Muslim leaders to abandon plans for Ground Zero community center  —  Insiders say Muslim spiritual leaders behind the controversial initiative are considering giving up on the former World Trade Center location, in a gesture of appeasement.  —  After weeks of heated debate over plans …

Court Extends Stay on Allowing Gay Marriage  —  SAN FRANCISCO — A federal appeals court has extended a stay on same-sex marriages in California until it decides whether a ban on such unions is constitutional.  —  It is just the latest turn in a protracted legal battle over Proposition 8, the voter-approved ban.

Obama pleads to voters: 'Don't give in to fear'  —  MILWAUKEE - Flying thousands of miles to reap millions of dollars, President Barack Obama is dashing across the country to help his party retain power, essentially offering one familiar argument: Republicans don't solve problems.

Ray Bradbury hates big government: ‘Our country is in need of a revolution’  —  Ray Bradbury is mad at President Obama, but it's not about the economy, the war or the plan to a construct a mosque near Ground Zero in New York City.  —  “He should be announcing that we should go back to the moon …

Holy Frickin' Reagan: Best Advertorial You'll See  —  Seriously, watch it.  —  This comes from the Republican Study Committee, which is headed, if I have the information right, by Rep. Tom Price of Georgia.  —  So now you can't say the GOP isn't doing anything to advance the message.

James J. Kilpatrick, 89, dies; conservative columnist formerly on ‘60 Minutes’  —  James J. Kilpatrick, 89, a fiery advocate of racial segregation as a Richmond newspaper editor in the 1950s who became a sparring partner of liberals on the television show “60 Minutes” and a syndicated columnist …

Total destruction: GOP out to biggest generic ballot leads in history in both Gallup and Rasmussen  —  The most amazing thing about this?  When Democrats tell people that voters hate the GOP as much as they hate them, they're not blowing smoke.  That's basically true.

Obama Sees New Lows in Job Approval  —  Weekly average of 44% and three-day average of 42% are lowest yet  —  PRINCETON, NJ — President Obama's job approval rating dipped to 44% for the week of Aug. 9-15, the lowest weekly average of his administration by one percentage point.

Traditional and Liberal Conservatism  —  Let's start with John Stuart Mill, On Liberty.  You'd think it's obvious but no one else has suggested it.  Why On Liberty?  —  I don't know that it's obvious since it's a classic text of liberalism, not conservatism.  —  Explain that to me.

Israeli-Palestinian direct talks expected to be announced soon  —  An announcement that Israelis and Palestinians have agreed to go into direct peace talks is expected in the coming days, U.S. officials, Mideast watchers and European diplomats said Monday.  —  “We are close, we are optimistic,” a U.S. official said.

U.S. Sounds Alarm at China's Military Buildup  —  WASHINGTON—The Pentagon voiced alarm over China's military buildup, saying it was expanding its advantage over Taiwan and investing heavily in ballistic and cruise missile capabilities that could one day pose a challenge to U.S. dominance in the western Pacific.

AP decides not to LOL  —  The Associated Press almost shared a page with LOLcats.  —  Pet Holdings Inc., which owns a network of blogs that post pictures of felines with silly captions, and videos of men getting hit in the groin on its Fail Blog, had been wrapped in rather lengthy negotiations …

GOP reveals midterm blueprint  —  The GOP blueprint for winning control of the House is rapidly coming into focus, with the National Republican Congressional Committee readying a $22 million TV ad blitz aimed at a handful of powerful, long-serving incumbents and several dozen of the most junior members of the Democratic majority.

U.S. Said to Plan Easing Rules for Travel to Cuba  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is planning to expand opportunities for Americans to travel to Cuba, the latest step aimed at encouraging more contact between people in both countries, while leaving intact the decades-old embargo …