Sen. Cornyn on mosque near 9/11 site: ‘This is not about freedom of religion’  —  The chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee believes the mosque set to be built near ground zero in New York City will be a campaign issue this fall.  —  “It demonstrates that Washington …

Harvard University fund sells all Israel holdings  —  No reason for the sale was mentioned in the report to the SEC.  —  In another blow to Israeli shares, the Harvard Management Company notified the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Friday that it had sold all its holdings …

Bill Kristol Is Invited to Eat A Bag Of Salted Dicks  —  Bill Kristol, who has been spectacularly wrong about pretty much everything upon which he has ever ventured an opinion in his entire life, has decided that he is the one who must speak up for post 9/11 America which, in Kristol's eyes …

Petraeus Opposes a Rapid Pullout in Afghanistan  —  KABUL, Afghanistan — Gen. David H. Petraeus, the commander of American and NATO forces, began a campaign on Sunday to convince an increasingly skeptical public that the American-led coalition can still succeed here despite months of setbacks …

China Passes Japan as Second-Largest Economy  —  SHANGHAI — After three decades of spectacular growth, China passed Japan in the second quarter to become the world's second-largest economy behind the United States, according to government figures released early Monday.

Chris Matthews Winces In Pain When Guest Says Dems Could Lose Senate  —  Chris Matthews this weekend winced in pain when a guest on his syndicated program said it's actually more likely the Democrats will lose the Senate than the House in the upcoming midterm elections.

No Love From the Lefties  —  Robert Gibbs should be yanked as White House press secretary.  —  Not because of his outburst against the “professional left.”  He was right about that.  In an interview with The Hill last week, Gibbs once more proved Michael Kinsley's maxim that a gaffe is just truth slipping out.

Free Parking Comes at a Price  —  IN our society, cars receive considerable attention and study — whether the subject is buying and selling them, the traffic congestion they cause or the dangerous things we do in them, like texting and talking on cellphones while driving.

Prominent Democrats want Kennedy's widow to run for his Senate seat  —  Nearly one year after Edward M. Kennedy's death, prominent Democrats in Washington and Massachusetts are promoting his widow as the party's best shot at winning back the Senate seat he held for nearly five decades.