In GOP, Doubts On Likely CIA Pick  —  Gen. Hayden Is 'Wrong Man,' Hoekstra Says  —  The Republican chairmen of the House and Senate intelligence panels raised serious concerns about Gen. Michael V. Hayden on the eve of his expected nomination today as CIA director, with Rep. Peter Hoekstra …

Rove's Time in Limbo Near End in CIA Leak Case  —  Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald is wrapping up his investigation into White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove's role in the CIA leak case by weighing this central question:  —  Did Rove, who was deeply involved in defending President Bush's use …

Bush's Appointees Not As Diverse as Clinton's  —  President Bush's crop of political appointees includes fewer women and minorities than did President Bill Clinton's at comparable points in their presidencies, according to a new report by House Democrats.  —  Women made up about 37 percent …

What's in a Name?  Plenty If It's Kennedy  —  It's hard to imagine that Patrick Kennedy would have gotten elected to Congress a dozen years ago without his last name.  —  It's equally hard to imagine that the media would be going wild about his late-night car crash and prescription drug addiction if he weren't a Kennedy.

The two crucial mistakes that cost Straw his job  —  Jack Straw made two crucial mistakes in his dealings with Tony Blair: one involved the prime minister's relationship with Gordon Brown and the other Iran.  Mr Straw has said repeatedly that it is "inconceivable" that there will be a military strike …

His Legacy and His Library Occupy Bush's Thoughts  —  WASHINGTON — President Bush had dinner last month on the Stanford University campus at the home of George P. Shultz, who was President Ronald Reagan's secretary of state, and the topic of conversation was not, as might be expected, the war in Iraq.

The Enemy Within  —  Democrats may not be able to win the House, but Republicans could lose it.  —  Ken Mehlman is the unflappable efficiency expert who chairs the Republican National Committee.  Because he's not known for histrionics, his warning last week to GOP congressional staffers …

Many Youths Disregard Their Virginity Pledges, Harvard Study Says  —  According to interviews, more than half have sex within a year.  But one pro-abstinence group disputes the findings.  —  BOSTON — Virginity pledges, in which young people vow to abstain from sex until marriage …

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, THE DA VINCI CODE, AND "CENSORSHIP ENVY": As senior Conspirator Eugene Volokh has warned, one of the dangers of censoring "offensive" speech is "censorship envy."  If one group is given the power to suppress speech offensive to it, others are likely to press harder to get the same privilege for themselves.

Immigration: The Ugly Duckling Issue  —  We have become accustomed in the six years of the George W. Bush presidency to seeing issues split the parties and the nation down the middle, with almost all Republicans on one side and almost all Democrats on the other.

Ahmadinejad sends letter to Bush  —  Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has written to George W Bush proposing "new solutions" to their differences.  —  The letter will be sent via the Swiss Embassy which represents US interests in Iran, a government spokesman said.

Use that veto pen, Mr. President  —  The Washington DC Examiner Newspaper, The Examiner  —  WASHINGTON - President Bush has frequently portrayed many of his most controversial actions as necessary to protect executive branch prerogatives against usurpations of power by Congress.

The USDA on Iraq: Everything's Coming Up Rosy  —  Career appointees at the Department of Agriculture were stunned last week to receive e-mailed instructions that include Bush administration "talking points" — saying things such as "President Bush has a clear strategy for victory in Iraq" — in every speech they give for the department.