Midterm elections, when turnout is traditionally low, are all about getting voters engaged enough to actually go the polls and vote. In the USA TODAY survey taken Friday through Sunday, there's sobering news on that front for Democrats. Just 35% of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters said they were "more enthusiastic than usual" about voting in November. That's down eight percentage points from May and a precipitous 22-point drop from the poll we took in March.

In fact, it's the lowest level of enthusiasm for Democratic voters since 1998.

Enthusiasm among Republicans and Republican-leaning voters dipped, too, but not as much as among Democrats. Now, 53% of Republicans say they are more enthusiastic than usual about voting, down six points from May and 16 points from March.

So Republicans now benefit from an 18-point enthusiasm advantage -- an edge that, if it holds up, could be more important than money in the bank.

I'm bringing this up because the LA Times article about Apple and AT&T has no cited sources from either company for the claim that phone orders are on hold. Googling for verification led me to a tech site (Engadget) that agrees with the Times article - by citing as a source an earlier article on Engadget - which cites an earlier article, ad nauseum. Good golly people, "because I said so" is not a valid proof of correctness. You should have learned that in pre school. Objective facts are needed for proof of a statement of fact, not self-assertion. Even acknowledged experts in a field have to prove their bona fides before they cite their own work - and if they want to be taken seriously, they don't. They cite quantifiable results.

Inside Gaming Plus E3 2010: Red Faction Armageddon

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, Andrea, first, let me say how pleased I am that I have this chance to talk to you about these and other important issues. President Obama has spoken out against the law because he thinks that the federal government should be determining immigration policy. And the Justice Department, under his direction, will be bringing a lawsuit against the act.

Under pressure from Republican leaders who threatened to remove him from a ranking committee position, Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.) late Thursday retracted his apology to BP CEO Tony Hayward for the way his company has been treated by the U.S. government -- a comment that had drawn heavy criticism from both parties.

Republicans hoping to pin the problems of the Gulf Coast on Obama were immediately put on the defensive.