The press is starting to call out John McCain for harsh attacks, but liberal bloggers want reporters to go further and call them lies. But reporters, according to conservative bloggers, are damaging McCain's chances by distorting the first television interview of his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R).

The New York Times wrote Saturday that McCain has launched "harsh advertisements" and attacks have "regularly stretch[ed] the truth." The Times should just label McCain's attacks false and shouldn't equate them with the "harsh" but accurate attacks of Obama, writes Matthew Yglesias. But the Times, according to Contentions' Jennifer Rubin, is applying a double standard to McCain, finding distortions that would be considered part of politics if they were launched by other candidates.

Despite the media's pressure on McCain, two Daily Kos bloggers find that his campaign continues to exaggerate. Palin didn't travel beyond the Iraq border during a Middle East trip, despite her claim that she visited the country, notes Kagro X. And though the McCain camp has said that 23,000 people attended a recent McCain-Palin rally, a Washington Post reporter estimated the audience to be about 8,000, writes georgia10.

The press, specifically ABC News and Charles Gibson, is on the side that's doing the distorting, according to McCain's backers online. The network edited out portions of Palin's interview, making her seem less knowledgeable about foreign affairs and more hawkish than she really is, writes P.J. Gladnick at Newsbusters. Gibson gave a "gotcha" question to Palin about the "Bush Doctrine" that voters care little about and that involved a theory that is more a media invention than a White House policy, writes Townhall's Matt Lewis.

FROM THE BLOGS:
It's Not Harsh. It's False. - Matthew Yglesias
Path. O. Logical. - Kagro X, Daily Kos
Your Lying Eyes - georgia10, Daily Kos
Real Outrage. Fake Outrage. - John Podhoretz, Commentary
McCain's Health Scare Plan - Karen Tumulty, Swampland
ABC News Edited Out Key Parts - P.J. Gladnick, NewsBusters
Weirdness on ABC - Jennifer Rubin, Commentary
ABC News's Careful Editing - Mark Chesser, American Spectator
Novel Defense for Ignorance - Steve Benen, Political Animal
The Bush Doctrine - Joe Klein, Swampland

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
McCain Barbs Stirring Outcry as Distortions - New York Times
Many Versions of 'Bush Doctrine' - Washington Post
Dems Fend Off Energy Attacks - The Hill

The women of "The View" gave John McCain his toughest interview yet, earning the praise of liberal bloggers. Conservatives point to the latest Gallup poll showing the GOP closing on Democrats in congressional races and liberals have seized on McCain admitting that he is "somewhat divorced" from most Americans' day-to-day challenges.

In a combative interview, McCain was pushed on social issues, his choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) and the "lies" he uses in his ads attacking Barack Obama, The Huffington Post writes. Wonkette meanwhile calls out the media for letting

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's (R) first television interview as the GOP veep nominee went fairly well and is being unfairly attacked by Barack Obama's supporters, according to conservative bloggers. But Palin showed in the interview that she wasn't ready to lead when she unnecessarily rattled the saber toward Russia, write liberal bloggers. With Palin dominating the news and John McCain ahead in polls, Barack Obama needs to figure out a way to take back control of the race, and his backers online suggest how he can do it.

Though Palin faced "fair but hard fastballs" from ABC News's Charles Gibson, she managed to answer tough foreign policy questions, avoid stumbles and still display her charisma, writes Townhall's Hugh Hewitt. While her critics said she stumbled when asked about the Bush Doctrine, she was fair to press Gibson for clarification since even conservative thinkers can't decide whether it refers to democracy promotion or preemptive strikes, writes The Corner's Andy McCarthy. But Palin seemed nervous when asked about foreign policy, as she resorted to platitudes when talking about Islamic extremists in Pakistan and the September 11 terror attacks, writes Hot Air's Allahpundit.

Liberal bloggers are keying on Palin's suggestion that the United States should go to war with Russia if it again invades Georgia. Her stance is the logical extension of McCain's "unhinged policy" on Russia, writes TalkingPointsMemo's Josh Marshall. Palin's readiness for war raises questions over whether she's ready to lead and reflects poorly on McCain, who has been sending "horrifying signals" about fighting wars in the Middle East and with Russia, writes Ilan Goldenberg at The Huffington Post. Palin's apparent confusion on foreign policy reminds Daily Kos's georgia10 of the time Palin acknowledged that she hasn't focused on the Iraq war because of her state government duties.

Since Obama has fallen behind as McCain's "maverick" persona has proven powerful with conservative populist voters, the Democrat should stress his own values, character and leadership capabilities, writes linguistics professor George Lakoff at Truthout. But, according to Democratic consultant Joe Trippi, Obama should focus on McCain and instead of himself or Palin. According to TalkLeft's Big Tent Democrat, Obama should just go back to tying McCain to President Bush.

FROM THE BLOGS:
Palin A Sharp Contrast With Obumble - Hugh Hewitt, Townhall
'Didn't Know Bush Doctrine' Is Canard - A. McCarthy, The Corner
Maybe Palin Was Nervous - Allahpundit, Hot Air
Not Ready - Josh Marshall, TalkingPointsMemo
Moose In The Headlights - georgia10, Daily Kos
Palin's Dangerous Saber Rattling - I. Goldenberg, HuffPo
Don't Think of A Maverick - George Lakoff, Truthout
Obama's Next Move - Joe Trippi, The Plank
Obama on Offense - Big Tent Democrat, TalkLeft

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Obama Plans Sharper Tone As Party Frets - New York Times
Palin Links Iraq to 9/11 in Talk to Troops - Washington Post
Palin Talks Tough to Iran, Russia in ABC Interview - LA Times
Boehner in the Balance - The Hill

Former Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R.I.) finds himself the target of conservative bloggers after calling Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) a "cocky whacko." Former president Bill Clinton is stepping back on to the campaign trail and Democratic Gov. Rod Blagovich (Ill.) thinks Dems are making a "tactical mistake" in going after Palin.

Chafee's comment attacking Palin just seems intended to belittle a self-confident conservative woman, Michelle Malkin writes. NewBusters' Ken Shepherd takes the media to task for identifying his as a "former GOP senator" without mentioning his "leftist voting record."

Clinton said he expects Barack Obama to win "handily" come November, Political Ticker reports. Clinton's statement coincides with the announcement that he will head back out on the campaign trail, this time for Obama, MyDD's Jonathan Singer points out.

And Blagojevich thinks Democrats should back off from attacks against Palin's executive experience, The Swamp reports. The Corner's Byron York is happy to see that at least the one Democrat thinks Paln

Bloggers remember the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 today, posting personal stories and sharing what the attacks meant to them. A story alleging President Bush gave secret orders allowing U.S. forces to operate in Pakistan, meanwhile, earns the president praise from conservatives.

The World Trade Center attacks barely missed taking Dan McLaughlin

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) has helped close the gap in enthusiasm between supporters of Barack Obama and John McCain, according to bloggers who attended a McCain-Palin campaign event. To push back against Palin and McCain, Obama should show outrage and use their own attacks against them, according to liberal bloggers. But while Palin is dominating the news, Obama's running mate, Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.), has done little to help his ticket, conservative bloggers write.

At a campaign rally in Virginia, thousands, many wearing Palin shirts and carrying signs, turned out to see the Republican ticket, notes Mark Hemingway at The Corner. The word of the day was, ironically, "hope," as in Palin has given Republicans hope that they'll win this year, writes The Corner's Byron York. After Palin left for Alaska, McCain had a tough time by himself at a Philadelphia event, which was cut short because of protests, reports Jason Szep on Reuters's Tales From The Trail.

To undermine Republican attacks, Democrats should actually embrace the "lipstick on a pig" idiom and use it to describe McCain and Palin's campaign, which talks about reform but is run by lobbyists, writes TalkingPointsMemo's Josh Marshall. Just as McCain has mocked a $3.2 million earmark for seal DNA, the Alaska office of his running mate, Palin, has requested that money, notes MyDD's Josh Orton. Obama should release his "righteous rage" about McCain and President Bush, according to Arianna Huffington, whose site lists all the economic and foreign policy woes facing the country despite the campaign focus on

Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) is the target of conservative attack after comparing Barack Obama to Jesus during a speech on the House floor. Liberals cheer Obama for hitting back at what he calls "phony outrage" and Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) comes under fire from conservatives for not going far enough in admitting that he failed to report rental income on his tax returns.

Cohen's remarks - saying that Obama was a community organizer,

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) was warned by a judge warned against making disparaging remarks about her brother-in-law, leaving one blogger to declares her image taking a hit. Meanwhile Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton