A Scandal-Scarred G.O.P. Asks, 'What Next?'  —  Scott Reed, a Republican strategist, was at a dinner in Philadelphia on Monday night when his cellphone and Internet pager began beeping like crazy.  Only later did he learn why.  His party was buzzing with news of a sex scandal involving a Republican United States senator — again.

Carlson claimed that after incident in a public bathroom, he assaulted the man who "bothered" him  —  On the August 28 edition of MSBNC Live, hosted by MSNBC general manager Dan Abrams, Tucker Carlson, host of MSNBC's Tucker, asserted, "Having sex in a public men's room is outrageous.

FEC To Collect $775,000 Civil Penalty From America Coming Together  —  WASHINGTON -The Federal Election Commission (FEC/Commission) announced today that it has reached a settlement with America Coming Together (ACT) regarding violations of federal campaign finance laws during the 2004 Presidential election.

Edwards: Americans should sacrifice their SUVs  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards told a labor group he would ask Americans to make a big sacrifice: their sport utility vehicles.  —  The former North Carolina senator told a forum …

The Big Picture(s)  —  In the midst of the still-lingering controversy over the truthiness of The New Republic's "Baghdad Diarist," more than a few people suggested that war supporters, unable to discredit the real bad news coming from Iraq, targeted the Scott Thomas Beauchamp stories as a weak link.

Fine unscrupulous mortgage lenders  —  T he implosion of the subprime lending industry is more than a temporary blip in our econ-omic progress.  It is a cancer that, given today's integrated financial markets, threatens to spread with devastating impact to housing and to our economy as a whole, unless we act to contain it.

MoveOn targets pro-surge Democrat  —  Rep. Brian Baird's (D-Wash.) recent conversion on the Iraq war is beginning to affect more than the national dialogue.  On Wednesday, liberal group MoveOn.org announced an ad campaign against the congressman in his own district.

Pranksters wrap Rove's car  — Pranksters wrap Rove's car  —  WASHINGTON - Karl Rove, your car is ready.  — Bush will mark Katrina anniversary  —  AP - 17 minutes ago  —  NEW ORLEANS - President Bush is marking Hurricane Katrina's devastating blow by celebrating those he says have …

Iraqi cleric: militia in `freeze'  —  BAGHDAD - Anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr took his Mahdi Army out of action for up to six months Wednesday to overhaul the feared Shiite militia — a stunning move that underscores the growing struggles against breakaway factions with suspected ties to Iran.