Republicans divided on the importance of an agenda for midterm elections  —  Sometime after Labor Day, House Minority Leader John A. Boehner plans to unveil a blueprint of what Republicans will do if they take back control of the chamber.  He promises it will be a full plate of policy proposals …

Why the silence from The Post on Black Panther Party story?  —  Thursday's Post reported about a growing controversy over the Justice Department's decision to scale down a voter-intimidation case against members of the New Black Panther Party.  The story succinctly summarized the issues …

Margaret Thatcher's family are ‘appalled’ at Meryl Streep film  —  Film about Margaret Thatcher's life, which is expected to star Meryl Streep, shows the former prime minister as a dementia-sufferer looking back at her life with sadness.  —  Tim Walker.  —  Although the prospect …

White House wanderers tour Acadia  —  BAR HARBOR — Julia Freifeld, of Raleigh, N.C., was absolutely certain she knew where the Obamas would make a stop during their weekend getaway on Mount Desert Island.  —  She staked out Ben & Bill's Chocolate Emporium on Main Street in Bar Harbor.

TRENDING: Vitter sorry for Maddow comment  —  Vitter is apologizing for a comment poking run at Rachel Maddow.  —  (Updated with additional context)  —  (CNN) - Republican Sen. David Vitter apologized to MSNBC host Rachel Maddow Friday after jesting on a radio program that she only looked like a woman “a long time ago.”

Introducing The Obama Bumper Sticker Removal Kit  —  For your entertainment pleasure this Friday evening, the folks at NewsBusters want to introduce you to “The Obama Bumper Sticker Removal Kit.”  —  Did you buy into Hope and Change a few years ago only to now feel embarrassed by what's adorning your wheels?

The Blegging Bowl 1  —  Yesterday I posted a bleg asking readers of AndrewSullivan.com and FrumForum.com for help writing a one-sentence description of a modernized, reformed conservatism.  We've had a stunning response: almost 200 suggestions, via email from AndrewSullivan readers and in the comments section at FrumForum.

Angling for Harry Reid  —  Why the tea party favorite thinks voters will reject the attacks on her views and help her topple the Senate majority leader.  —  Sharron Angle first realized the extent of the brewing revolt against Washington in late March, at a tea party protest in Searchlight …

Mexican drug cartels' newest weapon: Cold War-era grenades made in U.S.  —  MEXICO CITY — Grenades made in the United States and sent to Central America during the Cold War have resurfaced as terrifying new weapons in almost weekly attacks by Mexican drug cartels.

Barney Frank defends Scott Brown's daughters  —  WASHINGTON - Representative Barney Frank this afternoon came to Senator Scott Brown's defense, joining the Massachusetts Republican in criticizing comedian Kathy Griffin for comments she made calling Brown's daughters “prostitutes.”

For BP, Rising Pressure in Oil Well Seen as a Positive Sign  —  As the Gulf of Mexico entered a third day free of fresh oil from BP's blown-out well, a company official said Saturday that there were still no signs of damage in the 13,000-foot-deep hole.  —  “We're very encouraged at this point …

Treasury Makes A Mistake - Claiming They Are Not Blocking Elizabeth Warren  —  It's one thing to block Elizabeth Warren from heading the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.  —  It's quite another thing to deny in public, for the record, that any such blocking is going on (e.g. …

Mary Matalin: Tea Party Express Mark Williams Is A ‘Crackpot’ With ‘No Influence’  —  There has been a rather ugly conflict between the NAACP and the Tea Party movement that has heated up of late, centering around the use of “colored people” and a satirical letter written by Mark Williams, a Tea Party Express organizer.

Voters Rate the Parties' Ideologies  —  Dems Viewed as Farther from Political Center than is GOP  —  In broad terms, voters view the Democratic Party's ideology as the opposite of the Republican Party's: 58% say the Democratic Party is either very liberal or liberal while 56% say the GOP is either very conservative or conservative.

Professor Of Military History Weighs in on the Implausibility of Bellesiles's Story  —  The Chronicle of Higher Education has not yet revealed the results of its investigation of the veracity of Michael Bellesiles's story about a dying soldier and his student brother.

Wealthy Reduce Buying in a Blow to the Recovery  —  The economic recovery has been helped in large part by the spending of the most affluent.  Now, even the rich appear to be tightening their belts.  —  Late last year, the highest-income households started spending more confidently, while other consumers held back.

A Mosque Grows Near Brooklyn  —  The dubious financing of ‘Cordoba House’ deserves scrutiny.  —  Since a proposal to construct a 15-story mosque and community center two blocks from Ground Zero was announced last year, the project has been a focus of widening protests.

What Went Wrong: The Rahm Factor  —  A fascinating and depressing interview with David Obey: … But remember, the Cossacks work for the czar.