Stephen Colbert Moves Ahead of Richardson, Closes in on Biden, in National Poll!  —  NEW YORK He's been "in" the race for less than a week, and already faux-pundit Stephen Colbert has surged ahead of longtime candidate Gov. Bill Richardson in one national poll gauging the race for the Democratic nod for president.

Even Closer to the Brink  —  The news out of Iraq just keeps getting worse.  Now Turkey is threatening to send troops across the border to wipe out Kurdish rebel bases, after guerrillas killed at least a dozen Turkish soldiers.  This latest crisis should have come as no surprise.

Civility Reigns at San Diego Stadium  —  SAN DIEGO (AP) - Like Hurricane Katrina evacuees two years earlier in New Orleans, thousands of people rousted by natural disaster fled to the NFL stadium here, waiting out the calamity and worrying about their homes.

Pelosi to launch PR blitz to beat '08 media frenzy  —  Nearly one year after recapturing control of Congress, House Democratic leaders will embark on a publicity blitz starting in November to combat a dismal 25 percent approval rating.  —  Democratic leadership aides huddled with rank …

Wildfires and environmental obstructionism  —  Nearly 300,000 Southern California residents have now been evacuated as wildfires spread across the region: … Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is calling up the National Guard and asking for military support.  President Bush has declared a state of emergency.

Obama going on offensive on Iran  —  Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama is going on the offensive in Iowa on Iran.  —  The Illinois Democrat's campaign is sending out a color mailing today in the early voting state that includes the headline, "While others went along, Obama opposed Bush's war plans."

The Nobel Glory Of Doris Lessing  —  The Nobel committee has certainly fallen on desperate times, and especially so this year.  First they award a peace prize to Al Gore for his global-warming hysterics, apparently because the science committee understood the extent of his exaggerations in An Inconvenient Truth.

ISLAMO-FASCISM LAMENESS- HOROWITZ SUCKED HOOVER  —  What a let down.  My buddy Ebo and I attended Horowitz' opening night of Islamo-Fascism Awareness week and if this is our answer to sharia, then I guess Dirka Dirka Mohammed Jihad it will be.  —  Both of us were predisposed to agree wth …

Islamofascism  —  Did you know it was Islamofascism Awareness Week?  And have you thought about what you're going to do to raise awareness about this concept the loss of which would be such a devastating blow to the vanity and intellectual pretensions of countless right-wing bloggers …

Violence in Iraq down 70%  —  But, I'm confused.  I coulda swore I heard someone say "The war is lost."  Maybe that prognostication was a bit premature. … This is the lead of a Reuters story.  Watch how they use the next sentence to make sure that no one jumps for joy.

McCain: 'Seven Or Eight Months' More Until We Can Start Iraq Withdrawal  —  In an interview with the Nashua Telegraph editorial board, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said yesterday that the "next eight months" will determine whether the Iraq war can be "won":

Please Welcome Senator Chris Dodd  —  Senator Chris Dodd joins us today from Iowa to discuss his decision to oppose retroactive immunity for the telecom companies from the upcoming FISA bill.  —  Dodd is acting in the tradition of Robert Kennedy, who himself vigorously opposed such action:

Lawbreaker in Chief  —  AT his confirmation hearings last week, Michael B. Mukasey, President Bush's nominee for attorney general, was asked whether the president is required to obey federal statutes.  Judge Mukasey replied, "That would have to depend on whether what goes outside …

The War for the Constitution  —  The anniversary of Robert Bork's failed nomination reminds us what's at stake in the coming election.  —  Twenty years ago today the United States Senate voted to reject President Reagan's nomination of Judge Robert H. Bork to the Supreme Court.

The Coming War  —  The most telling moment from Sunday's GOP debate didn't take place during the debate itself, but in the focus group of Republican primary voters conducted by pollster Frank Luntz after the debate had ended.  Watch the reaction Luntz gets as he quizzes the group …

Single gaffe can derail a message  —  Last week's vote on overriding President Bush's children's health insurance veto should have been a brief respite from a pretty tough week for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).  —  After being forced to back away from votes on Armenian genocide …