AP sets up a toll booth for bloggers citing its stories  —  The AP's disharmony with bloggers may have only just begun, as the alternative it's now offering to being served with takedown notices involves paying an up-front sum for excerpting online articles — as few as five words.

Hil and Obama, together again: First joint appearance to rally her donors  —  Hil and Obama, together again  —  Hillary Clinton will join Barack Obama for a joint appearance in Washington next week to persuade her donors to begin giving to the Democrats' nominee, the Daily News has learned.

Obama Pushes Back on McCain Camp Terrorism Attacks  —  Responding to charges by the campaign of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, that comments he made to ABC News indicate he has a “naive” pre-9/11 view of terrorism, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, told reporters Tuesday that Republicans are not trying …

Documents confirm U.S. hid detainees from Red Cross  —  WASHINGTON — The U.S. military hid the locations of suspected terrorist detainees and concealed harsh treatment to avoid the scrutiny of the International Committee of the Red Cross, according to documents that a Senate committee released Tuesday.

After Attacks, Michelle Obama Looks for a New Introduction  —  Michelle Obama's eyes flicker tentatively even as she offers a trained smile.  As her campaign plane arcs over the Flathead Range in Montana, she is asked to consider her complicated public image.

Bush Will Seek to Drop a Drilling Ban  —  WASHINGTON — President Bush, reversing a longstanding position, will call on Congress on Wednesday to end a federal ban on offshore oil drilling, according to White House officials who say Mr. Bush now wants to work with states to determine where drilling should occur.

For Immediate Release: June 17, 2008  —  Gore's personal electricity consumption up 10%, despite “energy-efficient” home renovations  —  NASHVILLE - In the year since Al Gore took steps to make his home more energy-efficient, the former Vice President's home energy use surged more than 10% …

McCain's Energy and Climate Speech  —  The following is the prepared text of Senator John McCain's speech about energy and climate change in Houston, as provided by his presidential campaign.  —  Thank you all very much.  Governor Perry, Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst, and other distinguished guests, I appreciate your joining us today.

Obama's Shifting Positions on Iraq: A Rezko Connection?  —  The time line of Obama's flip-flops on Iraq just happens to correlate to his friend's business dealings in that country.  —  Barack Obama's position on Iraq has shifted significantly over the last six years.

‘Curveball’ speaks, and a reputation as a disinformation agent remains intact  —  The Iraqi refugee and German intelligence source code-named Curveball, left, meets with reporter John Goetz somewhere in Germany.  His tall tales of Saddam Hussein's mobile germ weapons labs helped the White House justify the invasion of Iraq.

Targeting Steny Hoyer for his contempt for the rule of law  —  (updated below - Update II - Update III)  —  It is now definitively clear that House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer is the driving force behind a bill — written by GOP Sen. Kit Bond — to vest the President with vast …

MKH on O'Reilly  —  Many thanks to Allah Pundit for grabbing this clip for me.  —  In thinking about the video we discuss in the clip below, it makes perfect sense that it would portray an appeal to vote Democrat as a one-night stand.  Both activities are mostly the province of the young and irresponsible …

How F&F Became WPITW  —  Keith Olbermann gave Fox & Friends the gold on the Worst Persons list last night.  —  That's the short story.  The long story has actually very little to do with either the Countdown anchor or the FNC morning show.  It goes back to Friday night …

Dear Chuck Todd and NBC: Iraq Matters  —  Chuck Todd calls Moveon's latest ad, featuring a mother asking McCain not to kill her child with irresponsible warmongering in Iraq, ‘shameless’.  —  I didn't notice any outcry from NBC when Progress for America aired this ad …

Same-Sex Marriages Begin in California  —  SAN FRANCISCO — With a series of simple “I dos,” gay couples across California inaugurated the state's court-approved and potentially short-lived legalization of same-sex marriage on Monday, the first of what is expected to be a crush of such unions in coming weeks.