Gramm Stands by Recession Comments  —  Former senator Phil Gramm — under fire for saying the United States has “become a nation of whiners” — said in an interview today that he meant the nation's leaders were whiners, not its citizens.  —  But the top adviser to Sen. John McCain repeated …

Jackson's Obama comments almost went unnoticed  —  A Fox News technician transcribing the tape overnight heard it, and it took off from there.  —  NEW YORK — The news that the Rev. Jesse Jackson took a crude swipe at Sen. Barack Obama this week put renewed scrutiny on the relationship between …

Rangel Rents Apartments at Bargain Rates  —  While aggressive evictions are reducing the number of rent-stabilized apartments in New York, Representative Charles B. Rangel is enjoying four of them, including three adjacent units on the 16th floor overlooking Upper Manhattan in a building owned …

Pelosi says House Judiciary may hold hearings on Kucinich impeachment resolution  —  Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said this morning that the House Judiciary Committee may hold hearings on an impeachment resolution offered by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio).

In Pennsylvania, McCain Tells a New Version of Heroic P.O.W. Story — Subbing the Pittsburgh Steelers for the Green Bay Packers  —  Yesterday in Pittsburgh, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., professed his love for the Steelers to KDKA-TV.  —  Watch HERE.  —  Asked what first comes to his mind …

Obama Reacts to Debate in Berlin  —  Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she finds Barack Obama's plan to give a speech at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin a bit “odd.”  Obama's spokesman now says Obama will find a Berlin location for his speech that makes the most sense for him and his hosts.

Fight back against Bill Donohue!  —  So far today, I have received 39 pieces of personal hate mail of varying degrees of literacy, all because I was rude to a cracker.  Four of them have included death threats, a personal one day record.  Thirty-four of them have demanded that I be fired.

U.S. Considers Takeover of Two Mortgage Giants  —  WASHINGTON — Alarmed by the growing financial stress at the nation's two largest mortgage finance companies, senior Bush administration officials are considering a plan to have the government take over one or both of the companies and place …

President George Bush: 'Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter'  —  George Bush surprised world leaders with a joke about his poor record on the environment as he left the G8 summit in Japan.  —  The American leader, who has been condemned throughout his presidency for failing to tackle climate change …

Kennedy's Big Day  —  It was the worst of days, it was the best of days.  On Wednesday, Senate Democrats capitulated to the Bush administration on wiretapping — with Barack Obama joining the coalition of the craven.  —  Later that day, however, those same Senate Democrats won a huge victory on Medicare.

McCain has best fundraising in June, $22M  —  WASHINGTON - Republican presidential candidate John McCain raised more than $22 million in June, his best fundraising performance of the year, and ended the month with nearly $27 million cash on hand.  —  Campaign manager Rick Davis said Thursday …

EPA Won't Act on Emissions This Year  —  Instead of New Rules, More Comment Sought  —  The Bush administration has decided not to take any new steps to regulate greenhouse gas emissions before the president leaves office, despite pressure from the Supreme Court and broad accord among senior federal officials …

OPEC warns against military conflict with Iran  —  VIENNA: The head of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries warned Thursday that oil prices would see an “unlimited” increase in the case of a military conflict involving Iran, because the group's members would be unable to make up the lost production.

Mound Of Parchment … I think Washington's wise words were proven, in spades, this week.  The constitution is only an idea, written down, that has meaning if we all agree to honor it.  It requires our leaders to think in larger terms than momentary political needs.

The Media's Effusive Praise Of Honest Straight-Talker McCain  —  According to the national media, no matter what Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) says, he's always going to be a fun, straight-talking, regular guy.  In fact, every little thing he does — whether it's joking about killing civilians …

Likely Rise In Voter Turnout Bodes Well For Democrats  —  Obama's Support is More Committed than McCain's but Many Remain Undecided  —  The outlook for the presidential election at mid-year is substantially different than at comparable points in time in recent campaigns.