Politics

McCain Swipes Obama's Iraq Plan
Obama's withdrawal plan could lead U.S. to wider war in Iraq, McCain said.

Presidential Debate Travels with Obama
Obama has shifted the foreign-policy debate as his trip is already a success.

Obama vs. McCain: The 'Trust Factor'
Dem contender tells Gibson people want to "lift the hood and kick the tires."

Front Page: Hurricane Dolly Hits Texas, China to Allow Protests, Iran Says No Concessions
Hurricane Dolly Hits Texas: Hurricane Dolly arrived on the Gulf Coast early Wednesday with heavy rain and winds ramping up before the center of the storm hits towns on the Texas-Mexico border later today. The hurricane will bring up to 15 inches of rain, threatening local levees that gave way 41 years ago in Hurricane Beulah. The National Hurricane Center said Dolly could approach Category 2 strength when it makes landfall today. China to Allow Protests: China has announced that protests will be allowed in three specific city parks during the upcoming Olympics. To protest, one has to apply for permission from the city government and police, and stay within the parks. The director of the Beijing committee said the parks are "close to the city proper and the Olympic venues," but didn't know how the application process would work "at this time." Iran Says No Concessions: The president of Iran says the country will not back down in its nuclear activities. The US, UN, and EU have instructed Iran to give an answeron the issue within two weeks or face sanctions. President Ahmadinejad responded in a televised speech, "the Iranian people are steadfast [they] will not retreat one iota in the face of oppressing powers." Source

Obama tells Israel he's committed to its security (AP)
AP - From the solemnity of a Holocaust museum to a dusty village battered by Hamas rockets, Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama on Wednesday professed "an unshakable commitment to the security"of Israel, whether the threat comes from terrorists, Iran or elsewhere.

Poll: Economy top issue; energy worries grow most (AP)
AP - What's rising faster than gas prices this summer? Americans'worries about them.

McCain denies he misstated timing of Iraq surge (AP)
AP - Republican John McCain pushed back on Wednesday against Democratic criticism that he misstated when the troop buildup ordered by President Bush began, saying elements were put in place before Bush announced the strategy in early 2007.

McCain has Berlin moment too —in little Berlins (AP)
AP - John McCain can be a Berliner, too.

McCain to counterprogram Obama in Germany with visit to Gulf Coast oil rig (Politico)
Politico -

Campaign war chests near $200 million
Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama and the major political parties supporting their presidential bids have amassed campaign war chests totaling almost $200 million, according to campaign finance...

Expert: America's need for oil like an 'addiction'
You've no doubt heard the language by now -- that Americans are plagued by an oil addiction.

Ethnic voting blocs shift landscape
Both Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain are treading some unfamiliar campaign-year terrain this summer as key blocs of ethnic voters shift the electoral landscape and put previously uncontested...

GAO head: 'Updated strategy' needed for Iraq
The United States needs to formulate an "updated strategy" for Iraq, now that the Bush administration's 18-month game plan for the country is completed, the head of the Government Accountability...

Senator: Waste, fraud, neglect hurting U.S. soldiers
Tens of billions in taxpayer dollars have been lost, wasted or remain unaccounted for in Afghanistan and Iraq, and some of those funds -- and some missing weapons -- have landed in insurgents' hands,...

Extraordinary Coverage
Keep track of all the latest news from the campaign trail with our special election section.

House Passes Housing Rescue Bill
The House passes legislation that aims to help homeowners facing foreclosure and prevent troubled mortgage giants from collapsing; the bill heads next to the Senate.

Pentagon: More Troops to Afghanistan Soon
A senior Pentagon official tells The Associated Press that top military leaders are expected soon to recommend to Defense Secretary Robert Gates which additional U.S. troops could be sent to Afghanistan over the next month or so.

Rep. Rangel Files Ethics Charges Against Himself
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., filed an ethics complaint against himself Wednesday with the House Ethics Committee.

Bush Drops Opposition to Housing Aid Bill
President Bush dropped his opposition Wednesday to legislation aiming to calm the chaotic housing market despite his objections to a $3.9 billion provision. The House was expected to vote on the bill Wednesday, and it could become law this week.

McCain credits Bush for drop in oil price
The Republican presidential hopeful is crediting the recent drop in the price of oil to the president's lifting of a presidential ban on offshore drilling, which he has been advocating in his presidential campaign.

Justice called uncooperative on voting rights
The House Judiciary Committee chairman on Wednesday said the Justice Department is stonewalling efforts to make sure this year's presidential voting operates fairly.

Newsweek: Are Clinton donors snubbing Obama?
Though reports have suggested that Clinton supporters are giving Obama a big fundraising hand, the numbers don't bear that out. At first, this may look like a minus for Obama, but raising more than $50 million without contributions from former Clinton donors is actually more impressive.

NYT: Obama's health care pledge unrealistic?
The Democratic candidate's promise to lower premiums by $2,500 leaves many skeptical.

Obama: Iran nukes would pose 'grave threat'
U.S. presidential hopeful Barack Obama said on Wednesday a nuclear Iran would pose a "grave threat" and that the world must stop Tehran from obtaining an atomic weapon.

U.S., Iraq Agree To 'Time Horizon'
President Bush and Iraq's prime minister have agreed to set a "time horizon" for the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq as part of a...

Obama Going Abroad With World Watching
Sen. Barack Obama will make his international debut as a Democratic presidential candidate in the coming days with a weeklong tour of the Middle East...

Move to Digital TV Faces Language Barrier
The television set in Marisa Orozco's Falls Church living room is almost always tuned to Spanish-language stations. For her parents, who don't speak...

Cosmic Markdown: EPA Says Life Is WorthLess
Someplace else, people might tell you that human life is priceless. In Washington, the federal government has appraised it like a '96 Camaro with bad...

Governing in Black and White
One of the unspoken tenets of the Obama candidacy is that his election would be a milestone for race relations, healing many of the country's...

On TV, Obama in Presidential Mode
Alessandra Stanley, New York Times

Obama's Fake World Tour
Maggie Gallagher, Universal Press

Tongues Wag Over McCain Flubs
Howard Kurtz, Washington Post

Democrats Shouldn't Get Cocky
John Judis, The New Republic

Shut Up and Produce Some Oil
Peter Ferrara, American Spectator

Obama: 'We Have a Daunting Task'
In a podcast interview with TIME's Karen Tumulty, the candidate says Afghanistan will be a "tougher job than Iraq"

Afghan Surge Up to 'Next Admin.'
It will be left to the next administration to decide on any sizable troop increase for Afghanistan, the Pentagon spokesman said Wednesday

Berlin Awaits the 'Next JFK'
Amid record levels of anti-American sentiment, the Democrat will likely get the warmest reception in Berlin since Kennedy

Bush Drops Housing Bill Opposition
President Bush has dropped his opposition to legislation that aims to calm the chaotic housing market despite his opposition to a $3.9 billion provision

Never Underestimate McCain, But ...
The race has just begun, but after a run of bad luck and poor strategy, Michael Grunwald sees the odds of a McCain presidency looking longer

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