A Big Win for Boeing. The Government Accountability Office sustains the U.S. planemaker's complaint and calls for a review of the contract that went to rival Northrop Grumman

Bear Fund Managers Face Reckoning. The federal investigation is believed to focus on comments made to investors and lending desks

Hearst CEO Steps Down. The board cites "irreconcilable policy differences" in the uncharacteristic split with Victor Ganzi. Maybe his tech ventures weren't daring enough

Tax Scandal's Mystery Man. Liechtenstein's Mario Staggl is accused of working with a former UBS banker to hide $200 million from the IRS. Now he's a fugitive

Recession in America: When Builders Go Broke. Chicago-based Neumann Homes went bankrupt last November, leaving a trail of wreckage in its path. Its worst victims? Homeowners

LinkedIn Joins the Billionaires' Club. New funding by Bain, Bessemer, Sequoia, and Greylock values the professional-networking site north of $1 billion&single=1—and big plans are afoot

There Will Be Water. There Will be Water

The Issue: DHL Turns to Rival UPS. DHL Express entered the U.S. aiming to shake up the UPS-FedEx duopoly. After losing billions, it hatched a new plan: hold hands with UPS

Million-Dollar Babies. The cost of care for preemies is some 15 times the expense of full-term infants&single=1—and rising. Is there such a thing as too young?

The Great Inflation Debate. The Great Inflation Debate

There's Plenty of Energy in This Race. Presidential opponents McCain and Obama go head-to-head with competing plans for reducing U.S. reliance on foreign oil

Is Fair Trade Becoming 'Fair Trade Lite'?. Some proponents say the adjustments needed to bring companies like Wal-Mart and P&single=1&G aboard warp the goal of helping small farmers

Financial Worries Hit Stocks. The Dow average fell to a three-month low after Morgan Stanley and FedEx posted disappointing results, while Fifth Third Bancorp cut its dividend

Greenberg on the Turmoil at AIG. Hank Greenberg, the man who built the insurance behemoth, talks with Maria Bartiromo about Sunday's coup

Marcial: BioSante May Be Buyout Bait. The biotech's LibiGel, in clinical trials, could make it a player in treating female sexual dysfunction&single=1—and draw bids from Big Pharma

Buffett's USG Bet Hits a Wall. The Berkshire CEO doubled down on his stake in the Sheetrock maker in 2006. His gamble has cost him millions

I Left My Staff in San Francisco. To grab local talent and impress customers, Silicon Valley's tech companies are increasingly opening offices in the city by the Bay

Alzheimer's Drug Shows Progress. While not an all-out success, Phase II testing of a Wyeth-Elan treatment showed positive results in a subset of patients. Investors applauded

GestureTek: A New Way of Interacting With a Phone. GestureTek: A New Way of Interacting With a Phone

Bank Warns British Inflation Could Top 4%. Prices are rising sharply this year, up from 3% in April to 3.3% in May˜the highest since 1992. The Bank of England foresees 4% by yearend

Mobile Banking Set to Boom. Global mobile transactions are forecast to mushroom&single=1—from 2.7 billion in 2007 to 37 billion by 2011—with growth mainly in developing countries

Why India's Reliance Is Going Hollywood. Reliance Big Entertainment is in talks to help finance the departure of DreamWorks SKG from Viacom's Paramount Pictures

Japan and Taiwan Squabble (Again) Over Deserted Islands. The surrounding waters happen to be resource-rich, so that takes this struggle over specks of land in the East China Sea up an extra notch

Michelin Guide Goes Web 2.0. The famous red-covered hotel and restaurant guides turn interactive, community-centered, and free. And the effort is boosting book sales

Beijing Olympics&single=1—Too large, too costly? Maybe not. The use of diversified funding sources, and plans to use the venues after the games could see Beijing come out ahead

Trucker Hats, Tattoos, and Madonna. Christian Audigier, the force behind the Ed Hardy and Von Dutch fashion lines, knows how to get his designs noticed and worn by superstars

Podcast: Health-Care Innovation. Innovation of the Week: Health-Care Innovation

Concept of the Week: BMW's Shape-Shifting Design Study. The German giant's GINA concept employs a highly conceptual textile "skin" to redefine automotive body design

EA Unleashes Spore. The Creature Creator is a tantalizing, obscenely fun preview of the company's upcoming God-game&single=1—and a smart business strategy, too

Is Liability Insurance a Must to Go Global?. When you're shopping for product liability insurance, make sure your policy covers lawsuits filed in foreign countries, not just U.S. courts

Podcast: Startup Myths Shattered. Starting a business is risky, costly, and only for extraordinary individuals, yes? No, says University of Central Florida management professor Bruce Barringer, who discusses his new book

Today's Tip: Planning for Greater Growth Rates. Today's Tip

Interactive Case Study: DHL Joins Hands with Rival UPS. DHL Express entered the U.S. aiming to shake up the UPS-FedEx duopoly. After losing billions, it hatched a new plan: Hold hands with UPS

How Not to Survive Your New Boss. Hillary Clinton's actions in the days following Barack Obama's historic win would doom her in the corporate world. But then this is politics

To Compete, Boards Have to Go Global. Egon Zehnder's George Davis points out how crucial it is to turn your board of directors international&single=1—and how few companies have done so

The High Cost of Cutting Training Budgets. A customer-service rep is poorly trained, but no one will answer the questions he still has. It's a good way to lose clients&single=1—and employees

Why Indian CIOs Excel at Driving Business Innovation. They view themselves as change agents and strive to harness technology for transformational purposes

Choosing Kellogg. From the day they called to tell me I'd been accepted, the Kellogg community has made it clear they want me&single=1—not just someone like me

Villanova's New Spin on Curriculum. Villanova's New Spin on Curriculum

BMW Goes Soft. BMW's Gina concept car features a flexible skin instead of solid body panels to improve safety and increase fuel efficiency

Do Coffee Drinkers Live Longer?. A new study finds that drinking coffee, especially for women, is good for the heart

Luxury Leaders: Ritz-Carlton's Simon Cooper. Luxury Leaders: Ritz-Carlton's Simon Cooper

Don Young‚s Office: An Intern Survival Guide. Susan Davis reports on Congress.Capitol Hill internships are not always easy, particularly when you work for a gruff Alaskan with particular tastes and an uneven temper. Fortunately, interns for Rep. Don Young have an unofficial guide, entitled „The 2111: An Intern‚s Survival Guide.‰ (The 2111 refers to his office number in the Rayburn building). A [...]

Biden Takes on Giuliani ╉ Again. Susan Davis reports on the presidential race. After former New York mayor and unsuccessful presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani re-emerged as a surrogate for Republican presidential candidate John McCain on national security issues, Sen. Joe Biden, another unsuccessful presidential candidate, volleyed back today on behalf of Democratic candidate Barack Obama. The Delaware Democrat seems to enjoy [...]

McCain-Obama Fight Over Terrorism: Day 3. Elizabeth Holmes reports on the presidential race.The McCain campaign pulled out some fresh ammunition Wednesday morning in the fight against Barack Obama: Rudy Giuliani.The former mayor of New York who endorsed fellow Republican John McCain, re-emerged on a conference call continuing this week&single=1’s debate on terrorism.The subject was, again, comments that Obama made supporting the [...]

Bush Energy Remarks: ╢No Excuse for Delayâ•˙. President Bush pressed Congress to take quick steps to boost oil production in the U.S., sharpening the clash with Democrats over energy policy as consumers struggle with soaring gasoline prices. Here is the text of President Bush&single=1’s remarks.President Bush Discusses Energy Rose Garden10:30 A.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. I want to thank Secretary Kempthorne [...]

Lawmakers Propose Naming Road to Bills Stadium in Russertâ•˙s Honor. Susan Davis reports on Congress.Three New York lawmakers introduced a resolution today to name a section of the state‚s U.S. Route 20a after former „Meet the Press‰ host Tim Russert, who died last Friday in Washington, D.C., of a heart attack at 58 years old. Items are placed at a makeshift memorial for Tim Russert [...]

Michelle Obama Applauds Hillary Clinton on ╲The View╡. Susan Davis reports on the presidential race.In a guest appearance on ABC‚s „The View‰ today Michelle Obama sided with Sen. Hillary Clinton‚s view that sexism played a role in the presidential primary campaign. „Yes, there‚s always a level [of sexism],‰ she said. „People are not used to strong women.‰ Obama credited Clinton for her race [...]

Oregon Senator Apologizes for Linking Gay Marriage, Polygamy. Brad Haynes reports on Senate races. Oregon Republican Sen. Gordon Smith has apologized for comments he made last week linking the debate over same-sex marriage to the polygamy of his Mormon ancestors.During a gay rights forum in Washington, D.C., Gordon was asked to reconcile his support of domestic partner benefits for same-sex couples while also [...]

Obama Leads Nationally and in Key Swing States. Susan Davis reports on the presidential race. Sen. Barack Obama has not received a notable bounce in polling since he secured the nomination earlier this month, but recent polls find the Illinois Democrat with a narrow lead against rival Republican John McCain both nationally and in three batteground states. A Reuters/Zogby poll out today gives [...]

Political Perceptions: John McCain, Stumbling Out of the Gate. Sen. John McCain shakes hands with supporters after his speech in Houston Tuesday. (AP Photo/LM Otero)Sen. John McCain‚s effort this week to roll out a big energy plan was in trouble before it started, a sign of some deeper problems, writes Slate‚s John Dickerson. „The message was supposed to be that McCain was offering a [...]

Old Topic Sparks New Obama-McCain Fight. Elizabeth Holmes and Amy Chozick report on the presidential race.Fighting between the presidential campaigns reached a whole new level Tuesday, with the campaigns of John McCain and Barack Obama signaling a harsher tone for the general election.The topic was a familiar one &single=1— the war on terrorism.„Sen. Obama is a perfect manifestation of a Sept. [...]

Calling all summer sleuths. In honor of Encyclopedia Brown, for whom the end of school means itâ•˙s time to open up his garage office and problem-solve for the children of Idaville, we hereby declare this the Summer of the Word Problem! Actually, summerâ•˙s a lovely season for a good mystery (I happen to like fall, winter, and spring, as [...]

Too many choices?. There always seems to be some concern about whether children are reading enough and recent news stories are saying that kids today are too distracted or too busy to read. Before you point your finger at the Internet as the culprit a new report from Scholastic says that despite the abundance of information, ╲half of [...]

Atlas Shrugged. I just finished Atlas Shrugged. In this very good novel, Ayn Rand used the fiction format to lay out her social philosophy. Characters were well developed, believable, dialog was good. I read it because of its reputation as a contemporary classic. My only criticism would be of a couple lengthy sections where characters pontificate and [...]

╢Stressed outâ•˙ teens. Being ╲stressed out╡ seems to have become synonymous with high school now that college admissions are more competitive than ever and the modern pace of life has made teens as anxious as CEOs.This may be one reason that reading among teens appears to be on the rise. According to Newsweek , young-adult fiction is enjoying [...]

Two boys, two bikes, and a cross-country odyssey. Shift is a book youâ•˙ll want to read twice. Or make that, need to read twice. At least I did. Because when youâ•˙re caught up in its breathless, brilliantly woven plot, itâ•˙s hard to stop and savor the nuances of what is also a lovely story of friendship, self-discovery, and coming-of-age.

Merry Hall. Since it&single=1’s garden season, I’m reading Beverley Nichols’ Merry Hall series. These quick reads were written in the 50s about his refurbishing of a Georgian manor house and its gardens. They are full of dry British humor, wonderful characters, and offer loads of garden inspiration.

Ageless reading. Do you have a favorite childrenâ•˙s book, one that you have read over and over? Whether you can recite ╲Goodnight Moon╡ from memory or consider the cast of characters in Harry Potter as your personal friends, the fact is childrenâ•˙s literature has influenced all of us. A recent furor in England over something called ╲age [...]

Love in the summer stock wings. Who doesnâ•˙t dream of just one more book by their favorite author â•„ a sequel to ╲Stuart Little╡ buried in E.B. Whiteâ•˙s Maine barn, say, or news that Harper Lee has been sitting on a follow-up to ╲To Kill a Mockingbird╡ all these years? So a new novel by Newbery Award-winner Madeleine Lâ•˙Engle is, by [...]

Piano: The Making of a Steinway Concert Grand. Piano: The Making of a Steinway Concert Grand by James Barron is afascinating story of the lengthy step-by-step process in the art of making aSteinway. The author has used this framework to interweave the history ofthe company from its founding to the present day.

The Translator. The Translator: A Tribesman&single=1’s Memoir of Darfur by Daoud Hari with its Darfur primer is an insightful book about the conflict in Sudan. In 200 pages Hari explains how he and other villiagers survive this genocide. It is a must read for anyone interested in understanding this conflict better.

Green envy: Celtics polish off Lakers for 17th NBA crown. The Boston Celtics cruised to their 17th NBA championship Tuesday night, closing out the Los Angeles Lakers in six games with ...

Analysis: Obama steps up outreach to evangelicals. Barack Obama is making a full-throttle push for centrist evangelicals and Catholics. It's a move that's caught off guard some ...

Political leaders, journalists honor TV's Russert. The crowd at Tim Russert's funeral Wednesday would have made a great panel on his Sunday morning news show.

Floodwaters breach 2 more Ill. levees, threaten towns. Floodwaters breached two levees in western Illinois on Wednesday and threatened more Mississippi River towns in Missouri after ...

Obama meets with national security advisory group. Barack Obama tapped former lawmakers and Clinton administration national security experts as he charted his plans Wednesday to ...

Californians didn't protect homes from wildfires. Owners of nearly 90% of the structures destroyed in last month's wildfire in the Santa Cruz Mountains did not properly clear ...

Latvian prime minister seriously injured in car crash. Latvian Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis was seriously injured Wednesday in a road accident in downtown Riga, when his car and a ...

U.N. reports 27% rise in coca cultivation in Colombia. Colombian peasants devoted 27% more land to growing coca last year, the United Nations reported Wednesday, calling the increase ...

U.S., China agree to launch investment negotiations. The United States and China, concluding high-level economic talks, agreed to launch negotiations on an investment treaty that ...

White House seeks $1.8 billion for Midwest flood. The White House is asking Congress for $1.8 billion in emergency disaster aid for the flood-ravaged Midwest.

NATO, Afghan troops kill 36 Taliban. Helicopters fired missiles and jets buzzed overhead as hundreds of NATO and Afghan forces hunted Taliban militants in villages ...

Bush to Congress: Open coastlines to exploration now. President Bush on Wednesday called for urgent action by the Democratic-led Congress to increase domestic oil supplies by allowing ...

Congressional Hispanics pledge to help Obama win. Most of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus have shifted their support from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama and are vowing to help ...

Cyprus wildfire brought under control. A large forest fire in Cyprus' central Troodos region was brought under control Wednesday, after forcing the evacuation of six ...

Boeing wins protest over huge Air Force tanker contract. The Government Accountability Office said Wednesday it has sustained the Boeing Co.'s protest of an Air Force decision to give ...

fixed ICE link in spec. At the request of some readers, I have fixed the links to the ICE standard in the RSS 1.0 spec. I can't imagine anyone would object, but I thought I'd let

McKinley's Food Court menu for Sunday June 15th. No menu

McKinley's Food Court menu for Monday June 16th. No menu

McKinley's Food Court menu for Tuesday June 17th. No menu

McKinley's Food Court menu for Wednesday June 18th. No menu

McKinley's Food Court menu for Thursday June 19th. No menu

McKinley's Food Court menu for Friday June 20th. No menu

McKinley's Food Court menu for Saturday June 21st. No menu

Straightening out McCain's "straight talk.". I felt as though I were in a time machine as I listened to John McCain's aides detail how to run against Barack Obama. I could have been on the phone with Bush aides in 2000 talking about McCain: He survives on the strength of his rhetoric; the press that follows him each day doesn't challenge him but serves merely to record his historic rise; the standards of coverage for the two candidates are different.

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Would Hillary Clinton's supporters accept Kathleen Sebelius as veep?. In the fantasy baseball game known as the Veepstakes, Kathleen Sebelius appears to be the complete package. She's a popular Democratic governor in a red state. She stood up to out-of-state insurers to keep health care premiums down. She delivered the Democratic response to this year's State of the Union address. And, best of all for Barack Obama, she's a woman. What better way to win over disaffected Clinton supporters?

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Tracking the much discussed Hillary-turned-McCain voters.. We're going on a snipe hunt. The quarry: women who supported Hillary and, now that she's lost, will leave the Democrats to vote for McCain. Unlike a true snipe hunt, where you never find your prey, these politically prized voters can be found. In fact, they seem to be everywhere. Hillary supporters leave angry e-mails in my inbox, and they are the topic of stories across the media spectrum, from NPR to Fox News to Slate's "XX Factor." Everyone's got an anecdote. Why, just the other day, a woman told me ╜

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The presidential candidates aren't serious about the budget.. I wish presidential candidates were as honest as they tell us they're going to be. For one thing, it would make campaign events more entertaining. I'd like to thank Bill Wilson for that generous introduction if I had any idea who Bill Wilson was. A little honesty would also inject a note of reality╉and also panic╉into the current debate about the economy. Instead of sticking to the supposed panacea of new programs or tax cuts to lure voters, the presidential candidates would admit that the federal budget is such a mess that voters are likely to face substantial trade-offs and sacrifice in the coming years.

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What might happen to McCain's brain over the next eight years?. John McCain is old and, as several news outlets have reported, he's only getting older. This wouldn't be a problem if his opponent in the general election were equally chronologically gifted. But Barack Obama is one of the youngest Democratic nominees ever. If he won, he'd be the third-youngest U.S. president. The contrast is stark. Standing side-by-side, the two candidates look like a still from Finding Forrester.

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A Box On All Your Houses (The Brian Lehrer Show: Wednesday, 18 June 2008). Ikea is officially open in Red Hook. WNYC reporter Ilya Marritz and NY Daily News reporter Jotham Sederstrom join us live on the scene to discuss the frenzy and what it means for locals. And we'll also be joined by Craig Hammerman, District Manager of Brooklyn Community Board 6, to talk about if Ikea is keeping their promises to the Red Hook community.

Ich bin Berliner, sort of. I passed the sample German citizenship test, with five out of seven correct answers. Not that I plan on applying or anything. Still, if we end up with a McCain presidency, maybe it&single=1’s an option I should consider.

Friday the 13th. The definitive Friday the 13th observation from Raymond Domenech, manager of France&single=1’s national soccer team. Asked yesterday whether he was worried about his team playing on Friday the 13th (I’m expecting them to get bounced out of the competition today by the Netherlands), he replied:I don’t believe in superstitions. They bring bad luck.

Quality of life. I&single=1’m regularly agog at surveys that purport to judge where expatriates have the best quality of life. Swissmiss proudly points to the latest Mercer survey which has a Swiss-tinged top ten:1. Zurich= 2. Vienna= 2. Geneva4. Vancouver5. Auckland6. Dusseldorf= 7. Munich= 7. Frankfurt9. Bern10. SydneyFelix Salmon does a great job of dissecting research like this. [...]

The difference between a liberal and a libertarian. David Warsh:You thought it was a big deal when the first Chicago economist took a seat on the Council of Economic Advisers (William Niskanen in 1981)? The chances are that the United States is about to get a president from Chicagoâ•˙s Hyde Park â•„ and learn something in the process about the difference between a [...]

Another optimist. Kevin Drum:And as long as I&single=1’m making grand pronouncements that quite possibly might make me look like an idiot in the near future, here’s another one: among the states Bush won in 2004, I think Obama will win Ohio, Iowa, Virginia, Colorado, New Mexico, and maybe even Arkansas. That’s even accounting for the fact that [...]

The center of gravity. If you want to get a sense of what Obama might mean for the rest of the world, rather than read offensive nonsense from Anne Applebaum in The Washington Post, read Dominique Moisi in the Financial Times. After noting that if the election were held in France, Obama would win in a landslide (here, too, [...]

We are the ones. Over the weekend I went to an Obama nomination celebration in the Berkeley hills. A decent crowd showed up to revel in completing the first giant step in a historic, transformative campaign. During the toasts to Obama&single=1’s coming victory, I was very moved to hear a series of stories about people met during the campaign [...]

Hoisted from the comments. Thanks to Scott Hanson for pointing me to the German coverage of Die Tageszeitung&single=1’s astoundingly ill-judged headline. Here’s some of the Der Spiegel reporting (Die Tageszeitung is apparently known as Taz):The headline refers to Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 1852 anti-slavery novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” which has become controversial due to its perceived stereotyping of African-Americans. The [...]

Great newspaper design. Apropos of newspaper front pages (see previous post), I want a daily paper that looks as great as Portugal&single=1’s Pêblico.

Tin ears. The Newseum in Washington offers a great service of today&single=1’s front pages from around the world. I had a scan today of how Europe’s newspapers covered Obama’s clinching the Democratic nomination and one oddity leaped out. Berlin’s Die Tageszeitung, which is a left-of-center daily, has the huge headline: Onkel Baracks HÃπtte. Did they really mean [...]

'Overheated' on Nafta. Blog: In a Fortune interview, Obama seems to walk back his Midwestern weeks of harsh anti-Nafta rhetoric:

Sometimes during campaigns the rh By media@politico.com (Ben Smith).

Remainders: Views. Blog: On the blogs. By media@politico.com (Ben Smith).

Michelle's dress. Blog:
A reader who wore the same dress to her graduation sends in a link to the dress Michelle Obama wore for her well-reviewed View performance t By media@politico.com (Ben Smith).

Gaspard signs on. Blog: Patrick Gaspard, a New York labor official Obama's campaign tried to recruit in the primary, is joining the campaign as its political director, the By media@politico.com (Ben Smith).

Pelosi's first dibs. Blog: Barack Obama just sent out an email to the list of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, asking for money for the congressional races.

Bredesen: "Not real competitive" in Tennessee. Blog: Tennessee's Democratic governor says his party's nominee is "not real competitive" in the state, though he hopes to get Obama "in the By media@politico.com (Ben Smith).

US Weekly week. Blog: One welcome feature of Michelle Obama's high profile this week for the Obama campaign: They're just dominating the stage with soft news that's prett By media@politico.com (Ben Smith).

Lieberman to Obama: 'Go for it'. Blog: USA Today unearths, in an editorial board interview with Joe Lieberman, a strange piece of history

"Go for it," Lieberman s By media@politico.com (Ben Smith).

23/6: 'Meet William'. Blog:

The parody site 23/6 produces its own version of the emotionally-charged MoveOn ad (below) of a mother asking John McCain not to tak By media@politico.com (Ben Smith).

Where's Holbrooke? [CORRECTED]. Blog: Where's Holbrooke? By media@politico.com (Avi Zenilman).

This old laptop: Revitalizing an aging notebook on the cheap. Don't ditch that old notebook! With about $125 and an hour or two, you can make it run like new.

Image gallery: Revitalizing an old notebook on the cheap. All it takes is a couple hours and about $125 to breathe new life into an old laptop.

Red Hat Network to be open-sourced. Red Hat CEO Jim Whitehurst said the company will open-source its Red Hat Network system management platform.

Red Hat unveils new open-source virtualization initiatives. Its new hypervisor can fit on a 64MB flash drive and is compatible with Windows and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

VMware and rivals focus on app performance management. In addition to all the software already on the market for managing virtualized applications, the Standard Performance Evaluation Corp. (SPEC) has established a new committee to develop a standard benchmark for virtual performance in servers.

Is Google your next data center?. Lower costs, snap upgrades and other benefits of cloud computing are leading IT organizations to increasingly outsource traditional IT infrastructure activities like storage and server management to managed services providers. How will this alter the makeup of the IT department of the future? Computerworld looks ahead.

Mud pits and monster trucks.

Bush calls for offshore drilling and Clinton takes a break.

It's always about the money.

Is Pelosi rich or getting poorer? Plus: Who's hitting the Neiman Marcus charge card hard?

Remembering Russert.

A highway in Buffalo? Plus: Who isn't giving to the NRCC?

Senators got Countrywide deals.

Dodd, Conrad say they didn't ask, didn't know.

Obama and McCain get Heismans, plus a 'Screen on the Green' secret.

Some lawmakers in each party are balking at their new quarterbacks.

Fall is in the air.

John Boehner's plan and Jennifer Lopez's visit.

Hot under the collar.

Let's talk some more about gas prices. Plus: Senatorial snippiness.

Swinging right.

As RSC pushes Boehner, DeMint launches a conservatives-only PAC.

Local warming.

A secret meeting, Lieberman's future and the Playboy problem.

The Senate's Moment.

"Hallelujah" -- now pass the Jack. Plus: Panties on his mind?

New Look Planned for Pier at South Street Seaport. Conceding the failure of the South Street Seaport pier as a “festival marketplace,” its owners plan to replace it with a mixed-use project including an apartment and hotel tower.

Panel Pushes Spitzer Aides to Make Deal. An ethics panel is seeking to settle cases against aides to former Gov. Eliot Spitzer, a year after their alleged involvement in an effort to gather records of Joseph L. Bruno, the Senate majority leader.

Ex-Officer Acquitted in Death of Immigrant in Westchester. A former Mount Kisco police officer was acquitted of all charges in the death of an illegal immigrant from Guatemala.

In Life, as in Baseball, Getting Fired Is an Opening for a Comeback. Many New Yorkers who have experienced being fired are offering advice to fired Mets manager Willie Randolph.

Workshop on Preparing for Calamities Focuses on the Flu. A daylong workshop conducted by the city’s health and emergency management agencies was intended to give businesses tips on how to cope with potential calamities.

Mourning After Queens Fire, and Searching for Cause in Makeup Artist’s Death. Friends and family mourned a makeup artist killed on Sunday when a suspicious fire engulfed her Jackson Heights home.

Judge Sharply Dismisses Former Gossip Writer’s Suit. A judge dismissed a suit by a former New York Post gossip writer who accused Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bill Clinton, The Daily News and others of conspiring to ruin his reputation.

Antiwar Activist Returns to Court for Iraq Spy Case. A former journalist and Congressional aide is accused of working with the Iraqi intelligence services before the United States invasion.

Stadium Deal Veteran Tapped to Develop Same Site. The Related Companies announced that it was hiring Jay Cross, who is linked to the ill-fated proposal to build a West Side stadium for the Jets, to run its Hudson Yards development on the same site.

De Niro Asks Landmark Board to Spare His Hotel’s Penthouse. Robert De Niro asked the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission to approve a penthouse atop his hotel in TriBeCa that doesn’t match the design the commission approved.

Central Park Loses Dozens of Its Trees in Big Storm. It would be a sad census in any case, but the tally of trees lost in Central Park to high winds during the storm on June 10 comes with particular ill grace in the middle of the Million Trees NYC campaign.

Colombian Warlord Pleads Guilty in Drug Smuggling Case. One of Colombia’s most notorious warlords pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges that could put him in a federal prison for the next three decades.

Offer to Drop Charges in Sean Bell Protests. The Brooklyn district attorney announced that his office was prepared to drop all charges against 28 people arrested on May 7 in connection with protests after the Sean Bell verdict.

Square Feet: New Jersey’s Office Developers See a Few Bright Spots. Some real estate professionals are sensing a possible resurgence for the office market in New Jersey.

Square Feet: Budget Hotels for the Garment District. A handful of developers is transforming an erstwhile manufacturing area into a magnet for budget-minded travelers.

Dennis Weatherstone, Banking Sage, Dies at 77. Mr. Weatherstone helped usher in a new era of banking during the early 1990s as chairman and chief executive at J. P. Morgan.

Lottery Numbers. June 17, 2008.

About New York: Bronze Eagles Owe Survival to Drug Dealer. Here, today, a story of endurance — both of statuary and a man.

Lens | Neighbors: Making Disaparate Pieces Fit Together. In a new Lens series, photographer Damon Winter uses double exposures to capture the endless juxtapositions in New York City.

Top 10 Reasons to Upgrade. (Source: Symantec) Symantec Backup Exec 12 and Backup Exec System Recovery 8 deliver industry leading Windows data protection and system recovery. Download this whitepaper to find out the top reasons to upgrade and how to get continuous data protection and complete system recovery.

Microsoft unaware of reported China probe. Microsoft said it is unaware of an investigation into whether the company unfairly dominates China's software market as reported by the country's state media.

Best Practices for Backup and Recovery Webcast. (Source: Symantec) Data and system loss - from a hard drive failure, malicious attack, natural disaster, or simple human error - can happen anytime. Dont leave your business vulnerable. Make sure you have a secure recovery strategy in place. Symantec's latest backup and system recovery technology can efficiently restore critical applications, individual emails and documents and even restore your entire system in minutes in the event of a loss.

Microsoft calls shots on XP downgrades, says Dell. Microsoft's restrictions on the types of PCs that can be downgraded to Windows XP after June 30 means Dell will offer the option only to home users buying machines designed for gamers.

Announcing BE 12 - New Levels of Data Protection and Enhanced Best-in-Class Features. (Source: Symantec) Symantec Backup Exec has been delivering leading Windows data protection for over two decades. The latest release of Symantec Backup Exec 12 builds on our engineering excellence, providing companies with optimized backup and recovery for Microsoft Windows Server 2008, enhanced granular recovery of Microsoft applications, continuous data protection and new integration benefits with other Symantec solutions for Windows, to efficiently protect critical data. Please join us for our webcast, and learn the backup and recovery advantages Symantec Backup Exec 12 provides for your Windows-based environment.

Hip Hop's Night at the Symphony (Soundcheck: Wednesday, 18 June 2008). Rapper Ice T is set to perform with the Indianapolis Symphony, but itâ•˙s not the first time two very different genres have found common ground. Today we look at the cozy relationship between classical and hip hop music. Also: jazz drummer Brian Blade talks about crossing boundaries of a different sort -- he plays with everyone from Joni Mitchell to Wayne Shorter. Plus: live music from the Austin band Shearwater.

All Together Now (The Leonard Lopate Show: Wednesday, 18 June 2008). China, India, and Japan are increasingly focusing on each other as economic rivals. Find out how that rivalry is shaping America's economy! Also: Nam Le on his debut story collection, The Boat. Former NFL defensive end Tim Green. Plus, a Jordanian diplomat talks about the promises and problems of taking a moderate road to reform in the Middle East.

Tomorrow, Thurs. June 19, we'll talk about how a single book can transform a country's political climate. And we'd like to hear from you: has a single book changed your own political views?

Running on Empty (The Brian Lehrer Show: Wednesday, 18 June 2008). A new report says that 3.1 million New Yorkers â•„ more than a third of the cityâ•˙s population-- have trouble affording food. Actress Kathleen Turner talks about hunger in New York City, and her involvement with Citymeals-on-Wheels, which is being hit hard by the high prices of food and gas╉as well as the demise of Bear Stearns. Also: former Congressman Mickey Edwards on reclaiming conservatism, and columnist Lenore Skenazy on the dreaded Promzilla phenomenon.

The Wordless Music Series on WNYC. The Wordless Music Series pairs rock and electronic musicians with more traditional chamber and new music performers, to create an entirely new concert experience. As Wordless Music opens on a n....

Amazon Update. Amazon has a 22" Acer display for just $224 that looks pretty good, plus the best price on MacBook Air: just $1719. Save $55-$105 off Apple's latest iMacs, or $150-$380 off the Mac Pro Quad and new Quad-Core models. Get discounts, too, on VMware, Photoshop Elements 6, Office 2008, AppleCare, "Leopard" (10.5.1), iLife, iWork, Aperture 2 and more.... Amazon's Kindle wireless book/reader is in stock at $359, and best-sellers are $9.99 for instant wireless delivery. Get discounted prices on a huge selection of digital cameras and HDTV's, too. While you're saving yourself money, you're also providing critical MacInTouch support just by clicking through our links to purchase!

Report: Firefox 3. discussion open for experiences, tips and questions [updated 14:25 EDT]

Report: Apple. Apple Store salespeople, laptop vs. desktop performance, Software Update glitches

Report: DotMac. outages

Report: iTunes Store. new problem with non-admin account [updated]

Report: Leopard. 10.5.3 battery issues, Boot Camp, other notes and questions

Report: MacBook Air. dual Ethernet dongle tips

Report: Office 2008. document-type script

Report: QuickTime. 7.5 update problem [updated]

Report: Security. SANS Defending Web Applications course

Report: Voice over IP. Magicjack, Uniden/Packet8

Report: WWDC 2008. iPhone 3G pricing and plans, cont'd.

Security: Adobe Flex vulnerability fix. addresses cross-site scripting problem

New: ConceptDraw Office. CS Odessa's ConceptDraw Office is a business productivity suite that includes ConceptDraw Mindmap, ConceptDraw Project, and ConceptDraw Pro, all tied together with InGyre.

New: Nova Media Phone Plugins. Nova Media's Phone Plugins is a utility to quick-dial a selected number and quick-send a text message with one click from any program in Leopard.

Update: Firefox 3.0. The popular open source web browser gets web page forgery protection, the ability to save passwords after a successful login, full-page zoom, a save-tabs-on-exit option, tagging for bookmarks, Smart Bookmark Folders, and much more.

Update: Crossover Mac 7.0.0. CodeWeavers' software for running Windows programs without Windows adds support for Office 2007, support for Photoshop CS and CS2, improved online banking integration in Quicken 2007 and 2008, and more.

Update: LightSpeed 2.6. The multi-user Point of Sale system adds expanded Product Matrix functionality for clothing retailers, browser exports, and improved operation in LightSpeed's core Point of Sale and Browser windows.

Update: KnowledgeMiner 5.4. Script Software's set of data mining tools adds support for table dimensions of up to 30,000 rows and 30,000 columns, cost-sensitive modeling for both classification and regression models, enhanced and extended AppleScript support, and more.

Update: MegaSeg 4.5. The DJ and radio automation application adds support for Mac OS X 10.5.3, improved compatibility with multiple audio output devices, drag-and-drop from iTunes, AppleScript support, and more.

Apple: Xserve EFI Firmware Update 1.1. "This update fixes several issues to improve the stability of Xserve computers."

Apple: Xsan 2.1. General file system fixes, as well as specific fixes for metadata controller reliability, using and validating file system Access Control Lists, and upgrading from Xsan 1.4.

Apple: AirPort Utility 5.3.2. Contains AirPort Base Station Update 2008-002 and offers "general fixes and compatibility updates."

Update: Opera 9.5. The light, fast web browser offers a host of features in this new version... which is still free.

Update: Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac Build 5608. This build of Parallels Desktop fixes a problem with video artifacts in virtual machines running in the Single Window mode on Macs updated to Mac OS X 10.5.3.

Update: NeoOffice 2.2.3 Patch 6. The latest fixes for the Mac-native OpenOffice version include one for Mac OS X 10.5 where file locking on local volumes worked incorrectly.

Apple: iDVD, iMovie Updates. iMovie 7.1.2 and iDVD 7.0.2 require QuickTime 7.5 and both address "general compatibility issues, overall stability, and a number of other minor issues."

Apple: Snow Leopard Server. Apple introduces Snow Leopard Server, with ZFS support, and

Security: QuickTime 7.5. addresses multiple serious vulnerabilities that could run malware distributed through various media files

Apple: WWDC Keynote. Steve Jobs introduces the iPhone 3G, due next month at $199 with 8GB in 22 countries around the world (with more to come). iPhone 2.0 software is also due next month, and a new MobileMe online service will replace ".Mac".

Apple: Snow Leopard. An Apple press release describing "Snow Leopard" (Mac OS X 10.6) vanished suddenly after making a brief appearance on the Web, then reappeared.

Apple: New ATT Deal. "The new agreement between Apple and ATT eliminates the revenue-sharing model under which ATT shared a portion of monthly service revenue with Apple."

Apple: .Mac Migration. "To avoid losing any existing .Mac Bookmarks, sync them with Safari on your Mac before June 30, 2008."

Michelle Obama getting more negative coverage than Cindy McCain?. WASHINGTON - Americans are hearing a lot more about Michelle Obama than Cindy McCain, but the news they get about the Democratic presidential candidate&single=1’s wife is far more negative than what they hear about the spouse of the Republican candidate, according to a study. The study by the Pew Research Center for People and the Press found [...]

Obama is fired up, McCain cooler to ╢Hot or Notâ•˙ voters. NEW YORK - Barack Obama is hot, John McCain is not.So go the results of a &single=1“Hot or Not” online survey that shows the Democratic presidential candidate with a 9.5 rating and the Republican presidential candidate trailing at 5.2.Online “Hot or Not” voters, who tend to range from age 18 to 30, can participate by going to [...]

Dear Laura, Thanks, from Michelle.     NEW YORK - Michelle Obama wrote a thank-you note to Laura Bush after the first lady spoke up in defense of the wife of the Democratic presidential candidate, Obama said on Wednesday.    Obama, who is married to Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, created a controversy on the campaign trail in February when she said, &single=1“For the [...]

Huckabee not going for VP job ╉ or is he?. TOKYO - Mike Huckabee is not running &single=1— or maybe he is.        The marathon man, who lost 110 pounds (50 kg) by hitting the road and advocating healthy living after he was diagnosed with diabetes in 2003, has a painful inflammation of the heel known as plantar fasciitis, and he is walking around the Imperial [...]

Campaign debates over sexism, racism, ageism rage on. NEW YORK - One thing seems certain in the race for the White House &single=1— the debate that the campaigns have sparked on sexism, racism and ageism in the United States is nowhere near resolved.The media’s handling of Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain – each running a groundbreaking campaign — has drawn attention to [...]

McCain, liberal groups roll out new TV ads. WASHINGTON &single=1— Republican candidate John McCain touts his independence from President George W. Bush and his plan to fight global warming in a new TV ad.Two liberal groups, meanwhile, are slamming McCain’s support for the Iraq war in an ad of their own.McCain’s ad, highlighting an issue important to many independent voters, will run on [...]

McCain, praising Texas leaders, almost ╲forgets╡ Bush. DALLAS - It&single=1’s tough to think of everybody sometimes.Republican presidential candidate John McCain held a fundraiser in Dallas on Monday and kicked off his remarks by praising many of the leaders that Texas had produced.There was Kay Bailey Hutchison, a fellow senator who accompanied McCain on his plane from Washington.John Tower got a shout-out, as [...]

Al Gore to appear with Obama at Detroit rally. FLINT, Mich.  - Former Vice President Al Gore, a highly respected figure in the U.S. Democratic party, was set on Monday to appear at a Detroit rally with presidential candidate Barack Obama, where he will pledge to do all he can to help Obama win the White House.&single=1“Over the past 18 months, Barack Obama has [...]

Obama boosts campaign staff, hires former top Clinton aide. FLINT, Mich. - Democrat Barack Obama has hired a former top aide to Hillary Clinton and several other seasoned political operatives as he moves to bolster his staff for the November election battle against Republican John McCain.Patti Solis Doyle, who was ousted as Clinton&single=1’s campaign manager during a staff shake-up in February, will join the [...]

Obama jokes about being ╢too blackâ•˙. CHICAGO - Democratic Party presidential candidate Barack Obama went to church on Sunday and joked about being &single=1“too black.” In a Father’s Day speech to several thousand people at the predominantly black Apostolic Church of God, Obama talked about how people need to have high expectations for themselves then shared a few anecdotes about running for [...]

McCain and Obama Tax Policy Proposals.

Senator Obama is promising voters more progressive tax policies. Senator McCain vows to cut corporate tax rates. The plans of either candidate could add to the nation's nearly ten trillion dollar debt. How McCain and Obama differ on tax policies.

Amanda Ripley: "The Unthinkable" (Crown).

Amanda Ripley, award-winning journalist for Time magazine, retraces the human response to some of the most devastating disasters of our age, from the explosion of the Mount Blanc munitions ship in 1917 to the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001.

Prosecuting Terrorism Detainees.

Thursday the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional to deny Guantanamo prisoners the right to challenge their detention. Implications of the ruling, and the debate between creating a new "national security court," vs. trying militarily detained terrorism suspects into the federal court system.

P.M. Forni: "The Civility Solution" (St. Martin's Press).

Rudeness is all around us - cell phone users and loud conversations in restaurants╜ and aggressive drivers prone to giving the single digit salute. An expert on civility explains why some people are rude╜ and the best ways to confront them.

Rep. Tom Cole.

The Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee discusses GOP electoral prospects from the Presidency to the House and what's currently happening on Capitol Hill.

Detention of Terrorism Suspects.

Tuesday the Senate will hold hearings on the origins of harsh interrogation techniques and last Thursday Guantanamo prisoners won the right to challenge their detention in federal courts. We take a look at how the post 9/11 detention and interrogation system was organized and what it's achieved. A new investigative series in McClatchy newspapers concludes that abuse and mismanagement led to the radicalization of innocent people caught in the effort to round up terrorists.

Tim Russert: "Wisdom of Our Fathers" (Random House) (Rebroadcast).

Tim Russert's 2004 book about his father, "Big Russ and Me," prompted a flood of letters from people with stories about their own dads. Russert joins Diane to share some of those testimonies and some of the wit and wisdom of fathers.

News Roundup - Hour 1.

A panel of journalists joins Diane for review and analysis of the week's top news stories.

News Roundup - Hour 2.

A panel of journalists joins Diane for review and analysis of the week's top news stories.

U.S Transportation Infrastructure.

Record breaking gas prices are prompting new questions about our nationâ•˙s transportation infrastructure. A look at the state of mass transit, our highway systems, and the role of the federal government

Jorge Ramos: "The Gift of Time" (William Morrow).

As network anchor for Univision News, Jorge Ramos has reported on the best and worst of human nature. A car accident in two thousand four that almost cost him his life led him to write a series of letters reflecting on the world we live inâ•œ and the role of a father in his childrenâ•˙s life.

Iran Policy.

President Bush is in Europe urging allies to increase pressure on Iran over its nuclear program. A look at where the Bush administration's final push on Iran may lead, and what to expect from the next administration.

Rob Walker: "Buying In" (Random House).

Advertisers today have more channels of communication open to them today than ever before. But some think savvy consumers are making us more immune to marketing campaigns. A look at what we buy says about who we are.

U.S. economy and the value of the dollar.

Record-breaking gas prices, rising unemployment, and ongoing troubles in the housing market suggest continued financial woes. Why some blame the declining value of the dollar for economic problems at home and abroad.

Distraction and Democracy.

How our increasingly mobile, multi-tasking and virtual world may be eroding our willingness and ability to grapple with complex issues, and what this trend could mean for the strength of our democracy.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen.

The Maryland congressman discusses his efforts to expand the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, how the presumed presidential nomination of Senator Barack Obama will play into those, and current legislative battles on the Hill.

Thoroughbred Horses.

The race for the Triple Crown is over, but concerns over the treatment of thoroughbred horses remain. Diane and her guests tackle questions about doping, track safety, breeding, retirement and other practices.

Marshall Goldman: "Petrostate" (Oxford) (Rebroadcast).

An internationally recognized authority on Russian history, politics, and economics describes Russia's economic recovery and the use of its oil-based power as a lever in world politics.

Chinese South Africans are now black. A court has issued a landmark ruling classifying Chinese South Africans as black.

Thyssenkrupp cleared in arms probe. German prosecutors have found no evidence linking the country's industrial giant ThyssenKrupp to corruption in South Africa's arms deal.

'Mark Thatcher member of coup plot'. The role played by Margaret Thatcher's son - Mark - reportedly went beyond raising financing for the failed 2004 bid to oust Equatorial Guinea's president.

Telkom Charity Cup looms. The Telkom Charity Cup, where fans get to vote for their teams to participate, is set to take place at the Mmabatho Stadium.

Don't use vodka for stress.... Who else to get stress-relieving advice from than the leader of one of the globe's largest economic powers.

Bonus Quote of the Day. "How can anyone turn down an honor like that, honestly?"

-- New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, quoted by the New York Observer, on whether he would want to be Sen. Barack Obama's running mate.

PPP Poll: Virginia Will Be Competititve. A new Public Policy Polling survey in Virginia shows Sen. Barack Obama edging Sen. John McCain, 47% to 45%.

Key findings: "The key to his success, as in Ohio, is that he is bringing most Democrats back into the fold following the contentious primary season. He leads McCain 78% to 17% with folks in his own party, a perfectly respectable showing in a southern state where many who identify themselves as Democrats don't necessarily vote that way in federal elections."

McCain, Oil Drilling and Florida. Political Insider: Did McCain just lose Florida?

Battle of the Spouses. As Sen. Barack Obama re-introduces his wife to the American public this week, a new Washington Post/ABC News poll finds Michelle Obama with a 48% approval rating among voters compared with just 39% for Cindy McCain.

However, "substantially more, 36%, haven't yet formed an opinion of McCain, vs. 23% in Obama's case. For both, those are sizable numbers who've yet to make a judgment."

Quote of the Day. "I think families are off limits. I would never consider making Cindy McCain a campaign issue, and if I saw people doing that -- I would speak out against it. And the fact that I haven't seen that from John McCain I think is a deep disappointment."

-- Sen. Barack Obama, quoted by the Brody File, on the attacks against his wife.

Reuters/Zogby: Obama Opens National Lead. Sen. Barack Obama holds an edge over Sen. John McCain nationally, according to the latest Reuters/Zogby telephone survey.

Obama leads McCain, 47% to 42%, with 12% saying they prefer someone else or are not yet sure about their selection in the race.

Key findings: He holds a double-digit lead among women, while McCain holds a six-point lead among men. Both candidates are winning about four of every five voters from their own party, but Obama enjoys a substantial 22-point lead among political independents.

Voting Early and Often in Connecticut. "In Bridgeport's contentious Democratic mayoral primary last year, 105 more votes were cast than there were voters who checked in at polling places," the AP reports.

Quinnipiac: Obama Leads in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania. The latest Quinnipiac Swing State polls shows Sen. Barack Obama -- with strong support among women, blacks and younger voters -- leading Sen. John McCain among likely voters in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania The results show:

• In Florida, Obama edges McCain 47% to 43%
• In Ohio, Obama tops McCain 48% to 42%
• In Pennsylvania, Obama leads McCain 52% to 40%

Get Firefox. Amazingly, more than half of Political Wire readers still use Internet Explorer as their web browser. The new version of Firefox is out today and it's a much better and faster choice. It's also free. Highly recommended.

&single=1<script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script>

Civitas Poll: Obama Closes Gap in North Carolina. According to a new Civitas Institute poll, Sen. Barack Obama has pulled to within four points of Sen. John McCain in North Carolina.

Among all voters, McCain leads Obama, 45% to 41%, with Libertarian Bob Barr getting 2%.

Said pollster Francis DeLuca: "Both Senator McCain and Senator Obama improved their numbers over last month by solidifying the support of their party's base voters. Obama increased his support among Democrats by five percent, while McCain increased his support among Republicans by three percent."

Obama, Clinton Plan Joint Appearance. Sen. Hillary Clinton will join Sen. Barack Obama "for a joint appearance in Washington next week to persuade her donors to begin giving to the Democrats' nominee," the New York Daily News reports.

"It's the first known plan to bring together the victor and vanquished from the Democrat primary race and put their pledges of unity for the fall campaign into action."

Kentucky Senate Race a Statistical Tie. A new SurveyUSA poll in Kentucky shows Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in a statistical dead heat with U.S. Senate rival Bruce Lunsford (D), 50% to 46%.

Abortion Positions Could Swing Election. A new Greenberg Quinlan Rosner poll commissioned by NARAL finds that once "balanced information" about Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain's respective positions on abortion are introduced, Obama gains 6 points nationally, with his lead in battleground states expanding from a net 2 points (47% to 45%) to a net 13 points (53% to 40%).

Other key finding: "Despite the fact that the national focus seems to be on the economy, among pro-choice Independent women, pro-choice Republican women, and liberal to moderate Republican women, the issue of abortion produces a larger advantage for Democrats than the economy, the war in Iraq, or health care."

Clinton Will Hold Call With Fundraisers. Sen. Hillary Clinton will hold a conference call with her "top fundraising leadership" on Wednesday to urge them to build a general election war chest for Sen. Barack Obama, TPM reports.

PPP Poll: Obama Up Big in Ohio. A new Public Policy Polling survey finds Sen. Barack Obama begins the general election in Ohio with a double digit lead over John McCain, 50% to 39%.

It's a major improvement from most recent previous Ohio poll, taken at the height of the Jeremiah Wright controversy in March, which showed Obama trailing McCain 49% to 41%.

Bottom line: "The key difference for Obama is that he's got his party behind him to a much greater extent than he did then."

Paterson Outed as Source for Story. The New York Post's Fred Dicker reveals New York Gov. David Paterson (D) was the source for his story yesterday that the governor had privately referred to New York City Mayor Bloomberg as a "nasty, tantrum-prone liar" who has "little use" for average New Yorkers.

The newspaper's report was based on a source "with firsthand knowledge of Paterson's comments." When Paterson blasted the story yesterday, the newspaper outed him.

Ben Smith: "Having a source deny publicly what he told you privately is a particular kind of breach of trust, and Dicker's story is a heated response."

Are Democrats Using Code Words About McCain's Age?. "As some Republicans see it, Democrats are deliberately talking in code about" Sen. John McCain "as part of an attempt to highlight his age," according to Politico.

"The issue is no small matter for McCain. Polls in recent months found voters more likely to take into consideration his age than Obama's race, which explains why the McCain campaign has turned into ersatz word police, calling foul on even the slightest hint of a reference to the Republican's age."

Obama, McCain Splitting Independent Voters. A new Washington Post/ABC News survey shows Sen. Barack Obama running ahead of Sen. John McCain, 48% to 42%, among all adults. Among registered voters, the margin is essentially the same -- 49% to 45%.

Key findings: "Obama and McCain are even among political independents... On the issues, independents see McCain as more credible on fighting terrorism and are split evenly on who is the stronger leader and better on the Iraq war. But on other key attributes and issues -- including the economy -- Obama has advantages among independents."

Of note: "At this point four years ago, Democratic Sen. John F. Kerry held identical leads over President Bush among all adults and among registered voters.

Rasmussen: Virginia Looks Like a Battleground. A new Rasmussen Reports survey in Virginia shows Sen. Barack Obama barely edging Sen. John McCain, 45% to 44%.

Key findings: "McCain has lost ground among both male voters over the past month. He leads Obama among men 49% to 41%, but a month earlier his lead was nearly twice that size (15%). Women voters currently favor Obama 48% to 39%, little changed from a month ago."

McCain's Dream Picks. Robert Novak: "Sources close to Sen. John McCain say the Republican presidential candidate likes the idea of Democratic Sen. Joseph Lieberman, re-elected from Connecticut as an independent in 2006, or former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge -- if he could get away with it. The political consensus is that McCain couldn't get away with either, and he knows it."

Obama Maintains Slim National Lead. The latest Cook Political Report/RT Strategies poll finds Sen. Barack Obama leading Sen. John McCain nationally, 44% to 40%.
&single=1 
Key findings: 30% strongly supported McCain, 5% were more moderate in their support and another 4% were initially undecided, but when pushed they leaned toward McCain. Obama had strong support among 34% of the voters, moderate support among 6% and 4% were undecided but leaned to him. Another 16% were undecided and not leaning to either candidate.

McCain was winning 81% to 8% among Republicans while Obama was ahead 78% to 11% among Democrats.  Obama had a five point lead among independents, 41% to 36%.

Fire-Breathing Liberal. In the mail: Fire-Breathing Liberal: How I Learned to Survive (and Thrive) in the Contact Sport of Congress by Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL). He opens the book noting, "I want to proclaim on every page of this book that I am a liberal Democrat and proud of it."

The Palm Beach Post notes "the real charm and value of this book comes from Wexler's candid assessment of his own foibles, his obvious deep affection for the thousands of senior citizens in his district and the clear joy he gets from being a member of congress... It is worth reading."

Gore Endorses Obama. Al Gore will endorse Sen. Barack Obama later today at a rally in Michigan, according to a posting on Gore's website.

"From now through Election Day, I intend to do whatever I can to make sure he is elected President of the United States."

Top Clinton Aide Joins Obama Campaign. Former Clinton campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle will join Sen. Barack Obama's campaign "as the chief of staff to the vice presidential candidate -- whoever he (or she) will be," according to the New York Times.

"Ms. Doyle will take the position before Mr. Obama announces his choice for a running-mate -- he has not said when that will be. Mrs. Clinton and Ms. Doyle have a long friendship, and Ms. Doyle has long been one of her closest aides, until she was forced out. Could that mean -- tea-leaf reading time -- that Mr. Obama is really considering Mrs. Clinton for the No. 2 position, and wants to have an ally of her in place to ease the way? Perhaps."

Ben Smith: "Though this will stir speculation that she's paving the way for Hillary, but it actually makes me think hte opposite. Clinton fired her in February ,and many of her backers view Solis Doyle as a bit of a traitor for having signaled that she'd move to Obama before the primary was over."

Time has a list of other Obama staff appointments made today.

Obama Convenes National Security Team. The presumptive Democratic nominee plans to consult a 13-member group of national security experts on a regular basis between now and November.

Obama Camp Apologizes to Muslim Women. Senator Barack Obamaâ•˙s presidential campaign has apologized for keeping Muslim women wearing headscarves out of a key shot at his Detroit event.

Watching Michelle Obama on &single=1‘The View’. Watching Michelle Obama's visit to "The View" with Jodi Kantor and Michael Powell.

The Early Word: Talking National Security. Senator Obama will consult a group of former top government officials and military officers in Washington today.

Obama Rejects G.O.P. Criticism on Terrorism. Barack Obama responded forcefully to John McCainâ•˙s advisers who suggested that Mr. Obama employed a naïve view toward the threat of terrorism.