Obama White House v. CIA; Panetta Threatened to Quit  —  Tensions Lead to CIA Director's “Screaming Match” at the White House  —  A “profanity-laced screaming match” at the White House involving CIA Director Leon Panetta, and the expected release today of another damning internal investigation …

GOP Would Protect Health Care for Seniors  —  Americans are engaged in a critical debate over reforming our health-care system.  While Republicans believe that reforms are necessary, President Obama's plan for a government-run health-care system is the wrong prescription.

Obama's Plan to Desecrate 9/11  —  The Obama White House is behind a cynical, coldly calculated political effort to erase the meaning of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks from the American psyche and convert Sept. 11 into a day of leftist celebration and statist idolatry.

BERNIE ‘DYING’ IN JAIL  —  ‘20 PILLS FOR CANCER’  —  Bernie Madoff had little to lose by confessing to masterminding the world's biggest Ponzi scheme — he's dying of cancer, sources told The Post.  —  Madoff, who is serving 150 years at a North Carolina federal lockup after pleading guilty …

Franks goes on the attack  —  Congressman critical of Obama's policies  —  KINGMAN - A big, boisterous crowd largely supported an Arizona Congressman, who lambasted the Democratic president and his policies.  —  Rep. Trent Franks, a Republican representing Arizona's 2nd Congressional District …

Don't Blame Obama  —  Throughout the 2008 campaign, Barack Obama's most loyal constituencies were the national press corps and the left wing of the Democratic Party.  —  Those on the left loved him because they thought he was one of them.  They tolerated all the happy talk about bipartisanship …

Now the Birthers are demanding to know: Was Obama circumcised?  —  The General digs up the, ah, hot tip: … Anyone remember how Republicans wound up obsessing over Bill Clinton's Johnson, ad nauseam, even on TV?  I remember Ann Coulter speculating over Paula Jones' claims about the shape …

Now They Don't Even Pretend.  Fox Fabricates ‘Death Book’ for Vets  —  [H/t Heather.]  —  Via Media Matters.  This is even more shocking than the usual misleading Fox News coverage.  This is an outright lie, manufactured by someone treated as credible by the rest of the media.

All the President's Zombies  —  The debate over the “public option” in health care has been dismaying in many ways.  Perhaps the most depressing aspect for progressives, however, has been the extent to which opponents of greater choice in health care have gained traction — in Congress …

TN-05: Natives aren't happy with Blue Dog Jim Cooper  —  Seriously, cue up a primary challenger.  —  Research 2000 poll of the Tennessee 5th Congressional District for Daily Kos. 8/17-19.  Likely voters.  MoE 4% (no trend lines)  —  Favorable Unfavorable  —  Jim Cooper 47 41

Healthcare insurers get upper hand  —  Obama's overhaul fight is being won by the industry, experts say.  The end result may be a financial ‘bonanza.’  —  Reporting from Washington - Lashed by liberals and threatened with more government regulation, the insurance industry nevertheless rallied …

Feingold to Obama: Announce Withdrawal Timetable from Afghanistan  —  ABC News' David Chalian Reports:  —  The Obama administration has been keenly aware of discontent among many in its liberal base with regard to its Afghanistan policy and an expected request for additional troops following …

Scaled-Back Health Reform?  —  Jonathan Cohn has an excellent explanation of why Senator Kent Conrad's notion that we ought to reduce our ambitions in health reform is daft: … Obviously one answer could be that some Democrats prefer to see health reform defeated, but owing …

If Not Health Care, What?  —  The idea of postponing health care reform—until, say, the economy improves— doesn't seem appealing to many Democrats now.  ** But it might soon.  The problem, as Michael Goodwin's recent column points out, is that the issues waiting in the wings …

The risk of a double-dip recession is rising  —  The global economy is starting to bottom out from the worst recession and financial crisis since the Great Depression.  In the fourth quarter of 2008 and first quarter of 2009 the rate at which most advanced economies were contracting was similar …

Senate Democrats Consider Tactic to Push Through Government Health Plan  —  WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats said Sunday that they were fleshing out plans to pass health legislation, particularly the option of a new government-run insurance program, with a simple majority …

$10B aimed at union retirees  —  Provision called welfare by some, not enough by others  —  WASHINGTON — Antilabor forces say it's welfare for the UAW and Democrats' union allies.  Labor supporters say it falls short of what's needed as tens of thousands of union members are pushed …

Talking Health Care With Richard Trumka of the AFL-CIO  —  Please welcome Richard Trumka, secretary-treasurer and likely next president of the AFL-CIO  —  When John Sweeney ends his fourth term in September as president of the AFL-CIO, his likely successor will be Richard Trumka, who currently serves as Secretary-Treasurer.