Alleged anti-Muslim attacker works at pro-Park51 group  —  The apparent anti-Muslim assault on a New York city cabbie by a man shouting “Assalamu Alaikum.  Consider this a checkpoint” produced an immediate round of recriminations over its connection to opposition to a New York Islamic Center and an apparent rising tide of Islamophobia.

Exclusive: Palin Foe Mulls Third-Party Run  —  There's a new wrinkle in Alaska's hotly contested GOP Senate primary.  With Senator Lisa Murkowski trailing Palin-endorsed insurgent Joe Miller, a source inside Murkowski's campaign tells The Daily Beast the senator may abandon the GOP for a third party run.

Bush Campaign Chief and Former RNC Chair Ken Mehlman: I'm Gay  —  Ken Mehlman, President Bush's campaign manager in 2004 and a former chairman of the Republican National Committee, has told family and associates that he is gay.  —  Mehlman arrived at this conclusion about his identity fairly recently, he said in an interview.

Alan Simpson: Social Security Is ‘A Milk Cow With 310 Million Tits’  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  Alan Simpson believes that Social Security is “like a milk cow with 310 million tits,” according to an email he sent to the executive director of National Older Women's League Tuesday morning.

New Forecast Shows Democrats Losing 6 to 7 Senate Seats  —  The Democratic majority is in increasing jeopardy in the Senate, according to the latest FiveThirtyEight forecasting model.  The Democrats now have an approximately 20 percent chance of losing 10 or more seats in the Senate …

More House Dems fleeing (and bashing) Obama and Pelosi  —  Little by little, we're starting to see more House Dems running ads distancing them from President Obama and Nancy Pelosi — and even directly taking them on.  Some of the spots bash the Obama/Dem agenda in ways that echo GOP talking points.

Gov. Christie blames Washington bureaucracy for state's failed ‘Race to the Top’ application  —  TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie this morning acknowledged the state made a clerical error that blew its chance at winning $400 million in federal money for schools, but he blamed Obama administration bureaucrats …

National Journal Hires Major Garrett From Fox News  —  Major Garrett, the chief White House correspondent for Fox News, is quitting his job at the cable news channel after eight years.  He is joining National Journal as a Congressional correspondent.  —  Mr. Garrett's surprise departure comes …

(Updates with details from statement)  —  Mass., Aug 25 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama held a conference call with his top economic advisers on Wednesday to discuss recent data reports, global markets and economic growth, the White House said.  —  Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner …

Am I also a bigot?  Pols clueless on Ground Zero mosque  —  If one of her sleuths knocks on my door, this opponent will readily state that I need no outside funding as a reporter who is deeply investigating the motivation of Imam Rauf's choice of this site of mass murder for the mosque.

Scott upset ripples beyond Florida  —  HOLLYWOOD, Fla. - Millionaire businessman Rick Scott's surprise win in the Florida Republican gubernatorial primary Tuesday left both parties scrambling over how to cope with a candidate who possesses both glaring flaws and considerable assets.

Chris Young's surprise marriage proposal  —  Chris Young, Rhode Island's perennial gadfly candidate, was relatively well-behaved in tonight's mayoral debate.  (And as Dan McGowan points out, sometimes he makes good points.)  But he managed to steal the show toward the end when he used …

CIA Red Cell Memorandum on United States “exporting terrorism”, 2 Feb 2010  —  This CIA “Red Cell” report from February 2, 2010, looks at what will happen if it is internationally understood that the United States is an exporter of terrorism; 'Contrary to common belief, the American export …

Elin Nordegren Speaks: ‘I Feel Stronger Than I Ever Have’  —  Her divorce is final and she's ready to talk.  Elin Nordegren breaks her nine-month silence in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE magazine.  —  “I have been through the stages of disbelief and shock, to anger and ultimately grief …

Why California should just say no to Prop.  19  —  Taxing marijuana sales wouldn't bring in much money because homegrown is tax free, drug officials say.  Besides, any revenue would be wiped out by increases in healthcare and criminal justice costs.  —  This commentary was written by Gil Kerlikowske …