —  If you're superstitious …

2 U.S. Architects of Harsh Tactics in 9/11's Wake  —  WASHINGTON — Jim Mitchell and Bruce Jessen were military retirees and psychologists, on the lookout for business opportunities.  They found an excellent customer in the Central Intelligence Agency, where in 2002 they became the architects …