Fox ‘not really news,’ says Axelrod  —  White House senior adviser David Axelrod said Sunday that the Fox News Channel is “not really a news station” and that much of the programming is “not really news.”  —  “I'm not concerned,” Axelrod said on ABC's “This Week” when George Stephanopoulos asked …

Exclusive: I Helped Richard Heene Plan a Balloon Hoax  —  For the first time, 25-year-old researcher Robert Thomas reveals to Gawker how earlier this year he and Richard Heene drew up a master plan to generate a massive media controversy using a weather balloon.  To get famous, of course.

How Moody's sold its ratings — and sold out investors  —  WASHINGTON — As the housing market collapsed in late 2007, Moody's Investors Service, whose investment ratings were widely trusted, responded by purging analysts and executives who warned of trouble and promoting those who helped Wall Street plunge …

Mr. Deeds for Governor  —  A LEGACY of sound policies, coupled with the proximity of the federal government, has partially protected Virginia from the harsh retrenchments that the recession has forced on many states.  Yet the commonwealth faces a daunting crisis in the form of a drastic shortfall …

David Rohde's insights into what motivates the Taliban  —  (updated below)  —  The New York Times' David Rohde writes about the seven months he was held hostage by a group of extremist Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan and conveys this observation about what motivates them:

Specter rips GOP: ‘A Party of obstructionism.’  —  Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA), who until late April of this year was a lifelong Republican, castigated his former party this morning on Fox News.  Specter ripped the GOP for refusing to be a good-faith negotiator in the health care debate:

White House ‘Official’ Badmouths Labor Leader For Expecting Obama To Keep His Promises  —  Gerry McEntee is president of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).  He leads the largest union in America and has been one of the most vocal advocates for progressive health care reform.

Emanuel: Bush left U.S. adrift on Afghanistan  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — One of President Obama's top advisers said Sunday the Bush administration failed to ask critical questions about the war in Afghanistan, leaving the Obama administration starting from scratch — and leaving the war “adrift.”

Secret Service strained as leaders face more threats  —  Report questions its role in financial investigations  —  WASHINGTON - The unprecedented number of death threats against President Obama, a rise in racist hate groups, and a new wave of antigovernment fervor threaten to overwhelm …

First paper to run Limbaugh “slavery” quote issues retraction  —  In the wake of the news that radio host Rush Limbaugh was hoping to buy a chunk of the St. Louis Rams, Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote a column containing the now-infamous quote, supposedly from Limbaugh …