Wednesday Linkage

Grumble grumble. Yeah, Joe Scarborough, you know waaay more about Iraq than Wes Clark.

NZ Olympic team brings barista to Beijing

Black Republicans conflicted on Obama

WSJ: McCain's Message Gets Makeover
As his campaign bus rolled through northern Wisconsin recently, John McCain interrupted a conversation to take a cell-phone call. It was "Sgt. Schmidt," he reported — his nickname for Steve Schmidt, the sharp-tongued strategist he recently drafted to take over the campaign.

Welsh mayor wants to overturn town's ban on ‘Life of Brian'

Analysis: Few blacks in highest military spots

USA Today: Spending on vets exceeds 1947 high
The federal government is spending more money on veterans than at any time in modern history, surpassing the tidal wave of spending following World War II and the demilitarizing of millions of troops.

Sketch artist greeted with new Gitmo obstacle

Estelle Getty Dies at 84 (video clip of Ms Getty)

Washington Post: Is McCain's Age Showing? Tongues Wag Over Flubs
We interrupt the nonstop coverage of Barack Obama's overseas trip to bring you some breaking whispers about John McCain. He has been making a series of verbal slips — invariably described as "gaffes" — that are starting to ricochet from liberal blogs to the mainstream media.