GOP Resumes Favorable Standing on Generic Ballot  —  Democratic enthusiasm for voting in midterms is the lowest seen this year  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Registered voters favor Republicans by 48% and Democrats by 43% in Gallup's generic congressional ballot for the week of July 26 through Aug. 1.

Newt Gingrich, pushing prejudice at Ground Zero  —  Newt Gingrich, his doctorate notwithstanding, has offered us an illogical and ahistorical context to the ugly dispute about building an Islamic cultural center and mosque near Manhattan's Ground Zero.  For a while, I thought that Sarah Palin …

GOP leader McConnell: Fourteenth Amendment is in need of review  —  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told The Hill on Monday that Congress “ought to take a look at” changing the 14th Amendment, which gives the children of illegal immigrants a right to U.S. citizenship.

Did She Just Say That Out Loud?  —  During yesterday's Fox News Channel's special elections show on primaries and midterms around the country, Sharron Angle had the following exchange with an incredulous Carl Cameron about her media strategy so far: … Angle then goes on to repeat a statement …

On Today's Ruling in Virginia  —  Since the enactment of health reform legislation in March, several state Attorneys General have filed lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.  Having failed in the legislative arena, opponents of reform are now turning to the courts …

Sidney Harman buys Newsweek  —  The Washington Post Co. has sold Newsweek to Sidney Harman, a wealthy industrialist and husband of Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.), and Jon Meacham will not remain as the magazine's editor, the company has confirmed.  —  The terms of the deal were not announced …

Frank warned colleague not to aid troubled bank  —  “I said, 'Look, it's a Boston institution.  You should stay out of it.  It's a legitimate constituency thing for me.' ” — Rep. Barney Frank.  (Gretchen Ertl for The Boston Globe/ File)  —  WASHINGTON — US Representative Barney Frank …

Oil spill dumped 4.9 million barrels into Gulf of Mexico, latest measure shows  —  The blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico gushed 12 times faster than the government and BP estimated in the early weeks of the crisis and has spilled a whopping 4.9 million barrels, or 205.8 million gallons …

Remarks by the President at Disabled Veterans of America Conference in Atlanta, Georgia  —  THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you so much.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Everyone, please have a seat.  Thank you.  Thank you very much.  Thank you.  —  AUDIENCE MEMBER: Happy birthday!

The Obama Agenda and the Enthusiasm Gap  —  In case after case, the administration went far enough to fuel the opposition but not far enough to provide immediate help to the average voter.  —  Whatever the outcome of the upcoming midterm elections, the activist phase of the Obama administration has likely come to a close.

Welcome to the Recovery  —  THE devastation wrought by the great recession is still all too real for millions of Americans who lost their jobs, businesses and homes.  The scars of the crisis are fresh, and every new economic report brings another wave of anxiety.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner: Unemployment Could Go Up Before It Comes Down  —  Unemployment Could Rise ‘Temporarily’ As More People Enter Labor Force  —  Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner acknowledged that it is still a “tough economy” for most Americans, and warned it's possible …

Democratic Party to Keep Controversial Superdelegates  —  A reform effort to take away party bigwigs' presidential-nominating power suffers a setback.  —  A Ringside View of the History of U.S. Political Conventions  —  Before 2008, your average American might not have known what a Democratic Party superdelegate was.

Raise My Taxes, Mr. President!  —  We can't afford the Bush cuts anymore.  —  For the last few months, we have heard powerful, passionate arguments about the need to cut America's massive budget deficit.  Republican senators have claimed that we are in danger of permanently crippling the economy.

Set the Timer?  —  I hate to say it.  But anybody got a guess how long Christiane Amanpour lasts at This Week?  —  To be clear, I think she was an absolutely inspired choice by the ABC brass.  Brilliant.  But with this pushback from the right, do they have the stomach?

In Kandahar, U.S. tries the lessons of Baghdad  —  KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN — This city is starting to feel a lot like Baghdad.  —  Tall concrete blast walls, like those that surround the Green Zone, are seemingly everywhere.  Checkpoints supervised by U.S. soldiers have been erected on all major roads leading into the city.

Virginia legal opinion supports checks of immigration status  —  RICHMOND — Virginia joined the national debate over immigration Monday when Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II issued a legal opinion that authorizes law enforcement to check the immigration status of anyone stopped by police officers for any reason.

The Death of Cap and Tax  —  Harry Reid's latest energy bill is designed not to pass.  —  President Obama's undeniable success in passing liberal legislation hasn't translated into greater popularity for himself or the Democratic Congress.  So perhaps he'll get a bump in the polls …