Roxana Mayer: I'm Not a Doctor But I Play One at Town Hall Meetings  —  [This post follows up on a previous post in which I questioned the credentials of a woman at a Texas town hall meeting who claimed to be a doctor, but turned out to be anything but.  She is a graduate student in social work — oh, and an Obama delegate.

Poll: Health care views take sympathetic tilt  —  WASHINGTON — The raucous protests at congressional town-hall-style meetings have succeeded in fueling opposition to proposed health care bills among some Americans, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds — particularly among the independents who tend to be at the center of political debates.

Cheney Uncloaks His Frustration With Bush  —  ‘Statute of Limitations Has Expired’ on Many Secrets, Former Vice President Says  —  In his first few months after leaving office, former vice president Richard B. Cheney threw himself into public combat against the “far left” agenda of the new commander in chief.

Election 2010: Pennsylvania Senate Election  —  Pennsylvania 2010 Senate Match-ups: Specter, Sestak Top Toomey  —  Uncomfortable town hall meetings are just the tip of the iceberg for Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter.  He now trails Republican Pat Toomey by double digits in his bid …

Yale Press Bans Images of Muhammad in New Book  —  It's not all that surprising that Yale University Press would be wary of reprinting notoriously controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in a forthcoming book.  After all, when the 12 caricatures were first published by a Danish newspaper …

Says he flubbed stats  —  Before presenting tennis legend Billie Jean King with the Medal of Freedom Wednesday, President Obama ticked off some ...  ... of her accomplishments: 12 Grand Slam titles, 101 doubles titles, 67 singles titles.  —  “Pretty good, Billie Jean,” he quipped.

Obama Injects Himself Into Health Talks, Despite Risks  —  WASHINGTON — In pursuing his proposed overhaul of the health care system, President Obama has consistently presented himself as aloof from the legislative fray, merely offering broad principles.  Prominent among them is the creation of a strong …

Climate bill could cost 2 million jobs  —  Add another climate bill cost estimate to the growing pile.  —  The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the American Council for Capital Formation (ACCF) released a study Wednesday that found under a high-cost scenario the House global warming bill …

PRESS BRIEFING BY PRESS SECRETARY ROBERT GIBBS  —  MR. GIBBS: Let me just make two quick announcements before we get going.  This evening, Susan Rice, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, will deliver a speech at New York University Center for Global Affairs.

Cap-and-Trade's Unlikely Critics: Its Creators  —  Economists Behind Original Concept Question the System's Large-Scale Usefulness, and Recommend Emissions Taxes Instead  —  In the 1960s, a University of Wisconsin graduate student named Thomas Crocker came up with a novel solution …

JOHN EDWARDS SECRET DNA TEST PROVES HE'S THE DADDY!  —  BOMBSHELL WORLD EXCLUSIVE!  John Edwards has secretly undergone a DNA test - and it proves he's the father of his mistress' love child, The ENQUIRER has learned exclusively.  —  Multiple sources confirm the bombshell development …

Town hall anger rages on  —  Out on the health care firing line, senators and members of Congress continued to get battered by constituents angry over President Barack Obama's reform plan Wednesday — with voters raising questions about everything from assisted suicide to coverage for illegal immigrants.

France and Germany exit recession  —  The French and German economies both grew by 0.3% between April and June, bringing to an end year-long recessions in Europe's largest economies.  —  Stronger exports and consumer spending, as well as government stimulus packages, contributed to the growth.

Hillary Clinton Compares 2000 Florida Recount to Nigeria's Rigged Elections  —  Missing Ballot Boxes, Inflated Voter Counts, Shootings, Among Election Fraud in Nigeria  —  NAIROBI - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton compared Nigeria's corruption and electoral problems with the 2000 Florida …

Massive campaign for Obama hits air  —  A new coalition on Thursday is launching $12 million in television ads to support President Barack Obama's health-reform plan, in the opening wave of a planned tens of millions of dollars this fall.  —  The new group, funded largely by the pharmaceutical industry …

Bust ex-Clinton aide charged in prison smuggling … Best Of NYDN.com

Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Energy Leader (National Review, 08.10.09)  —  Detroit, Mich. - Michigan just experienced its coldest July on record; global temperatures haven't risen in more than a decade; Great Lakes water levels have resumed their 30-year cyclical rise (contrary to a decade …

Rep. Cao to sit down with Obama on healthcare  —  GOP Rep. Joseph Cao (La.) is in the process of setting up a private meeting with President Barack Obama to discuss the healthcare reform bill.  —  Often cited by Democratic political operatives as the most vulnerable House Republican …