Rahm Emanuel expected to quit White House  —  Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, is expected to leave his job later this year after growing tired of the “idealism” of Barack Obama's inner circle.  —  Washington insiders say he will quit within six to eight months in frustration …

Lax Oversight Cited in Failure of Oil Rig's Failsafe Device  —  It was the last line of defense, the final barrier between the rushing volcanic fury of oil and gas and one of the worst environmental disasters in United States history.  —  Its very name — the blind shear ram — suggested its blunt purpose.

Can Obama's Spine Be Stiffened?  —  Iran, moving steadily forward on its march toward nuclear status, has once again brazenly defied the International Atomic Energy Agency, barring two of its inspectors from touring its sites.  How will the West respond?  —  So many previous provocations …

Republicans' Midterm Voting Enthusiasm Tops Prior Years  —  Relative enthusiasm advantage for GOP over Democrats largest in Gallup history dating to 1994  —  PRINCETON, NJ — An average of 59% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents have said they are more enthusiastic than usual …

Doctors limit new Medicare patients  —  WASHINGTON — The number of doctors refusing new Medicare patients because of low government payment rates is setting a new high, just six months before millions of Baby Boomers begin enrolling in the government health care program.

Israeli Easing of Blockade of Gaza Draws Praise of U.S.  —  JERUSALEM — Bowing to worldwide pressure and condemnation, Israel on Sunday formally announced an eased blockade of Gaza that could significantly expand the flow of goods overland into the impoverished coastal Palestinian enclave, isolated by the Israelis for three years.

Radicals, Islamists and Longshoremen blockade Israeli ship in Oakland  —  An Israeli cargo ship arriving in Oakland today was forced to sit idle and not offload its containers when longshoremen joined forces with a coalition of communist and Islamist groups who picketed the port in protest …

Op-Ed Columnist: Budget Deficits: Spend Now, Save Later  —  Spend now, while the economy remains depressed; save later, once it has recovered.  How hard is that to understand?  —  Very hard, if the current state of political debate is any indication.  All around the world, politicians seem determined to do the reverse.

BARBOUR: MORATORIUM WORSE THAN SPILL.... As part of the federal response to the BP oil spill disaster, the administration imposed a six-month moratorium on drilling new deepwater wells.  The point, of course, was to prevent another crisis — Deepwater Horizon had undermined confidence in the industry and its practices.

Banking Lobbyists Make Final Run at Reform Bill  —  As Congress rushes this week to complete the most far-reaching financial reform plan in decades, the banking industry is mounting an 11th-hour end run.  —  Industry lobbyists — and sympathetic members of Congress — are pushing for provisions …

New Republican Agenda, Or Lack Of One, Divides Party  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  WASHINGTON — It's not easy crafting an agenda for the fall elections.  Just ask Republicans in Congress.  They set up a website to solicit ideas, only to see liberals flood it with distinctly un-Republican suggestions.

Tea party recalls could backfire  —  Tea party forces are seizing on a new strategy in their attempt to purge Senate incumbents from office: the recall.  —  While it's not entirely clear whether their approach will meet constitutional muster, that hasn't stopped determined groups …

Colleagues cool to Kerry on energy  —  John Kerry has been the most aggressive advocate of climate change legislation in the Senate this year — so aggressive that it's rubbed some of his colleagues the wrong way.  —  The Massachusetts Democrat is making his pitch with an almost religious fervor …

Lieberman tells internet to ‘relax’ about ‘kill switch’  —  Sen. Joe Lieberman is telling his critics to “relax” over a bill that would allow the president to disable parts of the internet as he deems necessary.  China has an internet “kill switch” and the U.S. should too, according to Lieberman.

Obama tells Kyl in private Oval Office meeting: I won't secure border b/c then Republicans will have no reason to support “comprehensive immigration reform.”  —  promoted from the diaries because duplicity should be publicized  —  On June 18, 2010, Arizona Republican Senator Jon Kyl told …

Runoff turnout expected to be low  —  Tuesday's runoff races must compete with the summer school break, family beach trips and long-awaited out-of-state vacations.  —  Thus, no one is expecting a high GOP turnout when U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett of Westminster and state Rep. Nikki Haley of Lexington duke it out in Tuesday's runoff.