President Obama blasts lies, disinformation  —  Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy  —  President Barack Obama dismissed a recent poll showing that a third of Americans don't know he's a Christian - and blamed an online campaign of misinformation …

59 percent think Palin lacks ability to be effective as president  —  Almost three out of five Americans believe former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) would not be an effective president, a new poll found Monday.  —  59 percent of U.S. adults said they don't think Palin, the 2008 Republican …

It's Witch-Hunt Season  —  The last time a Democrat sat in the White House, he faced a nonstop witch hunt by his political opponents.  Prominent figures on the right accused Bill and Hillary Clinton of everything from drug smuggling to murder.  And once Republicans took control of Congress …

The World Trade Center Mosque and the Constitution  —  The plan to erect a mosque of major proportions in what would have been the shadow of the World Trade Center involves not just the indisputable constitutional rights that sanction it, but, providentially, others that may frustrate it.

Orange County Is No Longer Nixon Country  —  SANTA ANA, Calif. — Orange County has been a national symbol of conservatism for more than 50 years: birthplace of President Richard M. Nixon and home to John Wayne, a bastion for the John Birch Society, a land of orange groves and affluence …

The saving mentality is hurting the economy's recovery  —  The logic of the economic recovery isn't working — or, at any rate, not well.  By that logic, over-borrowed Americans would repay loans and replenish depleted savings, creating a temporary drop in consumer spending and economic activity.

New York imam: Politics behind mosque opposition … DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The imam spearheading a proposed Islamic center near the site of the Sept. 11 attacks in New York believes the fierce opposition is closely linked to the U.S. elections in November, according to comments published Monday.

Environmental groups face their future in climate-change debate  —  On Thursday, some of the country's most respected environmental groups - in the midst of their biggest political fight in two decades - sent a group of activists to Milwaukee with a message.  —  We're losing.

Man arrested for attempting to spray mace on anti-gay protestors at a Leesburg High grad's funeral  —  Staff Sgt. Michael Bock died in Afghanistan  —  OMAHA, Neb. - A Nebraska man is jail after police believe he tried to spray mace on protestors outside the Omaha funeral of a Leesburg High graduate.

Stabbed cabbie out of work, worries about feeding family  —  (CNN) — New York cab driver Ahmed Sharif cannot bring himself to talk about the young man who allegedly cut his throat and nearly killed him last week, a taxi union representative said Sunday.  —  “Ahmed is a strong man …

11 Chapters Meghan McCain's Editor Axed From Dirty Sexy Politics  —  Dirty Sexy Politics by Meghan McCain is scheduled for release on August 31.  But you don't have to wait until Tuesday to see what didn't make the final editorial cut.  NewsReal Blog has obtained exclusive excerpts from the chapters rejected by Meggie Mac's editors.

GOP chances of winning House are rising as midterm election nears  —  The playing field of competitive House races has expanded substantially over the past two months, increasing the chances that Republicans will control the lower chamber next year.  —  The news is good for Republicans …