Edwards's Bloggers Cross the Line, Critic Says  —  Two bloggers hired by John Edwards to reach out to liberals in the online world have landed his presidential campaign in hot water for doing what bloggers do — expressing their opinions in provocative and often crude language.

Live-blogging McCain's blogger outreach...  I've been invited to a bloggers conference call... You get a front-row seat too.  Why?  Because I care about you.  (Note: I'm paraphrasing the quotes because I'm not a "real" reporter.  Deal.)  —  3:06 PM: After a five-minute wait with really piss poor music …

GOP Views Clinton As Virtually Unbeatable  —  What many conservatives regard as the nightmare scenario — President Hillary Rodham Clinton — is increasingly seen by veteran Republican politicians and strategists as virtual inevitability.  —  In GOP circles, the Democratic front-runner is seen as so strong …

Military Wants More Civilians to Help in Iraq  —  Senior military officers, including members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have told President Bush and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates that the new Iraq strategy could fail unless more civilian agencies step forward quickly to carry out plans …

Iraqi and US forces launch Baghdad security crackdown  —  BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraqi and US forces swept through a notorious Sunni district of Baghdad, searching houses and seizing weapons in a blitz by around 2,000 US troops and an Iraqi army brigade, a US officer said.

Ban Proposed On Walking While Talking, Listening To iPod  —  Ban Would Apply To MP3 players, Blackberrys  —  A state senator from Brooklyn said on Tuesday he plans to introduce legislation that would ban people from using an MP3 player, cell phone, Blackberry or any other electronic device …

Deputy Attorney General Defends Prosecutor Firings  —  A senior Justice Department official acknowledged yesterday that a top federal prosecutor in Arkansas was removed to make room for a former aide to presidential adviser Karl Rove, but he said that six other U.S. attorneys were fired for "performance-related" issues.

New Takes on the New Deal  —  When it released its budget proposal Monday, the Bush administration — and its congressional critics — focused anew on the country's giant Social Security program.  Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has said "significant political differences" …

As Inflation Soars, Zimbabwe Economy Plunges  —  For close to seven years, Zimbabwe's economy and quality of life have been in slow, uninterrupted decline.  They are still declining this year, people there say, with one notable difference: the pace is no longer so slow.

Giuliani Is In and Becomes the Immediate Favorite  —  There is an assumption by many that Giuliani is un-nominatable as a Republican for President given his less than conservative positions on many social issues.  Charlie Cook summed up the conventional Washington wisdom on Giuliani's chances …

Lawmakers Revolt Against Long Hours  —  Even before Democratic leaders have made good on promises to harness lawmakers five days a week, cross-party opposition is growing, with senators ready to revolt and House members simmering over the new schedule.  —  The most popular move afoot …

In Campaign 2008, Candidates Starting Earlier, Spending More  —  Starting as early as last June, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was hiring staffers and consultants in New Hampshire and Iowa and building the foundation for his 2008 presidential bid at a time when those in early battleground states typically …

Exasperated House bypasses Senate on Iraq  —  Representatives schedule their own vote to oppose Bush's troop 'surge'  —  WASHINGTON - House leaders got fed up with waiting around for the Senate to act and decided Tuesday to go ahead with their own vote on a resolution opposing President Bush's plan to add 21,500 U.S. troops in Iraq.

Global warming debate spurs Ore. title tiff  —  In the face of evidence agreed upon by hundreds of climate scientists, George Taylor holds firm.  He does not believe human activities are the main cause of global climate change.  —  Taylor also holds a unique title: State Climatologist.