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Rev. Michael Pfleger, is returning to work Monday after being suspended for directing racially charged remarks toward Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) during a sermon as a guest preacher at Barack Obama's former church in Chicago.

In a profile of the fiery preacher out today, the Chicago Tribune asks, "what will happen when Pfleger lifts his voice again?"

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) tells the AP that his father Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) is prepared to "do battle" as he readies himself for chemotherapy to treat a brain tumor.

The nine-term Massachusetts senator spent Father's Day weekend at home with his family.

Luke Russert, son of recently deceased NBC "Meet the Press" host Tim Russert, went on the Today Show Monday to share memories of his father and thank viewers for the support his family has received.

Barack Obama talked basketball ahead of game 5 of the NBA finals with Jimmy Kimmel Sunday, appearing live via satellite from Philadelphia.

At the time of the interview the Los Angeles Lakers were down three games to one against the Boston Celtics, a position no NBA team has come back from to win the finals. The situation prompted Kimmel to ask Obama, "are you at all worried Senator that if the Lakers do come back that it would encourage Hillary Clinton to come back too?"

Obama laughed and assured Kimmel that no Clinton comeback would be in the works.

"Sen. Clinton and I are on the same team," Obama said, quickly turning the conversation to John McCain.

Obama said that he plans to "post up John McCain every chance I get."

Barack Obama used Father's Day to urge more black fathers to take an active role in raising their children.

"We know that more than half of all black children live in single-parent households, a number that has doubled Read more...

Former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) left open the possibility that he could become Barack Obama's running mate.

Edwards, the Democrats' 2004 vice presidential nominee, had told Spanish newspapers earlier this month, "I won't do it again." But on ABC's "This Week," he denied that his remark was a "Shermanesque" statement that ruled out making another bid for the vice presidency.

"No, I intended it to say that this is not a thing that I'm seeking," Edwards said. "I think Sen. Obama, first of all, has earned the right to make this decision for himself. I think he has enormous choices available to him, really great choices available to him. And I think he'll go through this process in a thoughtful, orderly way, and he'll decide who he wants to be his running mate. And that's exactly how it should be done."

When pressed by ABC's George Stephanopoulos to confirm that he hasn't ruled out joining the ticket, Edwards said, "Well, I'd take anything he asked me to think about seriously, but obviously this is something I've done and it's not a job that I'm seeking."

Barack Obama is warning supporters that the general election fight between him and John McCain may get ugly, but the Illinois senator is vowing not to back down.

"If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun," Obama said at a fundraiser in Philadelphia Friday, according to pool reports.

"We don't have a choice but to win," Obama said, joking that he has heard "folks in Philly like a good brawl. I've seen Eagles games."

Obama again said that the GOP will make try to make him look "scary" to voters.

Obama pledging to swing back at the GOP drew much applause from the crowd.

Republican National Committee spokesman Alex Conant said Obama's rhetoric abandons Obama's campaign themes of hope and change.

"In the last 24 hours, he

NBC has announced that former NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw will anchor a special edition of "Meet the Press" on Sunday.

John McCain today called the Supreme Court's ruling to grand habeas corpus right to Guantanamo Bay detainees "one of the worst decisions in the history of the country," The Boston Globe's Political Intelligence blog is reporting.

The Arizona senator blasted the ruling at a town hall forum in Pemberton, N.J. today, saying it will "hurt our ability" to protect the U.S. from terrorists.

A proponent of closing the Guantanamo prison, McCain reacted more mildly to the ruling when asked about it yesterday.

"These are unlawful combatants, they are not American citizens and I think we should pay attention to Justice Roberts' [dissenting] opinion in this decision," McCain said yesterday. "But it is a decision that the Supreme Court has made. Now we need to move forward. As you know I always favored closing Guantanamo Bay and I still think we ought to do that."

See The Trail's report on McCain's initial reaction here.

President Bush: "As the longest-serving host of the longest-running program in the history of television, he was an institution in both news and politics for more than two decades. Tim was a tough and hardworking newsman. He was always well-informed and thorough in his interviews. And he was as gregarious off the set as he was prepared on it."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.): "Tim asked the tough questions the right way and was the best in the business at keeping his interview subjects honest."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.): "Tim Russert always remained tethered to his middle-class upbringing and the good and decent people who made him who he was. But he will be remembered by many more Americans who knew him as a proud son of Buffalo, New York."

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.): "He was just a terrific guy. I was proud to call him a friend, and in the coming days, we will pay tribute to a life whose contributions to us all will long endure."

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.): "I've known Tim Russert since I first spoke at the convention in 2004. He's somebody who overtime I came to consider not only a journalist but a friend. There wasnt a better interviewer in TV, not a more thoughtful analyst of our politics and he was also one of the finest men I knew."

Former President Bill Clinton & Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.): "Tim had a love of public service and a dedication to journalism that rightfully earned him the respect and admiration of not only his colleagues but also those of us who had the privilege to go toe to toe with him. In seeking answers to tough questions, he helped inform the American people and make our democracy stronger."

Former Vice President Al Gore: "The U.S. and the world have a lost a great journalist, interviewer and author. He was an original and will be greatly missed." Read more...