A reporter's shock at the Haditha allegations  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — It actually took me a while to put all the pieces together — that I know these guys, the U.S. Marines at the heart of the alleged massacre of Iraqi civilians in Haditha.  —  I don't know why it didn't register with me until now.

Gore: Bush is 'renegade rightwing extremist'  —  Al Gore has made his sharpest attack yet on the George Bush presidency, describing the current US administration as "a renegade band of rightwing extremists".  —  In an interview with the Guardian today, the former vice-president calls himself a …

Former Ney Aide Details How Abramoff Treated 'Champions'  —  In the first public testimony by a member of Jack Abramoff's inner circle, a former congressional aide told a federal jury yesterday how the disgraced lobbyist identified his "champions" in government and then showered them with favors …

Associated Press caught deleting line in news story, makes story more biased against Senator Reid  —  UPDATE: It gets worse.  —  This is rather serious.  The Associated Press ran a story yesterday (byline John Solomon) attacking Senator Harry Reid for accepting tickets to a boxing match …

Let's Give John Snow the Praise He Has Earned  —  The secretary of the Treasury has historically been an administration's pre-eminent economic policy maker.  The Treasury department has authority over virtually every corner of the economy, and access to a large and gifted staff.

What You Don't Know About the Immigration Bill  —  The Senate passed legislation last week that Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) hailed as "the most far-reaching immigration reform in our history."  You might think that the first question anyone would ask is how much it would actually increase or decrease legal immigration.

As Hurricane Season Looms, States Aim to Scare  —  MIAMI, May 30 — Convinced that tough tactics are needed, officials in hurricane-prone states are trumpeting dire warnings about the storm season that starts on Thursday, preaching self-reliance and prodding the public to prepare early and well.

Congressman Tried to Hide Papers, Justice Dept. Says  —  Court Filing in Response to Jefferson Lawsuit Defends Raid  —  The Justice Department yesterday vigorously defended the recent weekend raid of Rep. William J. Jefferson's Capitol Hill office as part of a bribery investigation …

McCain cancels Bilbray event over immigration  —  SAN DIEGO - Arizona Sen. John McCain on Tuesday canceled an appearance for a Republican congressional candidate who has attacked his opponent for supporting McCain's immigration bill.  —  McCain, R-Ariz., was scheduled to speak Wednesday …

Ruffled Republican Feathers  —  With Congress out of town for a week, it gives the nation a chance to lick our wounds before having to endure the next round of damaging blows to the body politic.  —  I have tried hard to maintain a polite apathy in the face of the more recent congressional …

Rousing the Zealots  —  Neo-Nazis, white supremacists and militiamen are revivified by the furor over illegal immigration  —  Pugnacious anthems and racist diatribes have never been in short supply at Nordic Fest, an annual white-power Woodstock held over the Memorial Day break near …

S.D. Abortion Ban Oppponents Petition  —  PIERRE, S.D. — An abortion rights group Tuesday submitted more than twice the number of the signatures needed to hold a statewide vote in November on whether to repeal South Dakota's ban on abortion.  —  The Legislature earlier this year passed …

Democrats' Senate Hopes May Ride on Tennessee Race  —  KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Representative Harold E. Ford Jr. freely acknowledges that he faces many challenges in his campaign for the Senate, which may ultimately determine the Democratic Party's chances of regaining a Senate majority.

Hayden's Heroes  —  Maybe the CIA could use a few amateurs.  —  A top intelligence service is vital to national security.  So we've been looking for signs that incoming CIA Director Michael Hayden would lead the agency in the right direction.  But so far the Air Force General …

German Women Vowed to Mount Suicide Attacks in Iraq  —  German authorities may have thwarted suicide bomb attacks in Iraq by German women.  According to intelligence sources, three women were prevented from travelling to Iraq after one of them had announced she planned to blow herself up in Iraq.

Insurgent attacks in Iraq at highest level in 2 years  —  Militants exploiting political uncertainty, Pentagon says  —  WASHINGTON — The Pentagon reported yesterday that the frequency of insurgent attacks against troops and civilians is at its highest level since American commanders began tracking …