Why Republicans Must Avoid a ‘Ground Zero Mosque’ Battle  —  From left: J. Scott Applewhite / AP; Mike Segar / Reuters  —  Dear Republican Party:  —  Your moment is now.  —  This weekend, President Obama defended the right of Muslims to build a community center and mosque two short blocks …

President goes for a swim in the Gulf - or does he?  —  President Barack Obama wanted to convince America that the Gulf of Mexico remains open for business.  But perhaps he didn't want the world to catch another glimpse of his hairless chest.  —  So when he and his daughter, Sasha …

Dept. of propaganda  —  Rep. Darrell Issa is out with a report this morning claiming that the Obama administration has engaged in an unprecedented amount of illegal propaganda.  —  The charge is almost undoubtedly true: As the report drily catalogues, virtually every 20th century administration …

Feds clear DeLay after six years  —  The Justice Department has informed former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) that the government has ended a six-year investigation of his ties to the disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, according to DeLay's lead counsel in the matter, Richard Cullen, chairman of McGuireWoods.

The Transformer  —  Bob Gates never thought he'd be Barack Obama's defense secretary.  Now, in an exclusive interview, the most revolutionary Pentagon leader since Robert McNamara tells FP why he said yes, when he'll get out of Washington, and what legacy he hopes to leave behind.

Stanley McChrystal to Yale  —  Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who was forced to retire in July after an embarrassing Rolling Stone article quoted him and his staff making disparaging remarks about top White House officials, is taking a job at Yale, POLITICO has learned.

Taliban ‘kill adulterous Afghan couple’ in marketplace  —  A man and a woman who allegedly had an adulterous affair have been stoned and killed in the northern Afghan province of Kunduz.  —  The punishment happened in a crowded bazaar on Sunday in the Taliban-controlled village of Mullah Quli.

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 …

Attacking Social Security  —  Social Security turned 75 last week.  It should have been a joyous occasion, a time to celebrate a program that has brought dignity and decency to the lives of older Americans.  —  But the program is under attack, with some Democrats as well as nearly all Republicans joining the assault.

Huckabee Leads 2012 Iowa Caucus Poll - Palin Finishes Fourth behind Newt  —  Believe it or not, the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination is already underway in Iowa.  Potential candidates like Tim Pawlenty, Rick Santorum, and Newt Gingrich are already making frequent visits …

Alvin Greene howls and wails at reporter … Alvin Greene's mugshot from Richland County arrest  —  MANNING, SC (WIS) - In a bizarre interview at his home in Manning, South Carolina, the Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, Alvin Green said he is not quitting the race even after his indictment on a felony charge of obscenity.

Election 2010: North Dakota House of Representatives  —  North Dakota House: Berg (R) 53%, Pomeroy (D) 44%  —  Republican challenger Rick Berg remains slightly ahead of incumbent Democratic Congressman Earl Pomeroy in the race for North Dakota's only U.S. House seat.

Obama's Bad Bets  —  “Recovery Summer” goes bust  —  Declaring a “Recovery Summer” victory tour at the start of June must have looked like a pretty safe wager for the Obama administration.  The economy seemed to have shifted firmly into gear during the spring.

Mich. school practices 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.  —  DEARBORN, Mich. — A Michigan high school football team is holding preseason practices in the middle of the night to help its Muslim players practice both faith and football.  —  The predominantly Muslim squad from Dearborn says the nocturnal regimen …

Boomers Threaten Economy  —  America's baby boomers—those born between 1946 and 1964—face a problem that could weigh on the economy for years to come: The longer it takes for the economy to recover, the less money they'll have to spend in retirement.  —  Policy makers have long worried …

Union leader calls on L.A. teachers to boycott Times  —  A.J. Duffy objects to the paper's analysis of the effectiveness of more than 6,000 elementary school teachers.  —  The Los Angeles teachers union president said Sunday he was organizing a “massive boycott” of The Times …