Sometimes it takes an outsider to show the press corps the way.  —  Among the many glorious things about American journalism is that no credentialing organization or regulatory body stands between an individual who wants to break a story and his public reporting of it.

Effort to replace Kennedy hits snag  —  The Massachusetts Legislature on Wednesday granted Gov. Deval Patrick the power to appoint a temporary replacement for the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, but with one catch: when the appointment can be made.  —  Lawmakers declined to allow the law …

Sick.  School Children Taught to Sing Praises to Obama  —  The radical left is now teaching American youth to sing praises to Obama:  —  Hat Tip Steve Tum  —  From the video: This was filmed around June 19, 2009 at the B. Bernice Young Elementary School in Burlington, NJ.  —  Barack Hussein Obama

AP source: Census worker hanged with ‘fed’ on body  —  The FBI is investigating whether anti-government sentiment led to the hanging death of a U.S. Census worker near a Kentucky cemetery.  A law enforcement official told The Associated Press the word 'fed" was scrawled on the dead man's chest.

Obama takes the supplication of America to a disgusting new level  —  Conservative commentary on President Obama's U.N. speech has correctly taken note of the extent to which Obama once again has apologized for America.  What struck me as new, though, was extent to which he begged his audience …

DeMint: Obama ‘Puts Our Troops At Risk’ By Working On Health Reform  —  The Washington Post reported this week that Gen. Stanley McChyrstal, the top commander in Afghanistan, has recommended that more U.S. troops be sent there or the conflict will “likely result in failure.”

Barack Obama rebuffs Gordon Brown as ‘special relationship’ sinks to new low  —  Gordon Brown has been snubbed repeatedly by Barack Obama during his trip to the United States, as the fall-out from the release of the Lockerbie bomber appeared to have left “the special relationship” at its lowest ebb for nearly 20 years.

Palin breaks with McCain on F-22 cuts  —  Sarah Palin, outlying her “common sense conservative” foreign policy views in Hong Kong yesterday, denounced her former running mate's push to cut new F-22 Raptor fighter jets, an efficiency move in which Senator John McCain allied himself …

Obama to Use Current Law to Support Detentions  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has decided not to seek new legislation from Congress authorizing the indefinite detention of about 50 terrorism suspects being held without charges at at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, officials said Wednesday.

Dem campaign anxiety: Vulnerables say they lack cover from Pelosi  —  Politically vulnerable Democrats say Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other House leaders aren't offering them the protection from tough votes that they did in the last Congress.  —  Conservative Democrats fear that dozens …

LOOK WHO'LL BE ON THE TEEVEE (AGAIN).... ABC News announced the guest list for Sunday's episode of “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” and you'll never guess who's going to be on.  Secretary of Defense Robert Gates will go first, followed by the guy who didn't win last year's presidential election.

In journalism, lawmaking, quality control inadequate  —  The key to healthcare reform may be in using the Internet to mobilize average voters to help craft a good bill, and then get it passed into law.  But passing along rumors at the speed of light is not good for legislation or the reputation of the Internet.

Al Franken Reads the 4th Amendment to Justice Department Official  —  Just in case he wasn't familiar with it, Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) decided to read the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution to David Kris, assistant attorney general of the Justice Department's National Security Division …

Critics Assail Obama's ‘Safe Schools’ Czar, Say He's Wrong Man for the Job  —  Critics say Kevin Jennings is too radical for the job of director of the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools, citing what they say is his promotion of homosexuality in schools, his writings about his past drug abuse and his onetime contempt for religion.

Seniors Lean Against New Healthcare Law  —  Demographic analysis also reveals distinctions by race, income, and education  —  PRINCETON, NJ — There are significant differences in views on a new healthcare law by age.  The youngest Americans, aged 18-29, favor it by a 13-point margin …

Maine TV is key front in health care battle  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — The largest city in Maine is ground zero in the television advertising war over health care reform that nationally is about to reach $100 million.  —  Organizations seeking to influence the health care debate have spent $1.5 million …

Health, Race And Obama  —  America's real and imagined grievances.  —  After an exceedingly disappointing 10 months in office pursuing a hyper-partisan agenda, President Barack Obama reminded me last week of why, for a brief moment during his campaign eons ago last year, he actually won my heart.

GOP gets big bump of donors in August  —  WASHINGTON — Despite being in the minority in Congress, Republican campaign committees outraised Democrats by $1.7 million in August as they have aggressively collected political cash amid the rancorous debate over health care.

Obama's ‘Policy Presidency’  —  A new publication came across my desk this week containing an essay that offers as good an insight into President Obama's approach to government as anything I have read — and is particularly useful in understanding the struggle over health-care reform.