Vitter's 'birther' comments draw heat

CNN: "Louisiana Sen. David Vitter, already bruised politically for failing to adequately explain why he continued to employ a staffer who was arrested for threatening to stab his girlfriend, is now facing heat over his apparent support of investigations into President Barack Obama's place of birth."

Rep. Bobby Bright avoids perils of anti-government mood

Washington Post: "And he's running ahead without riding the anti-government wave sweeping the nation. In some ways, he's practicing the opposite: rattling off the schools, bridges, unpaved roads and sewer systems that need funding; celebrating the jobs that two big local military installations bring; promoting earmarks for agricultural research. It's a reminder that in some … Continue reading Rep. Bobby Bright avoids perils of anti-government mood

Democrats and Passion

E.J Dionne: "Democrats are counting on a similar twofer from their attacks on the current brand of Republicanism as being too doctrinaire and too extreme. The energy that the Tea Party provides Republicans could be offset by a negative reaction in the electoral middle to the new movement's ferocity."

Congress Stalled As 2 Million Lose Jobless Benefits

NPR: "When members of Congress return from their Fourth of July break Monday, they'll find a big challenge waiting for them right where they left it. The issue is unemployment — specifically an extension of benefits for people who've lost their jobs. The debate has turned into a high-stakes, election-year stand-off over deficits."

Burma and the Bomb

Time: "With about a third of the country in poverty, the junta could invest in health, education or job creation, but instead, new evidence suggests Burma is spending billions on outlandish military projects, including a secretive nuclear weapons program."