Seven-year-old to Michelle Obama: Let's finish what we started in Iraq  —  I'll say this much for the Obamas: No one has more interesting political conversations with second-graders than they do.  Something for everyone here — for the righties, some easy snark that the correct way to proceed …

Cohen on track for decisive victory  —  The bet Steve Cohen campaign made with himself and with the city of Memphis might have seemed naïve.  —  Some critics called it pandering.  —  But Cohen's gut told him to run on his record.  He said his heart told him to embrace the presidential rival …

Exxon [Hearts] Obama  —  As we close up a week wherein Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, on the stump and in a TV ad accused rival Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., of being “in the pocket of big oil,” and doing the industry's bidding — not to mention a week during which the Democratic National Committee launched …

Bin Laden's Former Driver Sentenced to 5 1/2 Years  —  Hamdan Receives Credit for Time Served, Could Be Released in 5 Months  —  A former driver for Osama bin Laden was sentenced today to 5 ½ years in prison for his material support for terrorism, a relatively light sentence that means …

Suskind Revisited  —  Thursday, August 7th in War by Philip Giraldi  —  An extremely reliable and well placed source in the intelligence community has informed me that Ron Suskind's revelation that the White House ordered the preparation of a forged letter linking Saddam Hussein to al-Qaeda …

One Nation, Under a New Obama Salute  —  George Bush had his three-fingered W salute that supporters flashed when greeting him at presidential campaign events in 2000.  And now, if a Los Angeles creative agency gets its way, Sen. Barack Obama will see fans meet him with his own salute like the one above.

Lomong Is Chosen To Carry U.S. Flag  —  Sudan Native Became U.S. Citizen in 2007  —  Sudanese refugee Lopez Lomong was chosen by his U.S. Olympic teammates Wednesday to be the American delegation's flag-bearer at Friday's Opening Ceremonies, a move that will cast an additional spotlight …

Man held in Fla. for threatening Obama's life  —  Suspect held without bail Thursday after a brief court hearing  —  MIAMI - A man who authorities said was keeping weapons and military-style gear in his hotel room and car appeared in court Thursday on charges he threatened to assassinate Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

BILL CLINTON OFFERED SPEAKING ROLE  —  From NBC's Andrea Mitchell  —  NBC News has learned that the Obama campaign, in an effort to quiet talk of the Obama-Clinton drama, has offered Bill Clinton a speaking role on Wednesday night at the Democratic convention — before the vice presidential running mate speaks.

U.S. Attorney Scandal Probe Enters White House Circle  —  The Justice Department investigation into the firings of nine U.S. attorneys has been extended to encompass allegations that senior White House officials played a role in providing false and misleading information to Congress …

Leaked McCain Memo: Paint Obama As A “Job Killing Machine”  —  John McCain was widely ridiculed several weeks ago for fielding reporter's questions in the cheese aisle of a grocery store.  But the location of the impromptu press conference was hardly random.

Bizarre Incident During Obama Visit to Ohio College Is Seen as Unavoidable  —  Officials of the U.S. Secret Service say there is nothing they could have done to avoid an incident yesterday in which Barack Obama was heckled by a strangely behaving man in the press section during an appearance at an Ohio college.

WPRI Poll: Barack Obama Leads John McCain in the Presidential Race  —  Senator Barack Obama holds a 44% to 38% lead in Wisconsin over Senator John McCain in the presidential race.  Senator Obama leads the race primarily because of a combination of the most important issues on the minds …

He Who Disassociates  —  Barack Obama's Gallery of Shady Former Associates is getting very crowded.  —  (Hat tip: Penetrating Insights into the Obvious.)

TPMTV: DAZED AND CONFUSED  —  To me, the presidential race reached a turning point last week when John McCain opted for a campaign of denigration employing racial stereotypes, sexualized talking points for surrogates (Obama as “internet date") and copious ridicule.

Schumer: ‘Hit McCain Harder’  —  One of the Democratic Party's leading electoral street fighters, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, said that Barack Obama should respond to John McCain's personal attacks with an equally personal slap.  —  “I would not be afraid to attack back,” said Schumer …