Ousted official Shirley Sherrod blamed Fox, but other outlets ran with story  —  The White House spokesman and the agriculture secretary weren't the only ones offering regrets Wednesday to the lower-level official abruptly fired over a videotape excerpt that turned out to be totally misleading.

In the hours after Sen. John McCain announced his choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate in the last presidential race, members of an online forum called Journolist struggled to make sense of the pick.  Many of them were liberal reporters, and in some cases their comments reflected …

The Vast Left-Wing Media Conspiracy  —  Everyone knew most of the press corps was hoping for Obama in 2008.  Newly released emails show that hundreds of them were actively working to promote him.  —  When I'm talking to people from outside Washington, one question inevitably comes up: Why is the media so liberal?

Bush Tax Cuts Roil Democrats  —  Two more Senate Democrats called for extending tax cuts for all earners—including those with the highest incomes—in what appears to be a breakdown of the party's consensus on the how to handle the expiration of Bush-era tax cuts.

TRENDING: ‘High heels’ comment causes stir in Senate race  —  A comment made by Colorado Senate candidate Ken Buck and posted on YouTube is causing a stir.  —  (CNN) - Ken Buck, a Republican Senate candidate in Colorado, is causing a stir after recent comments asking voters for support “because I do not wear high heels.”

Thursday's Starting Lineup  —  The DCCC has reserved $7.7M in air time in the first wave of massive buys, locking in low rates now in an effort to save their House majority.  And, the ad buys show, the party is as worried about Dems who have been in office for years as they are about freshmen swept into office in '06 and '08.

Congress Ranks Last in Confidence in Institutions  —  Fifty percent “little"/"no" confidence in Congress reading is record high  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Gallup's 2010 Confidence in Institutions poll finds Congress ranking dead last out of the 16 institutions rated this year.

Newt Direct  —  There should be no mosque near Ground Zero in New York so long as there are no churches or synagogues in Saudi Arabia.  The time for double standards that allow Islamists to behave aggressively toward us while they demand our weakness and submission is over.

JOBLESS AID PASSES, BUT WILL SENATE GOP KILL HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESSES?.... It was a very busy afternoon in the U.S. Senate yesterday, with a flurry of important votes.  Members considered a measure to block the Justice Department from pursuing legal action against Arizona's anti-immigrant law, but rejected it.

Afghan Deadline Is Cutting Two Ways  —  WASHINGTON — When President Obama announced a new strategy for Afghanistan in December, he argued that by setting a deadline of next summer to begin drawing down troops he would create a sense of urgency for the Afghan government to take the lead in the fight …

PELOSI: POLITICS IN PAST  —  We came to know Alexandra Pelosi (daughter of Nancy) thanks to her acclaimed 2002 documentary, “Journeys With George,” a film that provided an intimate look at then-Gov. George W. Bush and his aspirations for the presidency.  She's gone on to produce other documentaries …

OVER 20 UNDOCUMENTED YOUTH RISK ARREST, DEPORTATION, STAGE SIT-IN AT CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES ON CAPITOL HILL  —  dreamactmedia@gmail.com and media@thedreamiscoming.com  —  Washington, D.C. Today, July 20th, over 20 undocumented immigrant youth from all over the country are risking arrest …

Gulf disaster a boon to Washington lobbying  —  Offshore drilling companies and environmental groups increased their spending on lobbying and PR markedly after the April 20 explosion, reports show.  —  Reporting from Washington — When the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in April it created …