memeorandum: The Dumbest Move the Dems Could Make (Michael Tomasky/Washington Post)

POLL: Strong Iowa Presence Lifts Romney, But Republican Enthusiasm is Low — Republican Contenders Meet in Iowa for First Network Debate Sunday — A strong presence in Iowa has lifted Mitt Romney over his Republican rivals in overall support and ratings of personal attributes alike.

Discussion: CNN Political Ticker, Taegan Goddard's …, Sister Toldjah and Taylor Marsh

Mike Glover / Associated Press:

Analysis: GOP rivals walk delicate line — DES MOINES, Iowa - The Republican presidential candidates walked a delicate line in their latest campaign debate, seeking some distance from President Bush and an unpopular war in Iraq while offering assurances of change in a new Republican administration.

Discussion: Happy Furry Puppy Story …

Washington Post:

Iowa Republicans Are Not Thrilled With Presidential Field — As the Republican presidential candidates gather this morning in Des Moines for their fourth debate, Iowa GOP voters are expressing limited enthusiasm for the field of current and potential aspirants, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Discussion: DownWithTyranny! and Prairie Weather

Mike Glover / Associated Press:

GOP Hopefuls Generally Agree on Iraq — DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Republican presidential contenders sparred over abortion on Sunday but generally agreed the United States must remain in Iraq as part of the war on terror. — "Just come home," countered Texas Rep. Ron Paul, the lone dissenter on a debate stage when it came to Iraq.

Discussion: Althouse

ABCNEWS:

GOP Candidates Face Off in Iowa — Iowa Caucus-Goers Turn Hawk Eyes on the Republican Hopefuls — So much for a quiet Sunday morning in Iowa. — The Republican presidential contenders didn't waste a minute during their first network television debate, each aggressive …

The Huffington Post: John Neffinger, Drew Westen and Rachel Sklar: GOP Des Moines …

Steve Benen / Talking Points Memo: This morning's Republican presidential candidate debate in Iowa …

CNN:

Al Qaeda member: U.S. embassies prime targets — (CNN) — U.S. Embassies and American interests "at home and abroad" are prime targets for terrorist attacks, American al Qaeda member Adam Yahiye Gadahn said in a newly released al Qaeda-produced video. — "We shall continue to target …

Discussion: Wake up America, Blogs of War, Jihad Watch and The Influence Peddler

Rusty / The Jawa Report:
New al Qaeda Video Shows Zawahiri, Adam Gadahn, Threatening U.S. Homeland

Discussion: The Blotter and Hot Air

Maddy Sauer Reports / The Blotter:
American Al Qaeda Leader Says U.S. Embassies a Prime Target

Discussion: The Strata-Sphere

Patrick Ruffini / Townhall.com:

Lead Pipes vs. Leaky Pipes — The netroots is reveling in Chicago, and the natural reaction is to ask, "Where's our YearlyKos?" — It's a good question, but ultimately a short-sighted one from an historical perspective. Go back and re-read the TNR piece on the netroots from May. Especially this part:

Discussion: The Newshoggers, techPresident, Blue Crab Boulevard and Wizbang

Tapscott's Copy Desk:

Can we please stop sobbing about 'our Yearly Kos' now? — Yearly Kos is taking place this week in Chicago. More than 1,500 folks from the left side of the Blogosphere are convening to hear, among much else, presentations from all of the Democratic presidential candidates.

Discussion: Riehl World View

WLTX-TV:

Bomb Scare in Goose Creek After Routine Traffic Stop — Goose Creek - Police have detained two men after finding and detonating a suspicious item found in their car during a routine stop for a speeding violation on a highway near Charleston. — Sources say a four-door sedan was stopped during …

Discussion: Wake up America, The Jawa Report, Sister Toldjah and Cold Fury

Brad Franko / WCBD-TV:
Go to wcbd.com — The FBI says there is no immediate threat.

Discussion: Flopping Aces, WIS-TV and THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS

Michael Yon / NY Daily News:

I have seen the horror — Al Qaeda is guilty of monstrosities in Iraq - no matter what anyone says — Amid all this talk of timetables for the War in Iraq, blurred as they are by a strange lemming-like compulsion to declare the "surge" strategy a failure almost before it actually began …

Discussion: Back Talk, The Strata-Sphere and TIME: Swampland

Mark Steyn / Orange County Register:

The vanishing jihad exposés — Mark Steyn column — How will we lose the war against "radical Islam"? — Well, it won't be in a tank battle. Or in the Sunni Triangle or the caves of Bora Bora. It won't be because terrorists fly three jets into the Oval Office …

Discussion: Power Line, The Corner, Israel Matzav and Cold Fury

Michael Tomasky / Washington Post:

The Dumbest Move the Dems Could Make — "Impeach or else!" — That was the headline that one liberal Web site ran over a recent interview with the antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan, who has been demanding that President Bush and Vice President Cheney be chucked out of office.

Discussion: Democrats.com and TPMCafe blogs

Guardian:

Better red than dead — Healthcare pressures may cause the trend towards free-market capitalism to reverse, with a large chunk of the economy reverting to a socialist system. — Will the inexorable rise in medical costs around the world someday pose a major challenge to contemporary capitalism?

Discussion: EconLog and Greg Mankiw's Blog

Carolyn Lochhead / San Francisco Chronicle:

Republicans hardening stance on immigration — (08-04) 04:00 PDT Washington — An anti-immigration backlash has taken hold among Republicans in the Capitol, led in some cases by the staunchest supporters - Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina …

Discussion: ImmigrationProf Blog

Washington Post:

The Rise Of Jeri Thompson — Ex-Senator's Wife Is Helping to Shape His Probable Bid — On a hot Saturday in June 2002, Fred D. Thompson married his second wife, Jeri Kehn, in an unventilated Congregational church in her home town of Naperville, Ill. Kehn, in a Valentino gown …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, Redstate and Betsy's Page