The Arrogant and Intolerant Speak Out  —  Well, one thing's abundantly clear about who will actually defend our rights to say what we believe: It isn't the hundreds who have written me saying they are soldiers or veterans or war supporters or real Americans and who also advise me to move to another country …

Bullying Iran  —  Given America's bitter experience in Iraq, one would think that President Bush could finally figure out that threats and brute force aren't a substitute for a reasoned strategy.  But Mr. Bush is at it again, this time trying to bully Iran into stopping its meddling inside Iraq.

Boston publicity ploy leads to 2 arrests  —  BOSTON - Several illuminated electronic devices planted at bridges and other spots in Boston threw a scare into the city Wednesday in what turned out to be a publicity campaign for a late-night cable cartoon.  Most of the devices depict a character giving the finger.

TWO SENIOR IRAQI GENERALS EYED IN BRAZEN ATTACK ON U.S. SOLDIERS  —  Two senior Iraqi generals are being questioned in connection with last week's attack in Karbala that left five U.S. soldiers dead, Pentagon officials told FOX News Thursday.  —  Military officials also said the level …

Al Qaeda Behind British Beheading Plot; Bakri Mohammed Implicated; Suspects Identified  —  New developments on the raid that rounded up 9 Muslims suspected of plotting to behead a returned British Muslim soldier.  Al Qaeda is now said to be behind the plot, and directed from Pakistan.

Biden Unwraps His Bid for '08 With an Oops!  —  In an era of meticulous political choreography, the staging of the kickoff for this presidential candidacy could hardly have gone worse.  —  Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, who announced his candidacy on Wednesday with the hope …

Senators Unite On Challenge to Bush's Troop Plan  —  Revised Warner Language That Protects Funds Is Embraced for Bipartisan Appeal  —  Democratic and Republican opponents of President Bush's troop-buildup plan joined forces last night behind the nonbinding resolution with the broadest bipartisan backing …

Cooper: Libby One of Two Sources to Confirm Plame Identity  —  Former Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper testified today that I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was one of two government sources to confirm the identity of an undercover CIA officer for him.  —  Cooper told the court in Libby's perjury trial …

Sanchez Accuses Democrat of Calling Her a 'Whore,' Resigns from Hispanic Group  —  Rep. Loretta Sanchez has quit the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, accusing the chairman, Rep. Joe Baca, of telling people she's a "whore."  —  Baca denied the charge.  —  In an interview with The Politico Wednesday …

MATIER AND ROSS  —  AIDE QUITS AS NEWSOM'S AFFAIR WITH HIS WIFE IS REVEALED  —  Campaign manager confronts mayor, who is 'in shock'  —  San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's re-election campaign manager resigned Wednesday after confronting the mayor about an affair Newsom had with his wife …

U.S. delays report on Iranian role in Iraq  —  WASHINGTON — The Bush administration has postponed plans to offer public details of its charges of Iranian meddling inside Iraq amid internal divisions over the strength of the evidence, U.S. officials said.  —  U.S. officials promised last week …

Shakes on a Campaign  —  I've got some news, Shakers.  —  I have been offered and have accepted a position as the Netroots Coordinator for John Edwards' presidential campaign, joining an outstanding internet team that now also includes Pandagon's Amanda Marcotte, with whom I'll be working closely.

A Tide For School Choice  —  Fifty-seven years later, Sumner Elementary School in Topeka is back in the news.  That city's board of education is still wrongly preventing the right people from getting into that building.  Two educators wanted to use Sumner for a charter school …

Talking With the President  —  Excerpts from George W. Bush's conversation with the Journal editorial board.  —  The following are excerpts from President Bush's meeting yesterday with the Journal's editorial board:  —  On the new Iraq strategy:  —  WSJ: Was there a moment in the war …

Sunni Mosques Still Show Damage in Iraq  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq — Four Sunni mosques attacked in late November in the embattled Hurriyah neighborhood of Baghdad still bear scars from the attacks and all are now either under Shiite Muslim control or closed.  —  Immediately after the Nov. 24 incidents …

Now That a Penny Isn't Worth Much, It's Time to Make It Worth 5 Cents  —  How dumb do you have to be to mint money at a loss?  In the latest only-in-Washington episode, we find that the government may have lost as much as $40 million coining pennies and nickels last year.

New York Times Reports 4Q Loss of $648M  —  NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Times Co. posted a $648 million loss for the fourth quarter on Wednesday as it absorbed an $814.4 million charge to write down the value of its struggling New England properties, The Boston Globe and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

An Assualt on Web Writers?  —  !!! UPDATE !!!  State Rep. Rob Briley says he will withdraw his anti-blogger legislation on Monday.  See his statement at the end of this post.  !!!  —  Tennessee State Rep. Rob Briley has filed legislation that could, if it becomes law …

Giuliani: Can hero of 9/11 win over his own party?  —  BRETTON WOODS, N.H. — Rudy Giuliani would seem to have all the credentials a candidate for president could want: A hero of 9/11, a crime-busting federal prosecutor, a two-term Republican mayor in an overwhelmingly Democratic city …