An Affront to Civilization  —  We should have no illusions that Afghanistan — in many ways the backwater of the Islamic world — will soon embrace Western-style religious pluralism.  But the trial of Abdul Rahman, who faces a potential death sentence for converting to Christianity some 15 years ago, is an affront to civilization.

Clinton vows to block bill criminalizing illegal immigrants  —  NEW YORK — Invoking Biblical themes, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton joined immigration advocates Wednesday to vow and block legislation seeking to criminalize undocumented immigrants.  —  Clinton, a potential 2008 presidential candidate …

Roberts Dissent Reveals Strain Beneath Court's Placid Surface  —  WASHINGTON, March 22 — A Supreme Court decision on Wednesday in an uncelebrated criminal case did more than resolve a dispute over whether the police can search a home without a warrant when one occupant gives consent but another objects.

Russ Never Sleeps  —  'Politicians and Pundits Are Afraid,' Says Wisconsin's Feingold, As Democrats Abandon Him on Bush Wiretap Censure Motion; Will Senator Become the Eugene McCarthy of '08 Primaries?  —  None of this fits any of the tried-and-true formulations in the red-and-blue American playbook.

Christopher Hitchens on the media coverage of Iraq, and whether some on the other side are recognizing what they've wrought.  —  HH: Happy to have back to begin today's show Christopher Hitchens, Vanity Fair columnist, author of many books, including a recent bio of Thomas Jefferson.

I Am Very Worried About 2006  —  The Democratic primary in the IL-06 was not supposed to be close.  I travel to DC often these days (in fact, I am about to leave for DC now), and from everyone I had talked to down there, I was told more or less the same thing: Duckworth will win this primary, and win it huge.

Israel May Be Next al-Qaida Battleground  —  Signs are mounting that al-Qaida terrorists are setting their sights on Israel and the Palestinian territories as their next jihad battleground.  —  Israel has indicted two West Bank militants for al-Qaida membership, Egypt arrested operatives trying …

AP's Bush 'Straw Man' Story: News Analysis Or Unlabeled Opinion?  —  NEW YORK Did a recent Associated Press story examining President George Bush's alleged tendency to use a "straw man" approach in his speeches cross the line from news to biased opinion?  Or was it just a long-overdue …

No S**t, Holy Joe's Cracking  —  In Sunday's Hartfod Courant Colin McEnroe wrote a blistering column that basically reflected many of the same concerns about Joe Lieberman that we voice on the blogs.  He concluded that Joe was caught up in Bush rapture and that if the primary were held tomorrow he'd vote for Ned Lamont.

Culpeper and a Senator vs. Civil Liberty  —  I never dreamed of the day when I would reach a political debate on a human rights issue based on civil liberty and the foundations of our great country with a Senator, former Virginia Governor, and a potential candidate for the Republican Presidency.

President Discusses War on Terror, Progress in Iraq in West Virginia  —  THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much.  Please be seated.  Thanks for coming.  First of all, Terry, thanks for the invitation.  My purpose is to share with you what's on my mind, and then I look forward to hearing what's on yours.

Albright lectures on public service  —  Madeleine Albright says she knows how to have fun.  —  Soon after Albright became Secretary of State under President Bill Clinton LAW '73, she received a memo informing her that she would be required — at an upcoming Asian summit of foreign ministers — to perform a skit.

New Mexico Democrats call for Bush impeachment  —  Web Editor's Note: Due to unusually heavy readership, you may be reading this article out of the normal template of www.freenewmexican.com, the Web site of The Santa Fe New Mexican.  Therefore the usual place to add your comments may be missing.

Texas arresting people in bars for being drunk  —  SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Reuters) - Texas has begun sending undercover agents into bars to arrest drinkers for being drunk, a spokeswoman for the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission said on Wednesday.  —  The first sting operation was conducted recently …

The war about more than hurt feelings  — Email to a friend - Print this page - Text size: A A  —  A strange thing has been happening on the Left over the past few months.  For the first time in my memory, there seems to be a desire of those on the Left, and those in the media …

Ex-Govt staffer condemns US 'ineptitude'  —  Reporter: Tony Jones  —  TONY JONES: Well, as the chaos in Iraq continues, more and more former supporters of the war are reviewing their respective positions, including some of those involved in putting the case for invasion.

Indentured Families  —  IN THE INTERNAL POLITICS OF the Republican coalition, some members are consistently more equal than others.  In particular, where the interests of the proverbial "Sam's Club Republicans" collide with the interests of the great banks, the Sam's Club set might as well pile into the family car and go home.