51 Vote Rules May Force a Public Option Too Liberal for Some Dems  —  As Senate leaders begin work on a Democrat-only health care bill, they're finding themselves confronted with an unexpected irony: Though the caucus has reached an uneasy consensus around a public option that's modeled …

CNN Poll: Independents disapprove of Obama  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — A majority of independent voters disapprove of how Barack Obama's handling his job as president, according to a new national poll.  —  Fifty-three percent of independents questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation …

No, Seriously, Dude, Acolyte?  —  It is fun to wake up and find [edited to remove extra word] yourself accused of joining a cult—the cult of people who like incredibly detailed, footnoted, analytic, legal arguments about abstruse and painful political crimes?  The cult of people who follow links?

Justice Dept. to Recharge Enforcement of Civil Rights  —  WASHINGTON — Seven months after taking office, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. is reshaping the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division by pushing it back into some of the most important areas of American political life …

Thesis Thrusts Va. Gubernatorial Candidate's Past Views Into Spotlight  —  The Virginia governor's race ignited Monday over Republican Robert F. McDonnell's 20-year-old graduate thesis: Democrats assailed him in e-mail blasts and interviews for what he wrote about working women, homosexuals and …

Hong Kong Broker Pulling A “Borat” On Sarah Palin  —  Hopefully Sarah Palin realizes she's been invited to Hong Kong as a practical joke.  —  CLSA, the Asia-focused broker who invited Mrs. Palin as keynote speaker for an Asian investment conference, is well known for their cheeky takes on investment research.

YOU CAN'T KEEP A BAD MAN DOWN  —  SPITZER IS EYEING A COMEBACK  —  Disgraced former Gov. Eliot Spitzer has been privately talking with friends about a possible comeback, and is considering a run for statewide office next year, several sources told The Post.

Obama's Team Crosses the Rhetorical Line  —  (Update: The website cited below has been suspended by barackobama.com.  The screenshot to the right is the original page, but the embedded links will no longer work.  Click on the picture to the right for a full-screen view.)

Torture's Ugly Dialogue  —  Call him Ishmael.  —  Call him a terrorist or a suicide bomber or anything else you want, but understand that he is willing — no, anxious — to give his life for his cause.  Call him also a captive, and know that he works with others as part of a team …

WWF condemns 9/11 print ad by DDB Brazil  —  [NOTE: The WWF says it never approved this ad and is condemning it.  See the updates below.]  Just in time for the anniversary of 9/11 comes this tasteless, nightmarish print ad for the World Wildlife Fund, showing dozens of planes headed for lower Manhattan.

Afghanistan is Just the Beginning  —  George Will echoes the concerns of many on the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.  There's no doubt that killing a dedicated insurgency is frustrating, indeed dislodging an indigenous enemy force from the local population could be the trickiest maneuver in warfare.

Something New On Health Care: Deal-Breakers From The President  —  This time, the President is going to be specific.  Next week, President Obama is going to give Democrats a health care plan they can begin to sell.  —  He plans to list specific goals that any health insurance reform plan …

Maria Bartiromo Presses 44-Year-Old Congressman: If Medicare Is So Good, Why Aren't You On It?  (VIDEO)  —  Earlier today, MSNBC's Carlos Watson hosted Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) and CNBC anchor Maria Bartiromo for a discussion on health care.  —  At one point, Bartiromo was critical …

POGO Letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton regarding U.S. Embassy in Kabul  —  Dear Secretary Clinton:  —  As you know, last month eight rockets were fired into Kabul, two landing near the U.S. Embassy.1 Not long after, at least seven people were killed and 91 wounded, including children …

Republican Voters Say GOP Reps in Congress Still Out of Touch  —  Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republican voters say their party's representatives in Congress have lost touch with GOP voters nationwide over the past several years.  The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds …

Cheney In 2012?  Some Key GOPers Aren't Kidding  —  At first, it seemed like a joke.  Wall Street Journal columnist James Taranto opined on Monday that — if the 2012 election were to turn to national security — “it's hard to think of a better candidate... than Richard B. Cheney.”

Coakley makes the first move in race for Kennedy seat  —  Attorney General Martha Coakley this morning picked up nomination papers to run for the Senate seat of Edward M. Kennedy, becoming the first candidate to throw a hat in the ring for what promises to be a fierce five-month-long race.

Bachmann: ‘Slit our wrists, be blood brothers’ to beat health care reform  —  U.S. Rep. Michelle Bachmann, a Minnesota Republican, chats with a supporter at an Independence Institute fundraiser in Denver on Aug. 31.  (Photo/Ernest Luning)  —  DENVER — In a fiery speech …

Right-Wing Conspiracy Theory: Nancy Pelosi Is Banning Patriotic Hold Music On Congressional Phones  —  Today, the right-wing site The New Ledger has a report about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) “problem” with “patriotic music”: … The post was picked up by various right-wing blogs.

Does High Speed Rail Have a Future?  —  Forgive me for talking about high speed rail even though Ryan Avent says I'm not allowed to.  I just can't control myself, I'm afraid.  —  As libertarians go, I'm a big fan of high-speed rail.  I think it would be very nice if we had some in the …

Jindal uses taxpayer money for a helicopter to shuttle him to church.  —  A report by The Advocate in Louisiana finds that state taxpayers have been paying for Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) to go to church...in a helicopter: … Last week, Jindal said that he “visits a church when he receives an invitation” …

Gmail Now Really Down - Can I Get My Email Back Please (Update: Its Back)  —  We wrote this morning about Gmail suffering some turbulence, but it appears now that it has completely crashed and disappeared.  Both Apps For Domain and the usual consumer Gmail service are down completely.