The truth about the Fast and Furious scandal  —  A Fortune investigation reveals that the ATF never intentionally allowed guns to fall into the hands of Mexican drug cartels.  How the world came to believe just the opposite is a tale of rivalry, murder, and political bloodlust.

Democratic campaign chair tells candidates to avoid convention  —  (Reuters) - The man responsible for getting Democrats elected to the U.S. Congress this fall has a message for his party's candidates: Stay away from the Democratic National Convention.  —  “If they want to win an election …

In the end, you have to make a prediction and take responsibility for it.  I believe the mandate will not be invalidated tomorrow.  Far less important, I expect the principal opinion will be written by the Chief Justice; a majority of the Court will find it has jurisdiction; and the challenge to the Medicaid expansion will be rejected.

Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania Swinging To Obama, Quinnipiac University Swing State Poll Finds; Voters Back President On Immigration, Split On Economy  —  This compares to the results of a May 3 Swing State Poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University, showing Obama …

WashPost will not retract ‘outsourcing’ story  —  The Washington Post will not retract their June 21 report about Bain Capital's investments in firms that specialized in outsourcing American jobs, POLITICO has learned.  —  “We are very confident in our reporting,” Washington Post spokesperson …

Day 5 of Waldo Canyon Fire evacuation: Blaze engulfs homes/historic ranch; 32k total evacuated; more dangerous winds, heat ahead  —  Twitter panorama photo from last night via @megzenger  —  Via Matt Meister, StormTracker 13, from the front lines 2:15am MT Wednesday morning in Mountain Shadows

It's Lung Cancer  —  Stage III, inoperable.  Median survival prognosis: One year after diagnosis.  —  Which is, as it turns out, the reason I haven't been accomplishing much, including posting here and making progress on the sequel to Temporary Duty.  The details are complicated, and I don't have the energy to fully explain.

Supreme Court Year in Review  —  Entry 11: Justice Scalia is upset about illegal immigration.  But where is his evidence?  —  To: Walter Dellinger and Dahlia Lithwick  —  Dear Walter and Dahlia,  —  I have read Arizona v. United States and was particularly struck by Justice Scalia's opinion dissenting …

PROTESTERS SHOW UP TO RALLY AGAINST KARL ROVE — BUT CAN'T REALLY SAY WHO KARL ROVE IS  —  Organized protesters set out to counter the issue of money in politics while marching over a mile through Washington DC last week.  The heat index was a blistering 90 degrees, which seemed to add …

Minnesota for Marriage: Gays should be ‘put to death’  —  From the official campaign:  —  I think that the campaign's final response to Brad's question says it all, don't you?  —  **UPDATE: The MN For Marriage campaign is now claiming they were hacked.  That seems very fishy …

Unemployed Brooklyn man misses job interview to save 9-month-old boy who was blown into path of oncoming subway train  —  Like a superhero without a cape, Delroy Simmonds jumps onto elevated tracks and hoists bleeding child — still strapped into stroller — to safety of the platform as J train bore down on them.

Mayor rigs wacky A/C to keep his SUV chilled  —  Who's full of hot air?  —  Mayor Bloomberg wants to maintain his politically correct credentials on global warming — but hates to get into a hot car when he leaves an air conditioned building.  —  The solution his aides came up with could easily …

German Court Declares Judaism A Crime  —  Hard to believe, but that's what the decision handed down by the regional court in Cologne, Germany means: circumcising a child under the age of consent is a crime, notwithstanding the religious beliefs of the parents.