It looks like Bush is planning to formulate a response to the many Republicans that have stepped up to challenge him on our continued occupation of Iraq. He will now be emphasizing plans to bring some troops home next year. That's not a particularly generous concession, considering that reports that the government in Baghdad has not met a single target for improvement in the area have legislators considering pushing forward the date for action on the war from September to July. Hey, maybe those Congressional Democrats were onto something after all, huh?

This week, we talk about... wait, what? Ron Paul has more money than McCain?

It's official — we now have three candidates in the race for the Democratic nomination for Senate in 2008. Well, sort of.

You can't just drown out the July 4 spirit with a little rain here in Texas. Statewide celebrations went on despite the continuing rain throughout the state. About the only thing that could dampen the spirit of Independence Day? A president with a below-30% approval rating trying to milk the celebration of the nation's independence for political benefit.

It is unsurprising that everyone's still talking about Bush commuting Scooter Libby's jail sentence yesterday afternoon. The Washington Post gets the thumbs-up for going the extra mile with investigative reporting to find out which advisers Bush spoke to in making that decision. Turns out, not many.

We'd love to give you a link, but there isn't one yet: MSNBC has it as breaking news that President Bush has commuted Libby's sentence. The conviction stands, but Libby does not have to serve any time in jail. He will also still have to pay $250,000 in fines and probably lose his law license. EDIT: MSNBC now has the story on their site.

7:54 Phew! I was worried there for a bit. The floodgates opened here in North Texas, and we suddenly lost our satellite TV. Beer and politics, hold the politics? I don't think that would make for a very good liveblog. But we've got it back, and we're on! Just in time for the cheesy, cheesy PBS intro.

Oh, that crazy, madcap Ann Coulter. You've just gotta love her. If there's anyone that can remind America that conservatives don't actually have a hold on moral righteousness, it's her.

The Supreme Court made big news yesterday when they decided to open the door to corporations and unions running politically-charged advertising around elections time.

This week's Mailbag brings us some readers pointing out interesting news items for the week (we love that!), as well as a strategy question on state straw polls.