It Gets Worse  —  I was at a Blanche Lincoln town hall meeting in Russellville, Arkansas, yesterday—and the number of people who believe that the President has larded the government with communists (!) was astonishing.  One woman said there were four known communists in the government and that she'd researched it on the internet.

Unbelievable: Van Jones says 9/11 petition didn't reflect his views; Update: Jones didn't “carefully review” petition  —  Note well: He doesn't deny that he signed it.  He denies that he agrees with it.  Which means, I guess, that he's asking us to create a new standard for public officials …

Job Losses Moderate, but Unemployment Rate Hits 9.7%  —  WASHINGTON — U.S. job losses softened last month but the unemployment rate soared to its highest level since June 1983, proving that it will take some time for the ailing labor market to recover from the worst financial crisis in decades.

Some Parents Oppose Obama Speech to Students  —  HOUSTON — President Obama's plan to deliver a speech to public school students on Tuesday has set off a revolt among conservative parents, who have accused the president of trying to indoctrinate their children with socialist ideas …

Obama speech to students draws conservative ire  —  DALLAS — President Barack Obama's back-to-school address next week was supposed to be a feel-good story for an administration battered over its health care agenda.  Now Republican critics are calling it an effort to foist a political agenda on children …

School Districts in Six States to Refrain from Showing Presidential Address Next Week  —  Jake Tapper and Karen Travers report:  —  White House officials seemed to be caught flat-footed by the response to what they say was a simple back to school address by President Obama to students across the nation …