It was the moment of greatest peril for then-Sen. Barack Obama's political career.  In the heat of the presidential campaign, videos surfaced of Obama's pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, angrily denouncing whites, the U.S. government and America itself.  Obama had once bragged of his closeness to Wright.

Resigned USDA official says racial story misconstrued  —  The USDA's rural development director for Georgia says she was forced out of her federally appointed job after a “snippet” of a speech she gave in March appeared to show her admission to only half-heartedly aiding a struggling white farmer because of his race.

Opposing view on the Supreme Court: A big-government vision  —  After carefully reviewing Elena Kagan's record and testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, I must oppose her nomination.  —  OUR VIEW: Kagan deserves bipartisan backing, but won't get it

GOP leery of Tea Party Caucus  —  With the official formation of a congressional Tea Party Caucus, Rep. Michele Bachmann has thrust an existential question before House Republican leaders: Are you in or are you out?  —  Indiana's Mike Pence, chairman of the Republican Conference, was adamant.

Unemployment benefits to pass, but all alone  —  Democrats are set to pass an extension of unemployment benefits today.  The presence of Carte Goodwin, Sen. Robert Byrd's temporary replacement, gives them the 60 votes necessary to break the Republicans' — and Ben Nelson's — filibuster of the bill.

Crist Uses His Old Party as a New Foil  —  Senate Push Gains as Florida Governor Sets Himself Off Against State's GOP, With Some Firepower From Obama Camp  —  Gov. Crist has shored up some conservative positions, such as his support for gun rights, while shifting to the left on core issues like abortion, education and gay rights.

Democrats Jump Into Six-Point Lead on Generic Ballot  —  At the same time, Republican enthusiasm for voting in November surges  —  PRINCETON, NJ — In the same week the U.S. Senate passed a major financial reform bill touted as reining in Wall Street, Democrats pulled ahead of Republicans …

W.Va. Gov. Joe Manchin launches Senate campaign; Capito on deck  —  West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced Tuesday that he will run in the newly created special election for the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd's (D-W.Va.) Senate seat.  Now all eyes or on Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.).

Times loses almost 90% of online readership  —  Less than three weeks after the Times paywall went up, data shows a massive decline in web traffic  —  The registration page for thetimes.co.uk - 25.6% of users sign up and proceed to the Times site  —  The Times has lost almost 90% …

Who is Barack Obama?  —  On Sunday, both The Post and the New York Times assembled more than 20 savants and asked them, as the Times put it, “How Can Obama Rebound?”  Good question.  Not only do six out of 10 voters “lack faith in the president to make the right decisions for the country …

Altered BP photo comes into question  —  Apparently BP is no more adept at doctoring photos than it is at plugging deep-sea oil leaks.  —  A blogger has noticed that the oil giant altered a photograph of its Houston crisis room, cutting and pasting three underwater images into a wall …

Obama Sends Berwick Nomination to the Senate  —  President Barack Obama “sent the Senate his nomination of Donald Berwick as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Monday — a move that comes two weeks after Obama bypassed Congress to put his stalled nominee …

Race Card Fraud  —  Credit card fraud is a serious problem.  But race card fraud is an even bigger problem.  —  Playing the race card takes many forms.  Judge Charles Pickering, a federal judge in Mississippi who defended the civil rights of blacks for years and defied the Ku Klux Klan …

Crist Looking Good  —  Thanks mostly to support from Democrats Charlie Crist is the leader in the Florida Senate race.  In the most likely match up against Kendrick Meek he gets 35% to 29% for Marco Rubio and 17% for Meek.  His lead expands with Jeff Greene as the Democratic nominee.

Ross Douthat's Fear of Opining.  —  Today's Ross Douthat offering has already prompted a thoughtful response from Adam, but I wanted to note the conservative NYT writer's inability to assess competing arguments.  First, from his opening statement: … The key fact that Douthat never returns …

His tirades are the distilled violence, cruelty, and bigotry of right-wing Catholic ideology.  —  Every time Mel Gibson unburdens himself of a tirade against Jews or “n______s” or uncooperative females, there are commentators on hand to create a mystery where none exists.

A City Outsources Everything.  Sky Doesn't Fall.  —  MAYWOOD, Calif. — Not once, not twice, but three times in the last two weeks, Andrew Quezada says, he was stopped and questioned by the authorities here.  —  Mr. Quezada, a high school student who does volunteer work for the city, pronounced himself delighted.