U.S. SENATE CAMPAIGN: Angle, Reid race still tight  —  More voters picking sides as senator's clout comes into play  —  Locked in a dead heat, both U.S. Sen. Harry Reid and Sharron Angle picked up support in the past two weeks, according to a poll for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and 8NewsNow …

Longshot US Senate candidate from SC indicted  —  COLUMBIA, S.C. — Longshot U.S. Senate candidate Alvin Greene was indicted Friday on two charges, including a felony charge of showing pornography to a South Carolina college student.  —  A Richland County grand jury indicted Green for disseminating …

Sacrilege at Ground Zero  —  A place is made sacred by a widespread belief that it was visited by the miraculous or the transcendent (Lourdes, the Temple Mount), by the presence there once of great nobility and sacrifice (Gettysburg), or by the blood of martyrs and the indescribable suffering of the innocent (Auschwitz).

CNN Poll: Who's on top in hunt for 2012 GOP nomination?  —  Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul (left to right) top a list of potential 2012 GOP contenders, according to a new CNN poll.  (PHOTO CREDITS: Getty Images)  —  Manchester, New Hampshire (CNN) …

For Michelle Obama, extravagance dents popularity  —  After a widely admired start in the White House, first lady Michelle Obama's popularity is falling and, if the current downward trend in her approval ratings continues, could touch lows not seen since the scandal-tainted days of Hillary Rodham Clinton.

FULL AUDIO: Dr. Laura Schlessinger's N-word rant  —  On August 10, Dr. Laura Schlessinger launched into a racially charged rant, during which Schlessinger — in her own words — “articulated the ‘n’ word all the way out — more than one time.”  Among other things, Schlessinger also told …

CONTENTS NOT VERIFIED  —  It seems a bit strange to me that the media carefully warn about and label any content that involves sex, violence or strong language — but there's no similar labelling system for, say, sloppy journalism and other questionable content.  —  I figured it was time to fix that, so I made some stickers.

Disappointed, down, despondent  —  And not about to rush to the polls in November, either  —  WHY, asks a Democrat leading a training session for fellow activists, doesn't “Yes we can” work as a slogan any more?  “Because we haven't,” a jaded participant responds.

Facing Ethics Charges, Rep. Waters Points Finger at Bush Administration  —  Embattled Rep. Maxine Waters on Friday blamed the Bush administration for her ethics problems — saying she had to intervene with the Treasury Department on behalf of minority-owned banks seeking federal bailout funds …

Lessig On Obama  —  Very nicely put: … I am crestfallen over two profound issues: civil rights and accountability for war crimes.  Maybe in the long run, it will come out all right.  And I understand the necessity of pragmatism and the awful legacy this president inherited.

Obama closes curtain on transparency  —  President Obama has abolished the position in his White House dedicated to transparency and shunted those duties into the portfolio of a partisan ex-lobbyist who is openly antagonistic to the notion of disclosure by government and politicians.

Greene threatens suit against St. Pete Times  —  Billionaire self-funding Senate hopeful Jeff Greene, who's been on the receiving end of extensive media scrutiny in his Florida race to be the Democrat challenging independent Charlie Crist and Republican Marco Rubio, is vowing to sue …

U.S. Civil Rights Commission hearing erupts into shouting  —  Washington (CNN) - Members of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission shouted at each other Friday over the Justice Department's decision to drop most of the charges in a 2008 incident in which black militants confronted voters at a Philadelphia …

Does the past record of journalists matter?  —  The Atlantic's James Fallows, whose analysis I often find worthwhile, yesterday defended Jeffrey Goldberg and his Iran article from unidentified critics (emphasis added): … First of all, it's inaccurate to claim that critiques of Goldberg's article are based on what he did in the past.

Why Democrats shouldn't feel overconfident about beating some of those wacky Republican nominees. … - Won't It Be Awesome When Amazon Releases a $99 Kindle?  - Shafer: The Tabloidy Goodness of TBD.com- The Only Luggage You'll Ever Need- Troy Patterson on the Despicable New Genre …

Dems Might Want to Re-Think Criticizing Linda McMahon's WWE Connection  —  Linda McMahon stepped down as CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment in September 2009 in order to run for the US Senate, and she has since become the Republican nominee from Connecticut.