THE 5 TOP STORIES TO WATCH OVER THE NEXT 7 DAYS

1. REPORT: JOHN EDWARDS WILL ADMIT PATERNITY: WRAL News in North Carolina reports that former Democratic Presidential candidate John Edwards will admit he is the father of Rielle Hunter’s baby Edwards,who admitted involvement with Rielle, a campaign videographer, has consistently denied fathering her 18-month-old daughter. Already under Federal investigation for funneling campaign funds to Hunter, Edwards now faces full public humiliation if it is revealed he fathered the child and then failed to claim her as his daughter. Stay tuned.

2. HATE MAKES A COMEBACK: There is real fear in some quarters that hate groups and individual extremists are stepping forward in record numbers. Since President Obama’s election, there have been more public displays of civic rebellion and more acting out in public than we had seen in a long time. Last week, one man in New Hampshire openly wore a handgun strapped to his belt at a town hall meeting. Other town hall meetings have been the sites of angry outbursts and near-violence. A white attendee at one meeting grabbed a poster of Rosa Parks from a black woman and tore it up in front of the crowd. At a town hall meeting In Hagerstown, MD, Secret Service detained a man who held a sign that read “Death to Obama.” Reportedly, gun sales are way up. Renderings of the Nazi swastika symbol are being flaunted in public places. One such incident occurred outside the office of Democratic Rep. David Scott, who is black. Some observers attribute the rise in national tension to a combination of the election of a black president, an ever-weakening economy, record high joblessness and unprecedented public anger over health care and immigration.

3. MICHAEL VICK IS AN EAGLE: Michael Vick, recently released from prison after serving time for the illegal dog fighting racket that took place on his property, has re-upped with the NFL. Vick has been hired by the Philadelphia Eagles. Happy ending? Not so fast. Radio talk shows coast to coast are debating the move, with many callers expressing dissatisfaction that Vick has been allowed back into major league football. Others argue that Vick deserves a chance to work, now that he has paid his debt to society. Vick will be eligible to play beginning in the sixth week of the season, but until then the national debate about his eligibility rages on. Where do you stand? Before you make up your mind, you may want to watch the interview with Vick on this Sunday’s 60 Minutes on CBS.

UPDATE FROM "MEDIA MATTERS," AUGUST 17: GMAC Financial Services joins a growing list of advertisers who have recently abandoned Beck's television show, including ConAgra, Roche, Sanofi-Aventis, RadioShack, Men’s Wearhouse, State Farm Sargento, LexisNexis-owned Lawyers.com, Procter & Gamble, and Progressive Insurance.
4. ADVERTISERS FLEE GLEN BECK SHOW: Since taking to the airwaves nightly on FOX, Glenn Beck has been a lightning rod for controversy, and thereby a ratings champion for the network. Beck, known for his extreme conservatism, his on-air histrionics and tears, and his outrageous remarks, may have gone too far last week. That was when he said President Obama has a “deep seated hatred for white people. Watch:

Since then, major advertisers have withdrawn from the program. Among the majors: Proctor & Gamble, Geico and Progressive Insurance. And there are others. Several have not withdrawn from the network, but have issued directives that their ads should run on programs other than Beck’s. Beck evidently forgot the rules: As a broadcaster, the First Amendment to the Constitution protects your right to express yourself freely – but as is the case with any freedom, there is responsibility attached to it. And you, Glenn Beck, communicated in an irresponsible fashion.

5. SENATOR KENNEDY DETERIORATING: Although the family has remained largely mum regarding Senator Ted Kennedy’s health status, indications are that he is deteriorating. When his sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, was buried on Thursday, Kennedy was unable to attend, reportedly because of his weakening condition. When President Obama awarded Kennedy the Medal of Freedom last week, Kennedy’s daughter had to accept for him, since the Senator was unable to attend. He was also unable to participate in the Senate’s historic vote to confirm Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Kennedy’s battle with brain cancer has been public knowledge for about a year, but until recently he was still making public appearances.