Congressman Rangel's Party a Display of Defiance  —  It was a dramatic but fitting start to an evening that brimmed with political defiance.  About 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, as guests began strolling into the Plaza Hotel to celebrate Representative Charles B. Rangel's 80th birthday …

In The Matter Of Robert L. Gibbs  —  There he goes again.  What gets me is how unprofessional the whole thing is.  —  Look, if you're a public figure of any kind, you're going to face a lot of criticism.  Much of it will seem unfair to you; some of the unfair criticism will come from people …

Grim Voter Mood Turns Grimmer  —  Pessimism Rises on Economy and War; Bad Reviews for Both Democrats and GOP  —  Americans are growing more pessimistic about the economy and the war in Afghanistan, and are losing faith that Democrats have better solutions than Republicans, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.

Statement by the President on the Occasion of Ramadan  —  On behalf of the American people, Michelle and I want to extend our best wishes to Muslims in America and around the world.  Ramadan Kareem.  —  Ramadan is a time when Muslims around the world reflect upon the wisdom and guidance …

Borrowers Refuse to Pay Billions in Home Equity Loans  —  PHOENIX — During the great housing boom, homeowners nationwide borrowed a trillion dollars from banks, using the soaring value of their houses as security.  Now the money has been spent and struggling borrowers are unable or unwilling to pay it back.

GOP plan to extend tax cuts for rich adds $36 billion to deficit, panel finds  —  A Republican plan to extend tax cuts for the rich would add more than $36 billion to the federal deficit next year — and transfer the bulk of that cash into the pockets of the nation's millionaires …

Local Democrats wish death upon Sarah Palin  —  There's only one way the tragic airplane crash in Alaska that ended the life of former-U.S. Senator Ted Stevens could have been better, according to New Hampshire Democratic activist and State Rep. candidate Keith Halloran: If Sarah Palin had been on it.

Waiting in the Wings to Be Chief G.O.P. Dealmaker  —  WASHINGTON — As lawmakers head home this week for what remains of summer, one question transfixes Washington: Will Democrats lose control of the House and possibly even the Senate in November, or will they hang on to fragile majorities?

Cringe-inducing typo outside N.C. school  —  Well, here's something to make your old English teacher gasp in horror: A road contractor hired to paint the word “school” on a freshly paved stretch of road near Southern Guilford High School in North Carolina rendered the traffic area in question a “shcool” zone.

Decision on stay expected in California same-sex marriages case  —  Los Angeles, California (CNN) — A federal court in California will rule Thursday on whether to keep a temporary stay in place in the case that overturned the state's ban on same-sex marriages.

Civil Unrest: The Death of Decorum in Washington?  —  Has Civility Reached an Historic Low in Congress?  —  There was an extraordinary moment during the final senate debate on Elena Kagan's Supreme Court confirmation.  While Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) delivered remarks, Senator Al Franken …

George W. Bush makes surprise visit to U.S. troops  —  Former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, made a surprise visit to U.S. troops this afternoon.  —  They showed up at the USO in the Dallas-Fort Worth airport.  There they mingled with the returning soldiers, thanked them …

Stocks plunge as U.S. trade deficit is wider than expected  —  A wide-ranging sell-off on Wall Street sent stocks into the red for the year Wednesday after unexpectedly bad economic news from three continents reinforced fears that the global recovery is faltering.

Deficit in July Totals $165.04 Billion  —  The U.S. government spent itself deeper into the red last month, paying nearly $20 billion in interest on debt and an additional $9.8 billion to help unemployed Americans.  —  Federal spending eclipsed revenue for the 22nd straight time, the Treasury Department said Wednesday.

Lugar likely to seek re-election  —  If re-elected, he'd be longest-serving Hoosier senator.  —  SOUTH BEND — Republican Sen. Richard Lugar said Wednesday that he plans on seeking a seventh term in 2012 in a bid that would extend his run as the longest-serving U.S. senator in Indiana history.

G.M. Continues to Rebuild, Earning $1.3 Billion in Quarter  —  DETROIT — General Motors said Thursday that it earned $1.3 billion in the second quarter, citing sustained progress in rebuilding operations after emerging from its government-sponsored bankruptcy last year.

For the person who has everything: artisanal pencil sharpening  —  David Rees, the man behind the popular political comic Get Your War On, wants to sharpen you a pencil.  Slowly.  Attentively.  And with a carefully selected sharpener or blade that suits the pencil best.

Primary elections saw big wins for anti-establishment candidates and incumbents  —  Tuesday's primary elections produced a series of seemingly contradictory claims and interpretations: a good night for outsiders and the “tea party” movement, an equally good night for incumbents and President Obama.

Netanyahu, the anti-Obama  —  Two photographs adorn the office of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.  Together they illuminate a portentous fact: No two leaders of democracies are less alike — in life experiences, temperaments and political philosophies — than Netanyahu …

Cohee at OneUnited, bank in Maxine Waters case, has checkered record  —  As chairman and chief executive of OneUnited Bank, Kevin L. Cohee has sought to build a company that is about more than just money.  He promoted the bank, now at the center of a House ethics case against Rep. Maxine Waters …

Gotta Water The Green Shoots  —  I don't think I have perfect predictive powers, and more than that my skepticism about the supposedly recovering economy mostly didn't come from my Ph.D in economics (plenty of people with those are idiots), but from some basic common sense combined with a bit of observation.

Thoughtcrime: D.C. Reporter Suspended for Accurate Report on BP's Donations to Obama  —  WJLA-TV, a Washington, D.C. ABC affiliate, suspended reporter Doug McKelway following his alleged “partisan” comments at a liberal rally on Capitol Hill marking the three-month anniversary of the Gulf oil spill.