Lots of bloggers are covering the Swift Boat liars. Atrios has been all over it. Skippy has a roundup of the other blog coverage. The latest news is the Chicago Tribune copy editor who comes out for Kerry's version. Not because he's for Kerry, but because he feels the liars are impugning the integrity of those who served. Feel free to share your thoughts on the controversy here.

Reading about Bush's plans for the convention in Sunday's New York Times, it was hard not to gag.

And after months in which Mr. Bush stressed issues of concern to conservative supporters - from restrictions on stem cell research to a constitutional amendment to bar gay marriage - the convention will offer its national television audience a decidedly more moderate face for the president and his party. If "strength" was the leitmotif of the Democratic convention in Boston, "compassion" will be the theme in New York, marking the return of a mainstay of Mr. Bush's 2000 campaign, party leaders said.

Bush and compassion. Go together like a horse and carriage, no?

How about his strategy for dealing with the protesters:

The first military tribunals are set to begin Tuesday for four Guantanamo detainees. Trials are still several months off, as Tuesday begins the pre-trial hearing phase. Since there has been a big problem with translators, the lawyers will need a lot more time with their clients before trials can begin.

Some of the defense lawyers have complained that problems with their translators, who have not been paid in a timely manner, hampered them in mounting their cases. Mr. Altenburg told reporters that the complaints had merit and he was moving quickly to address them. Commander Sundel said he expected to do little at the coming hearings beyond ask for more time to meet with his client. "We desperately need to speak with him," he said. "The hearing is Thursday and we were only given a new interpreter last week." The first translator was judged inadequate and dismissed in April.

Don't expect too much. It's hardly a real trial.

The rules, which in essence constitute a new body of law distinct from military and civilian law, allow, for example, witnesses to testify anonymously for the prosecution. Also, any information may be admitted into evidence if the presiding officer judges it to be "probative to a reasonable person," a new standard far more favorable to the prosecution than anything in civilian law.

When it comes to the electoral vote, Colorado, like other states except Maine and Nebraska, has a winner-take-all policy. But a proposal to change that is on the ballot this fall. If it passes, it would affect the distribution of Colorado's electoral votes in the November election.

Election officials have announced that the November ballot will include a proposal to replace the state's winner-take-all system with one to divvy up its nine electoral votes in proportion to a candidate's popular vote. The plan would practically guarantee both President Bush and Democratic nominee John F. Kerry at least some of the state's electoral college votes.

If such a system had been in place during the 2000 election, Al Gore, who lost Colorado with 42 percent of the popular vote, would have received three of the eight electoral votes it then had. That would have given the former vice president -- who lost the electoral college, 271 to 266 -- one more electoral vote than Bush, 269 to 268.

Since George Bush is favored to win Colorado, it makes sense to vote for the change, so Kerry at least gets some votes. I think it's a fairer system. If Bush takes all the Colorado votes, it's like my vote didn't count. Under the new plan, my vote will morph into permanent Kerry electoral votes and increase his national total. It's a big difference.

If you were thinking about transporting contraband into the U.S. through Canada, you better think again. The borders are about to become increasingly populated with government agents:

....federal officials on Friday opened the first of five planned bases for regular flights to look for drug runners and others crossing illegally by air or land. The base of operations, called the Bellingham Air Marine Branch, is to have a staff of nearly 70, two helicopters, an airplane and a high-speed boat by year's end. Similar bases have policed the Mexican border for three decades, but the facility here is the first on the Canadian border.

Five new bases, which will dot the border from Washington to upstate New York, are a response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks as well as smuggling of illegal immigrants and drugs, including British Columbia's potent strains of marijuana.

A response to terrorism? Bush and Ashcroft will do anything to avoid going after the real terrorists. That's why they are going to convince you that terrorists and drugs go hand in hand like milk and cookies. They want to fill you with dread of "narco-terrorists" who smuggle "narco-dollars" out of the country with which they will build biological and radioactive missiles and bombs and then launch unspeakable attacks on our cities and power plants and schools.

They are planning on creating new criminal laws punishing drug offenses as terrorist crimes. They think if they make you very afraid you will forget they haven't found Osama or cracked al-Qaeda.

The LA Times writes an editorial advocating legislation approving the non-prescription purchase of syringes:

There is no evidence that drug abuse is any higher in states that do not require prescriptions for syringes. More than 26,000 Californians have AIDS because of syringe-sharing. Legislators can't stop junkies from shooting up, but they can give them a better alternative than poisoned needles.

45 states permit limited syringe sales without a doctor's approval. But for a veto last year by former Governor Gray Davis, it would be the law now in California. California should pass the measure, and Gov. Arnold should endorse it.