White House Shifts Into Survival Mode  —  In a White House known for both defiance and optimism, yesterday's senior staff changes represent a frank acknowledgment of the trouble in which President Bush now finds himself.  They are also a signal of how starkly Bush's second-term ambitions …

Iraqi Premier's Offer to Step Aside Is Seen as Breakthrough  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 20 - In a sudden reversal, embattled Iraqi prime minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said today that he was willing to relinquish his job, a move that was hailed by the country's other leaders as a breakthrough …

VIDEO: SHOUTING DOWN A TYRANT  —  Drudge flash: … I have video coming...stay tuned.  —  Update: Here's the clip (thanks to Allah Pundit).  —  Download and watch the video (.wmv file).  —  Photos from Yahoo!...  News coverage from AP: … Question: Will these photos and video be available on a Google search?

Novak: Feds know who outed CIA agent  —  Robert Novak said Wednesday that special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald knows who outed a CIA agent to the Chicago Sun-Times columnist but hasn't acted on the information because Novak's source committed no crime.  —  Novak also hinted that he personally …

Hundreds nabbed in immigration raid  —  Executives, workers arrested in nationwide move against pallet maker … WASHINGTON - Immigration agents arrested seven executives and hundreds of employees of a manufacturer of crates and pallets Wednesday as part of a crackdown on employers of illegal workers.

Bravo  —  And bravo again.  —  Whether or not you care for Michelle Malkin's political positions, you should be honest enough to admit that this crusade to try to intimidate her and her family—a crusade being waged by mostly anonymous cowards who no person in the blogosphere, left OR right …

Three in One: Michael Hiltzik, Mikekoshi, and Nofanofcablecos  —  Is an L.A. Times columnist leaving comments on the Internet under assumed "sock puppet" identities — identities which he pretends is someone other than himself?  —  Read on and judge for yourself.  As for me, I've made up my mind, and the answer is "yes."

Christopher Hitchens weeps for Sean Wilentz and his Worst President in History piece in next week's Rolling Stone.  —  HH: Joined as I am many Wednesdays now by Christopher Hitchens, columnist for Vanity Fair, essayist for Slate, author of many books, including most recently, Thomas Jefferson: Author of America.

Muslim students 'being taught to despise unbelievers as filth'  —  Pupils protest as college linked to Iran puts fundamentalist text on curriculum, reports our correspondent  —  MUSLIM students training to be imams at a British college with strong Iranian links have complained …

The Curt Weldon Employment Agency  —  Representative Curt Weldon (R., Penn.), a powerful member of the House Armed Services Committee, has been a good friend to the Italian firm Finmeccanica, and it appears that his good deeds on its behalf have been rewarded.

28% of Votes Are Withheld at Times Company Meeting  —  Investors holding more than a quarter of the shares of The New York Times Company withheld their votes for directors at the annual meeting yesterday, registering their dissatisfaction with how the company is performing.

Unforeseen Spending on Materiel Pumps Up Iraq War Bill  —  Senate to Take Up Measure as Military Fights to Keep Guns, Tanks Working  —  With the expected passage this spring of the largest emergency spending bill in history, annual war expenditures in Iraq will have nearly doubled since the U.S. invasion …

Some activists fear migrants' boycott, strike may backfire  —  In Houston, organizers say they are neither for nor against joining the May 1 plans  —  WASHINGTON - A nationwide boycott and general strike planned for May 1 to push for immigrant rights is falling out of favor with many advocacy groups …

Italy confirms Prodi poll victory  —  Italy's supreme court has ruled Romano Prodi the country's election winner, after the result was challenged by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.  —  Mr Berlusconi made no comment after the ruling, but his aides said he was still refusing to concede.