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.

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 …

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.

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 …

Dialing Up a Debate on Health Care  —  Aware of the potential that they will face raucous protesters at town-hall style meetings, some Democratic members of Congress have a solution to avoid the chaos: the “tele-town hall.”  —  The conference-call style of town halls is nothing new, nor has its use been restricted to Democrats.

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 …

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

Survey finds Obama birthplace still an issue in N. Carolina  —  Barely half of N.C. voters believe President Obama was born in the United States, according to a poll released Tuesday.  —  Public Policy Polling surveyed 749 North Carolina voters Aug. 4-10, and found that 54 percent believe that Obama was born in the United States.

At What Cost, Cutting Off A Leg?  —  An amusing press release from the governing body for American surgeons:

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 …

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.

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 …