Midday Open Thread

• While the traditional media continues to downplay its significance, Der Spiegel stands by its story on Iraq Prime Minister Maliki’s comments about withdrawing U.S. troops as outlined by Barack Obama.
• Well, well, well...media critic Howard Kurtz finally decides to criticize the media. His target? Coverage of Barack Obama:

  Obama's excellent adventure. Katie, Charlie and Brian are all headed across the Atlantic as a frenzy builds over the Democratic candidate's trip. Is this another love fest in the making? And why do the networks barely cover McCain's international travel?

  And it all must be true because Kurtz played clips from Bernard Goldberg, Tony Blankley and Lou Dobbs complaining about it.

• No surprise here.

  Far from the combat zones, the strains and separations of no-end-in-sight wars are taking an ever-growing toll on military families despite the armed services' earnest efforts to help.  [...]

  An array of studies by the Army and outside researchers say that marital strains, risk of child maltreatment and other problems harmful to families worsen as soldiers serve multiple combat tours.

• I’m waiting for the outrage from the right over Michael Savage’s take on autism:

  Now, you want me to tell you my opinion on autism? ... A fraud, a racket. Now, the illness du jour is autism. You know what autism is? I'll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out. That's what autism is.

• Condoleezza Rice knows who she’s voting for in November...but she won’t say who it is.
• Good news for...well, for someone. CBS news anchor Katie Couric says she isn’t going anywhere despite her in-the-basement ratings because she’s "committed to the people and the product." The long-term contract helps too.
• Tropical Storm Cristobal is slapping North Carolina around with high winds and heavy rain.
• The latest "Batman" movie, "The Dark Knight," is raking in the cash with sales of over $155 million in three days.