Charlie Rangel's War: Deal Axed At 11th Hour  —  However, A Compromise Is Possible Between Now And When Expected Trial Would Take Place In September  —  Rep. Rangel: I'm Just Glad Nobody Is Calling Me ‘Corrupt’ Or ‘Dishonest’  —  NEW YORK (CBS) ― Deal, no deal ... deal, no deal.

President Obama calls African-Americans a ‘mongrel people’  —  NEW YORK — President Obama waded into the national race debate in an unlikely setting and with an unusual choice of words: telling daytime talk show hosts that African-Americans are “sort of a mongrel people.”

McMahon Campaign Hits Grimm For Taking “Jewish Money”  —  Mike Grimm, a G.O.P challenger for Mike McMahon's Congressional seat, took in over $200,000 in his last filing.  —  But in an effort to show that Grimm lacks support among voters in the district, which covers Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn …

The Plight of Afghan Women: A Disturbing Picture  —  Our cover image this week is powerful, shocking and disturbing.  It is a portrait of Aisha, a shy 18-year-old Afghan woman who was sentenced by a Taliban commander to have her nose and ears cut off for fleeing her abusive in-laws.

Fed Member's Deflation Warning Hints at Policy Shift  —  WASHINGTON — A subtle but significant shift appears to be occurring within the Federal Reserve over the course of monetary policy amid increasing signs that the economic recovery is weakening.  —  On Thursday, James Bullard …

What would Republicans do for the economy?  An interview with Rep. Paul Ryan.  —  Paul Ryan is the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee, and one of the party's most influential voices on the economy.  And with Republicans likely to pick up a lot of seats — and maybe even the House …

Tea Party Jitters  —  Spencer Wilking Finds That New York's Tea Partiers Aren't The Bigoted White Guys You Fear.  —  “Liberty is on the march,” Dan Halloran yells as he clutches a microphone in front of a gathered crowd inside Webster Hall.  “Not only is it on the march …

Dems Call On GOPers To Renounce Phyllis Schlafly Over Remarks About ‘Unmarried Women’ (AUDIO)  —  Conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly took aim at “unmarried women” at a recent fundraiser and in an interview with TPM, saying that they overwhelmingly support President Obama and are all on welfare.

Fox News Poll: Republicans Garner 11-Point Lead in Midterms  —  With less than 100 days until the midterm elections, American voters would give the edge to Republicans by an 11 percentage-point margin if the Congressional election were today.  Yet a majority doesn't think a Republican takeover of Congress would lead to positive change.

Computer Evidence Ties Leaks to Soldier  —  Investigators have found concrete evidence on computers used by Pfc. Bradley Manning that link him with the leak of classified Afghanistan war reports, a U.S. defense official said.  —  The disclosure came as Defense Secretary Robert Gates pledged Thursday to …

Obama Housing Bailout Under Attack  —  Criticism of the Obama Administration's mortgage bailout, the Home Affordable Modification Program, is reaching a fever pitch, and I know this because, among other things, the Administration itself appears to be mounting a defense.

Obama Mocks Polls But Spends More On Them ($4.4M) Than Bush Did  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  With Reporting By Julian Hattem  —  During his daily press briefing on July 13, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was peppered with questions about why the president's popularity numbers …

Univision video confirms Sandoval said his kids don't look Hispanic  —  I have confirmed that Brian Sandoval, as reported by Univision's news director in a column and revealed in an earlier blog post, did indeed say that his children don't look Hispanic when asked by the Spanish-language station whether …

As Tennesseans Desperately Search For Work, Wamp Suggests Unemployed Are ‘Just Sitting Back Waiting’  —  This past Tuesday, Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN), who is also a leading candidate for the GOP nomination for governor, joined a conference call with the right-wing National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).

OMB nominee got $900,000 after Citigroup bailout  —  Bonus issued after 2008 report  —  President Obama's choice to be the government's chief budget officer received a bonus of more than $900,000 from Citigroup Inc. last year — after the Wall Street firm for which he worked received a massive taxpayer bailout.

Support for Mexican border fence up to 68%  —  Support for the building of a fence along the Mexican border has reached a new high, and voters are more confident than ever that illegal immigration can be stopped.  —  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 68% of U.S. voters …

Graham eyes ‘birthright citizenship’  —  Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) announced Wednesday night that he is considering introducing a constitutional amendment that would change existing law to no longer grant citizenship to the children of immigrants born in the United States.

Conway won't commit to Reid as Democratic Leader  —  In an interview with Mandy Connell on 84WHAS Radio Wednesday morning, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jack Conway reiterated his opposition to Cap and Trade and his support of “Card Check,” the union backed initiative to make labor organizing easier.

Fred Barnes not on a team?  Why did GOP pay him?  —  The Weekly Standard editor claimed political purity in bashing Journolist, but he's on the Republican payroll  —  In the pages of the Wall Street Journal, Fred Barnes has lately lamented the betrayal of “traditional journalism” …

Body of Jarod Newlove, second missing U.S. sailor, found in Afghanistan  —  KABUL — A second U.S. sailor who disappeared in eastern Afghanistan last week has been found dead.  —  The discovery Wednesday ended the urgent search that had begun Friday evening when two U.S. Navy service members drove away …