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 …

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.

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?

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.

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.”

Proposed deficit remedy: the healthcare ‘public option’  —  A group of House Democrats seeks to revive the idea of offering a government insurance plan.  The reasoning: ‘Because it saves so much money.’  —  Reporting from Washington — As both political parties worry about the growing federal deficit …

Reid to advance limited oil spill and energy bill, delaying climate action  —  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will bring a limited package of oil spill response and energy measures to the floor next week, delaying action until at least this fall on a broader proposal …

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 …

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.

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 …

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 …

White House Spent $23M of Taxpayers' Money on Fight to Legalize Abortion in Kenya  —  Kenyan supporters cheer at a rally to launch campaigns for the constitution referendum, in the capital Nairobi.  —  A Republican lawmaker is accusing the White House of “unconscionable” and “illegal” …

Post-stimulus America  —  I put this in the lead to Wonkbook, but I wanted to give it a post of its own, too.  Via Paul Krugman, the economic forecasters at Goldman Sachs have updated — and downgraded — their outlook for the U.S. economy.  But it's not because anything in the economy has changed.

Glenn Beck hilariously derides Keith Olbermann for special comment on Sherrod Story  —  Olbermann did another one of his classic special comments last night on the Shirley Sherrod story, and Beck had as much fun with it as I've ever seen as he relentlessly mocks Olbermann's manufactured indignity!