Evening news round-up

I left the 8-5 early today because I wasn’t feeling well and have been resting most of the afternoon/evening.  Since I’m behind on blogging, I’m going to try to round up some of what’s being reported today in the MSM as well as what’s being discussed by the blogosphere.  Here goes:

• Team McCain is feeling the heat today after McCain’s economic advisor and former Senator Phil Gramm said the following in an interview with The Washington Times: 
  • “You’ve heard of mental depression; this is a mental recession,” he said, noting that growth has held up at about 1 percent despite all the publicity over losing jobs to India, China, illegal immigration, housing and credit problems and record oil prices. “We may have a recession; we haven’t had one yet.”
  • “We have sort of become a nation of whiners,” he said. “You just hear this constant whining, complaining about a loss of competitiveness, America in decline” despite a major export boom that is the primary reason that growth continues in the economy, he said.

Barry Oh! seized on what Gramm said and quipped that, “”America already has one Dr. Phil. We don’t need another one when it comes to the economy.”   It should be no surprise that McCain is majorly distancing himself from Gramm’s comments. 

• Little Green Footballs has discovered another Fauxtography scandal, this time over doctored photos handed over from Iran that show one too many launched missiles.  It looks as though the Iranian gov’t did the editing, but of course – contra to the MSM’s assertions to the contrary - they didn’t figure it out until the conservative blogosphere made them aware of it. 
• Andrew Sullivan … criticizing Obama?  I think this may be a first.
• And speaking of Obama, check out this site, and scroll to the bottom to create your own “change” message.  Hilarious.   (Via ST reader Chuck)
• One of my favorite Europeans, Michael van der Galiën, shares his thoughts about Obama and how he believes he’ll do badly on the international front here.
• Via ST reader and NYC’r Leslie comes this story of Rep. Charlie Rangel in another one of his “do as I say not as I do” moments.  JammieWearingFool slams Rangel here.  Unfortunately, Rangel has a lifetime seat in the US House if he wants it, so I doubt the story will make a dent in his popularity.
• The conservative blogosphere has weighed in on who their favorite elected Republicans are.  John Hawkins has the details.
• Here’s a rundown of the presidential race that many will appreciate, especially if you’re from the South
• ST reader Dana has reviewed Valerie Plame’s book Fair Game – you can read the review here.
• What the hell is wrong with people these days? Gross.
• Unveiled! via ST reader Sev: The Democrats’ new energy policy.
• And, related to that, Gateway Pundit writes about how GWB gave the G8 Summit elitists the finger before departing the summit to return to the US.  GWB’s quote? “Goodbye from the world’s biggest polluter.”   Heheh.
• Related to NC politics, Jeff Taylor asks a damn good question: “Who Killed Jessica’s Law [in the NC House]?”
• Will we hear more of what Jesse Jackson whispered on Fox News about Barack Obama? Hmmm.  Enquiring minds want to know.  Last night O’Reilly stated that Fox decided not to air everything Jackson said because it would have made him look even worse.  Interesting …