Dispatches From the Scooter Libby Trial  —  9:23 a.m.: Scooter Libby arrives, walks up the courtroom aisle, and, before taking his seat at the defense table, gives a quick smile and nod to his wife in the front row.  As we're waiting for the judge to arrive and call us to order, I glance around.

Liveblogging the 'Conservative Summit'  —  UPDATES below the fold.  —  I'm spending this weekend in D.C. at the National Review Institute's Conservative Summit.  They've managed to pull together a 'who's who' of the conservative political scene, and I'm looking forward to the show.

Grim Harvest  —  Organ transplants are at once the most amazing and frustrating of medical miracles.  A new kidney or heart can cure someone who would otherwise die or, even in less than ideal circumstances, extend life and improve well-being.  The surgical skill and pharmaceutical innovation required …

A Sorry State  —  Following his State of the Union address, President Bush's approval rating hits a new low in the NEWSWEEK poll, as Sen. Hillary Clinton enjoys an early lead among the field of likely candidates in the '08 race.  —  Only 42 percent think Bush's domestic-policy proposals will be seriously considered by the Congress

A Contrarian View: Save Less, Retire With Enough  —  Could it be possible that you are saving too much for your retirement?  —  Such an idea would fly in the face of almost every exhortation to a nation of spendthrifts that saving more is an imperative.  After all, even as people are living longer …

At Ease, Mr. President  —  WE hear constantly now about "our commander in chief."  The word has become a synonym for "president."  It is said that we "elect a commander in chief."  It is asked whether this or that candidate is "worthy to be our commander in chief."  —  But the president is not our commander in chief.

A Growing Military Credibility Gap?  —  Today brought sad news that someone with the U.S. military Multi National Force—Iraq (MNF-I) lied about an attack on U.S. soldiers in the Shia-controlled city of Karabala on Saturday, 20 January 2007.  The initial story released to the press stated:

The Castration of Wayne DuMond  —  As Wayne DuMond listened last week to billionaire fugitive Marc Rich's explanation that Bill Clinton pardoned him for "humanitarian" reasons, he couldn't help but darkly snicker.  —  DuMond had been accused of raping a Clinton cousin in 1984 and was hog-tied …

Bush's father complains of news media "hostility"  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush's father accused the news media of "personal animosity" toward his son and said he found the criticism so unrelenting he sometimes talked back to his television set.

Canada Reaches Settlement With Torture Victim  —  Maher Arar, the Canadian software engineer who was detained by American officials in 2002 and deported to Syria, where he was kept captive for nearly a year and regularly tortured, will receive more than 10.5 million Canadian dollars …

Domestic Pariah Calls US "A Sort of International Pariah"  —  Live from Davos, baby. … Speaking of a message of duplicity and hypocrisy, for the record, Kerry voted for a resolution in 1997 that stated that the US should not be a signatory to the Kyoto protocol because it …

ATROCITY IN KARBALA  —  Those who insist so loudly on following Geneva Conventions rules regarding captured terrorists need to take a long, hard look at the latest atrocity in Iraq, news of which broke yesterday.  —  Four U.S. soldiers, one of them a New Yorker, were captured …

Bomb kills 15, Bush critic Pelosi visits Baghdad  —  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A bomb killed 15 people and wounded 55 in the second attack in as many months on Baghdad's much-loved Friday pet fair, the latest in a string of bombings at the city's markets that have killed over 150 this week.

Venezuela's Satellites  —  A year of elections has left democracy and free markets flourishing in most of Latin America.  Pity the exceptions.  —  AREMARKABLE year of democracy in Latin America has left the region generally stronger.  Presidential elections were held in 11 countries in the past 13 months …

Huckabee Hearts This Weekend  —  We wouldn't be surprised if Mike Huckabee announced his candidacy for WH '08 this weekend.  He's making his first appearance on Meet the Press since February of 2001, according to Nexis search.  He's also addressing the National Review Conservative Summit in DC that morning.

Mitt Romney On The NARN  —  The Northern Alliance Radio Network will be on the air today, with our six-hour-long broadcast schedule starting at 11 am CT.  The first two hours features Power Line's John Hinderaker and Chad and Brian from Fraters Libertas.  Mitch and I hit the airwaves …

In Race for Iowa, Clinton Has to Make Up Ground  —  With Caucus a Year Away, Polls Show She's Behind in the State  —  When New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton arrives here for her first presidential campaign events this weekend, she will encounter unfamiliar terrain …