‘Wellstone effect’ for Kennedy?  —  Key conservative voices have begun to charge in the day after Sen. Ted Kennedy's death that Democrats are inappropriately politicizing the senator's death, his memorial and his legacy.  —  Kennedy was that ultimate political creature, a “lion of the Senate …

The Onion Wins The Internet.  —  First, there was the article on the “afterbirthers” demanding to see Obama's placenta.  Now, we have an Onion segment discussing whether or not using a minotaur to gore detainees is, in fact, torture.  Obviously there are two sides to the question.

UPDATED: As boycott continues, Glenn Beck's audience swells  —  An advertising boycott against Fox News host Glenn Beck has succeeded in keeping most major sponsors from running commercials on his show even as the controversial commentator's viewership has grown.

Obtained: The RNC's Health Care Survey  —  I just chatted with Raymond Denny, the 64-year-old La Center, Wash., man who received the RNC's “2009 Future of American Health Survey,” which alleged that President Obama's health reform plans might discriminate against Republicans.  Here's the survey question:

Markey: Medicare will take hit  —  Some people, including Medicare recipients, will have to give up some current benefits to truly reform the nation's health-care system, Rep. Betsy Markey told a gathering of constituents in Fort Collins on Wednesday.  —  Markey has repeatedly said during …

Girl taken in 1991 surfaces; couple held  —  (CNN) — A 29-year old woman walked into a northern California police station, saying she was abducted 18 years ago, authorities said Thursday.  Two people are being held in connection with the case.  —  Jaycee Dugard is in good health …

Pastor Of Gun-Toter At Obama Event Prayed For Obama To Die  —  Chris Broughton, the man who brought an assault rifle and a handgun to the Obama event in Arizona last week, attended a fiery anti-Obama sermon the day before the event, in which Pastor Steven Anderson said he was going to …

ABC, NBC Won't Air Ad Critical of Obama's Health Care Plan  —  The refusal by ABC and NBC to run a national ad critical of President Obama's health care reform plan is raising questions from the group behind the spot — particularly in light of ABC's health care special aired in prime time last June hosted at the White House

Big Beck: Goes over 3 million viewers, beats O'Reilly in demo: Cable News Ratings for Wednesday, August 26, 2009  —  Though a little scandal might alienate advertisers, it's pure ratings gold.  Last night Glenn Beck had over 3 million viewers at 5pm, second only to O'Reilly for the night.

‘Post’ poll: Only 4% of Jewish Israelis think Obama is pro-Israel  —  The number of Israelis who see US President Barack Obama's policies as pro-Israel has fallen to four percent, according to a Smith Research poll taken this week on behalf of The Jerusalem Post.

Rammell howls at Otter for not buying wolf tag  —  This time, the howling isn't coming from the wolves.  —  Rex Rammell, a long-shot gubernatorial candidate seeking the Republican nomination, criticized Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter on Wednesday for not making good on a promise to buy the first wolf tag.

Bank Losses Drain Deposit Fund, F.D.I.C. Reports  —  Even as financial stocks have rallied nearly 60 percent since the end of March, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation issued another grim report card Thursday on the health of the nation's banks.  —  The agency reported …

Key Democrat suggests party moderates ‘brain dead’  —  WASHINGTON (AP) - A key House liberal suggested Thursday that party moderates who've pushed for changes in health care legislation are “brain dead” and out for insurance company campaign donations.  —  Moderate Blue Dog Democrats …

Fox News beats CNN and MSNBC with more limited Kennedy coverage  —  Fox News maintained its top ranking among the cable news channels Wednesday as its competitors turned most of their coverage over to the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy.  The event didn't prove to be a major draw for viewers, however.

This week's Economist/YouGov poll  —  BARACK OBAMA'S approval rating has hit a new low (48%) in our latest poll.  Americans are increasingly questioning the president's handling of the wars in Iraq (44% approve, down from 46% last week) and Afghanistan (42% approve, down from 47% last week).

Corzine Closes Gap in New Jersey Governor Race  —  Stan Greenberg, Al Quinlan and Drew Lieberman  —  Democracy Corps  —  Research Categories … Executive Summary  —  A new survey conducted for Stan Greenberg and James Carville's organization Democracy Corps by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner …

US envoy ‘in angry Karzai talks’  —  The BBC has learned that the US special envoy to Afghanistan has had what has been described as “an explosive meeting” with President Hamid Karzai over the country's election.  —  Sources have revealed that Richard Holbrooke raised concerns about ballot-stuffing …

Sheehan returns to rebuke Obama  —  After spending weeks dogging George W. Bush's presidential vacations, anti-war protester Cindy Sheehan is now trying to make life uncomfortable for President Barack Obama.  —  Sheehan used to pitch a peace camp near Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas …

No Charges for Governor After Inquiry Into Contract  —  HOUSTON — Federal prosecutors have decided not to pursue criminal charges against Gov. Bill Richardson and other New Mexico officials after a yearlong inquiry into accusations that his administration steered a lucrative contract …

Bush's Search Policy For Travelers Is Kept  —  Obama Officials Say Oversight Will Grow  —  The Obama administration will largely preserve Bush-era procedures allowing the government to search — without suspicion of wrongdoing — the contents of a traveler's laptop computer …

Abuse Issue Puts the Justice Dept. and C.I.A. at Odds  —  WASHINGTON — With the appointment of a prosecutor to investigate detainee abuses, long-simmering conflicts between the Central Intelligence Agency and the Justice Department burst into plain view this week, threatening relations between …