The story behind McCain’s first divorce is heartbreaking. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the campaign.

Bob Barr’s Libertarian campaign for president is already having an impact.

Bob Barr’s Libertarian presidential campaign is poised to play a serious role in this year’s elections, with early polls showing him taking away enough votes from Sen. John McCain to give Democrats a chance to win states that should be safely Republican.

Polls in Georgia and North Carolina over the last two weeks show Mr. Barr winning 8 percent and 6 percent respectively of the presidential vote, and in both cases helping keep likely Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama within striking distance of Mr. McCain in those states — which, taken together, account for more electoral votes than Florida, Pennsylvania or Ohio.

Another former Bush insider turns on the Bush administration. In an incredible memoir, former press secretary Scott McClellan doesn’t pull any punches, discussing how the Bush administration was not “open and forthright on Iraq,” and took a “permanent campaign approach” to governing at the expense of candor and competence.

Anyone who was paying attention during the Bush presidency knew that McClellan was feeding the press and the American people incorrect information for years. Frankly, he wasn’t very good at it.

Again, Bush will go down as one of the worst presidents in American history. With this book, Scott McClellan helps to tell the sad story.

It’s refreshing to see a Democratic nominee who isn’t afraid to speak his mind about Cuba. Most Democrats run scared on this issue, but they always lose this vote to the GOP. The views in the Cuban-American community are changing, particularly among the young who question the policies that have changed mothing in Cuba.

Obama engaged McCain on this issue by promising to ease travel restrictions and the ability to transfer money.

Obama said he would maintain the existing trade embargo to use as leverage for winning Democratic change in the Communist island nation. But he said he would immediately allow “unlimited family travel and remittances to the island.”

“It’s time to let Cuban-Americans see their mothers and fathers, their sisters and brothers. It’s time to let Cuban-American money make their families less dependent upon the Castro regime,” he said.

This change will be very popular, even among older, more conservative Cuban-Americans who resent the tough travel restrictions. Obama has a tough road ahead of him in Florida, but this policy battle will help. Also, expect him to hit McCain hard later in the campaign on Social Security privatization.

With the latest poll in Ohio showing an Obama lead over McCain, Kos takes a look at how the electoral map is shaping up for November. So far, things look good for Obama.

Peggy Noonan blasts today’s pathetic Republican Party. She’s not saying anything new. She just has a way with words, and her essay sums up the problems nicely.

These problems, however, have been apparent for years, and even Peggy has been late to the party. In Kansas in 2006, old Republicans bolted from the party and won seats as Democrats.

The Republicans deserve to get crushed in the fall. If that happens, it will be the best possible result for the party (and the country).

This is hilarious!

Check out more international ads using Bush.

Obama is gearing up for the fall, as he goes after McCain regarding Hamas.

Obama said he was offended when McCain said last month, “It’s very clear who Hamas wants to be the next president.”

“I think it’s disappointing because John McCain always says, ‘Well, I’m not going to run that kind of politics,’ and then to engage in that kind of smear I think is unfortunate, particularly since my policy on Hamas has been no different than his,” Obama said.

“And so for him to toss out comments like that, I think, is an example of him losing his bearings as he pursues this nomination.”

“Losing his bearings.” I love that line.

Both the Senate race and the presidential race are closer than one might expect.

She won’t listen to economists.