Midday Open Thread

• Two bomb blasts in southern Afghanistan killed four U.S. Marines.
• McCain was on the talk show circuit this morning, defending Sarah Palin.
• GOP leaders backed off calls for Sanford's resignation after pleas from Jenny Sanford.
• A legal victory for pro-choice advocates in the state of Washington.
• A malfunction on a Obama campaign charter plane last summer was more serious than initially reported.
• The Franklin Park Zoo in Boston may be forced to close and euthanize some animals due to lack of funding.
• China just became the world's largest auto market.