The Haditha Story  —  The accelerating media feeding frenzy over the alleged killings of twenty-four Iraqi civilians in Haditha by US Marines last November is about to overwhelm American politics.  Propelled by their most irresponsible war critics, the left will try use Haditha as it used …

No Icons, No Monuments Worth Protecting  —  Richard Esposito Reports:  —  New York has no national monuments or icons, according to the Department of Homeland Security form obtained by ABC News.  That was a key factor used to determine that New York City should have its anti-terror funds slashed …

Baseball's Rockies seek revival on two levels  —  DENVER — No copies of Playboy or Penthouse are in the clubhouse of baseball's Colorado Rockies.  There's not even a Maxim.  The only reading materials are daily newspapers, sports and car magazines and the Bible.

Was the 2004 Election Stolen?  —  Republicans prevented more than 350,000 voters in Ohio from casting ballots or having their votes counted — enough to have put John Kerry in the White House.  BY ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.  —  The complete article, with Web-only citations, follows.

Hijacking Harry Truman  —  No matter how polarized Washington becomes, there is still one Democrat Republicans love: Harry Truman.  Last December, on this page, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice declared the Bush administration's democracy promotion efforts "consistent with the proud tradition …

Clashes in Paris Suburbs Recall Riots of Fall  —  PARIS, May 31 — Small gangs of youths pelted riot police with rocks and set cars and garbage bins ablaze late Tuesday in a second night of unrest in the Paris suburbs, raising fears of a return of the disturbances that inflamed 300 French towns and suburbs last fall.

Poll: Americans Support Searches  —  Public Sides With FBI in Congress Search Issue  —  June 1, 2006 — In the rift between Congress and the Justice Department, Americans side overwhelmingly with law enforcement: Regardless of precedent and the separation of powers, 86 percent say the FBI …

TAXES ARE HARD.  Some attention has already been paid to this hackish op-ed expounding on the conservative virtues of the Alternative Minimum Tax.  It is, the author writes, the quickest way of taking the country to a flat tax, which should be the preferred conservative solution.

Third Time  —  America may be ready for a new political party.  —  Something's happening.  I have a feeling we're at some new beginning, that a big breakup's coming, and that though it isn't and will not be immediately apparent, we'll someday look back on this era as the time when a shift began.

AGAINST A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT BANNING GAY MARRIAGE: Today the Cato Institute is publishing a paper I've written on why a federal amendment banning gay marriage is a bad idea, even if you oppose gay marriage.  Of course, if you think recognizing same-sex marriages is a good idea …

Fundraiser Admits Illegal Bush Donations  —  TOLEDO, May 31 — A coin dealer and prominent GOP fundraiser at the center of an Ohio political scandal pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges that he illegally funneled about $45,000 to President Bush's reelection campaign.

Justice Dept. Is Criticized by Ex-Official on Subpoenas  —  Subpoenas issued last month to reporters for The San Francisco Chronicle were criticized yesterday by a former chief spokesman for Attorney General John Ashcroft as a "reckless abuse of power."  —  The former spokesman, Mark Corallo …

In a June race for Congress, shades of fall  —  Tuesday's election in a California district is an early test of voters' views.  —  SAN DIEGO - By the numbers, Democratic congressional candidate Francine Busby shouldn't expect to get a federal paycheck anytime soon.

The politics of the Internet  —  WASHINGTON - Q We've heard so much about how differently Republicans and Democrats view the world nowadays, as if one could argue that "Republicans Were From Mars, and Democrats Are From Venus."  If this sharp political polarization is to be believed, does it also translate to the Internet?

Studies Portray Tropical Arctic in Distant Past  —  The first detailed analysis of an extraordinary climatic and biological record from the seabed near the North Pole shows that 55 million years ago the Arctic Ocean was much warmer than scientists imagined — a Floridian year-round average of 74 degrees.

Good book news  —  (updated below)  —  We were notified last night that How Would a Patriot Act? has made the New York Times' Best Sellers List, and will debut at #11 [this upcoming Sunday] on June 11, on the Paperback Nonfiction List.  The NYT has sent us the actual page (.pdf) as it will appear in the printed edition.