This Is Not a Recovery  —  What will Ben Bernanke, the Fed chairman, say in his big speech Friday in Jackson Hole, Wyo.?  Will he hint at new steps to boost the economy?  Stay tuned.  —  But we can safely predict what he and other officials will say about where we are right now …

U.S. SENATE RACE: Poll: Voters wish for other choices  —  Angle's backers indicate preference for another Republican  —  Nevadans would like a do-over.  —  Two-thirds of voters who say they back Sharron Angle wish another Republican had won the nomination, according to a poll …

Miller says he is concerned Murkowski will ‘pull an Al Franken’  —  Joe Miller, the Republican candidate who is poised to knock off Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) in a primary contest, said Thursday he is concerned she will launch a protracted legal battle to save her seat.

Muslims Give Obama Highest Job Approval; Mormons, Lowest  —  Jews and those with no religious affiliation also give Obama above-average ratings  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Muslim Americans continue to give President Barack Obama the highest job approval rating of any major religious group in the U.S. …

The last refuge of a liberal  —  Liberalism under siege is an ugly sight indeed.  Just yesterday it was all hope and change and returning power to the people.  But the people have proved so disappointing.  Their recalcitrance has, in only 19 months, turned the predicted 40-year liberal ascendancy (James Carville) into a full retreat.

Tea Party Rocks Primaries  —  Some shocking electoral results this week are providing new proof that the loony Tea Party movement has surged to levels of influence far beyond anything most of us could ever have imagined possible, with the key results coming in Arizona and Alaska.

Levi Johnston takes back his apology to Palin … ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Levi Johnston, the father of Sarah Palin's grandson, says he wishes he hadn't apologized for telling lies about the former Alaska governor because he's “never lied about anything.”  —  Johnston said in an interview on CBS' …

Among Democrats, economic pressures are changing tax-cut dynamics  —  With the economy rapidly weakening, some senior Democrats are having second thoughts about raising taxes on the nation's wealthiest families and are pressing party leaders to consider extending the full array …

Opponents of same-sex marriage target Iowa judges  —  DES MOINES - Politics is as much a mainstay of the Iowa State Fair as the deep-fried food and the cows sculpted out of butter.  But the crowds searching for a remote corner under the grandstand this week were not headed for one of the presidential hopefuls who routinely drop by.

Administration halts prosecution of alleged USS Cole bomber  —  The Obama administration has shelved the planned prosecution of Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, the alleged coordinator of the Oct. 2000 suicide attack on the USS Cole in Yemen, according to a court filing.

Gov. Chris Christie fires N.J. schools chief Bret Schundler  —  TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie fired state education commissioner Bret Schundler this morning after Schundler refused to resign in the wake of the controversy over the state's loss of up to $400 million in federal school funding, two officials briefed on the situation said.

Who's Stupid?  —  Lately there has been a rash of news stories and columns decrying the stupidity of Americans, mostly based on a finding by the Pew Research Center that 18 percent of Americans think that Barack Obama is a Muslim.  Predictably, the New York Times joined the pile-on with this column …

Nicole John, daughter of US ambassador to Thailand Eric John, dies after falling at high-rise party  —  Nicole John (far left) fell 25 floors to her death Friday morning at the Herald Towers in midtown Manhattan.  John is the daughter of U.S. ambassador to Thailand, Eric John (below).

The Parent Model  —  During the first half of this year, German and American political leaders engaged in an epic debate.  American leaders argued that the economic crisis was so bad, governments should borrow billions to stimulate growth.  German leaders argued that a little short-term stimulus …