Carper quietly devises third option  —  Sen. Tom Carper bided his time on health care reform.  —  Rarely in the spotlight, and unfailingly restrained, the Delaware Democrat never staked out a public position on the government insurance option, solidifying his status as the model of an undecided moderate in need of persuading.

Post editors should read their own columnists  —  The Washington Post Editorial Page today lashes out at “Roman Polanski's apologists,” a group it says is “typified by the comments of Swiss filmmaker Otto Weisser, Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, film and TV celebrity Whoopi Goldberg” …

Gates Doubts U.S.'s Afghan Strategy  —  WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama met with senior counselors for three hours Wednesday to launch his review of Afghan war strategy, amid indications that his defense secretary — the key link between the White House and the military — is among those undecided about the right approach.

Pawlenty preps 2012 campaign team  —  Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been quietly assembling the blueprint of a presidential campaign and will announce Thursday the support of a group of high-level political strategists and donors, complemented by a handful of top new media consultants, POLITICO has learned.

Pennsylvania Senate Seesaw Tips To Toomey, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Obama's Approval Drops Below 50 Percent  —  The seesaw 2010 Senate race in Pennsylvania tips to Republican Pat Toomey, who has 43 percent to recently converted Democrat Sen. Arlen Specter's 42 percent, too close to call …

Obama's not-so-secret plan to raise taxes  —  Does President Obama have a secret plan to raise taxes on middle-class Americans — and,well, pretty much everybody else — with a European-style, value-added tax?  Actually, it's not such a big secret.  Connect the dots:

Stimulus Spending Doesn't Work  —  Our new research shows no evidence of a Keynesian ‘multiplier’ effect.  There is evidence that tax cuts boost growth.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  The global recession and financial crisis have refocused attention on government stimulus packages.

EXCLUSIVE: Cantor: Obama's not met with GOP leaders since May  —  President Obama has cut off communication with Republican leaders, going more than four months without hosting the bipartisan congressional leadership at the White House to discuss his health care proposal, the No. 2 Republican in the House said Wednesday.

Bachmann: Dems would allow abortions for 13-year-olds  —  Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) is picking up on a blogospheric conservative drumbeat by charging that confidentiality clauses in the health reform bills passed by three House committees would allow 13-year-old girls to get abortions without informing their folks.

New Player in Health Care Reform Fight  —  Here's an interesting development in the health care reform battle: Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, jumps into the fight with an advertisement backing President Obama's plan.  —  Said President Jim Guest: “You may wonder …

The downside of nonprofit news organizations like MinnPost, Voice of San Diego, and the Washington Independent.  —  The nonprofit news business—if that isn't a contradiction in terms—is spreading like a midsummer algae bloom.  —  Philanthropists, who in different times would have endowed …

Exclusive: Comcast in Talks to Buy NBC-Universal from General Electric (updated)  —  Deal was negotiated at a meeting among bankers in New York on Tuesday.  Comcast denies a deal is done, but does not deny talks  —  Comcast, the nation's leading provider of cable, entertainment …

Obama's ‘Safe Schools’ Czar Admits He Poorly Handled Underage Sex Case  —  Kevin Jennings was teaching high school in 1988 when a gay student confessed an involvement with an older man.  Rather than reporting it, he told the boy, “I hope you knew to use a condom.”  —  FOXNews.com

President Obama Signs Executive Order Banning Federal Employees from Texting While Driving  —  ABC News has learned that President Obama signed an executive order last night banning federal employees from text-messaging while on government business, driving government vehicles or using government equipment.

Portsmouth PD: Shea-Porter was removed from Bush town hall by two police officers  —  Two officers of the Portsmouth, New Hampshire Police Department removed Carol Shea-Porter and Susan Mayer from a February 2005 town hall event hosted by then-President George W. Bush at the request of the owner …

AUSTAN GOOLSBEE TAKES THE PRIZE  —  White House economic adviser Austan Goolsbee took home the top prize in the 16th annual “D.C.'s Funniest Celebrity” contest on Wednesday evening, and he did so in a very unconventional way.  Instead of adopting a traditional comedic routine of joke buildup and punchline …

Pelosi: No Grayson apology necessary  —  Nancy Pelosi is shrugging off GOP calls for a mea culpa from Alan “they want you to die quickly' Grayson.  —  “We have to have a debate that is not distracted from... Apparently Republicans are holding Democrats to a higher level than they are holding …

Politico: Freaky-deaky Edwards love child scandal even freaky-deakier than thought  —  Add six cups of freaky, a quart of deaky, stir well, then let chill overnight.  The next day: Voila.  If you're reading this on the east coast, where it's already past nine, I'd advise turning on a light …

Obama Can't Outsource Afghanistan  —  George Bush succeeded in Iraq by talking to his generals regularly.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  So our top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, has told CBS's “60 Minutes” that he has spoken with President Barack Obama only once since June.

China Celebrates 60 Years of Communist Rule  —  BEIJING — China's leaders marked their nation's 60th anniversary on Thursday with a precision display of military bravado, a fleet of floats representing everything from a giant fish to Mount Everest and, improbably, a female militia unit toting submachine guns …

A Modern Answer to the Commune  —  JOHANNA BRONK wants to make communal vegetarian meals and keep chickens.  Mariel Berger hopes for social, artistic and political collaborations.  Harmony Hazard is into hula hooping, book groups and anarchism.  —  Oh, to be a young city-dweller in search of a house share.

McDonough to be NSC chief of staff  —  The departure of the chief of staff of the National Security Council, Mark Lippert — just reported by Al Kamen — confirms the stature of Denis McDonough as the key staff foreign policy advisor to President Obama.  —  I'm told McDonough — the the NSC …