Seriously, Franken's running for Senate  —  The comedian-turned-politician will bring controversy and a show-business spotlight to his bid to unseat Norm Coleman.  —  As he announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate Wednesday, Al Franken confronted the central question he may face in the early going …

U.S. on List of UNICEF's Worst Countries for Kids  —  · A new report from the U.N. Children's Fund says the United States and Britain are the worst countries in the industrialized world in which to be a child.  UNICEF says an examination of 40 factors, such as poverty, deprivation …

Giuliani Says He Is Running for President in '08  —  Rudolph W. Giuliani yesterday removed any lingering doubts that he was running for president, and, without mentioning President Bush by name, offered pointed criticism on how the Iraq war has been handled.

For Liberal Bloggers, Libby Trial Is Fun and Fodder  —  The perjury trial of I. Lewis Libby Jr., former top aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, has drawn every major news organization in the country to the federal courthouse in Washington.  But none has fielded a bigger team …

Tim Hardaway: 'I Hate Gay People'  —  Click PLAY Former NBA Player John Amaechi Interview, Full Hardaway Comments … (CBS4) MIAMI Former Miami Heat superstar Tim Hardaway told a local sports radio show that he "hates gay people."  —  Hardaway made the comments while he was being interviewed …

Skepticism Over Iraq Haunts U.S. Iran Policy  —  The specter of the war in Iraq — a war the Bush administration denied it was planning, supported by evidence that turned out to be false — looms large over administration policy toward Iran.  —  Skeptical members of Congress …

A Prewar Slide Show Cast Iraq in Rosy Hues  —  When Gen. Tommy R. Franks and his top officers gathered in August 2002 to review an invasion plan for Iraq, it reflected a decidedly upbeat vision of what the country would look like four years after Saddam Hussein was ousted from power.

Iraq adviser: al-Sadr in Iran  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - An adviser to Iraq's prime minister said Thursday that radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is in Iran, but denied he fled due to fear of arrest during an escalating security crackdown.  —  Sami al-Askari said al-Sadr traveled to Iran by land …

Does Anyone Think We Shouldn't Attack Iran?  —  Ken Baer has an overwrought post up attacking me for suggesting that Democrats should publicly state that Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons will not trigger a military response.  Baer, in a graf that reveals his own lack of engagement with the issue …

Conscience and Soul  —  Reading through the interview with Vanderslice, who is one of the religious left political consultants, there's plenty I agree with.  I do agree that Democrats should reach out to religious voters and it's something they've been bad at doing, though they've been pretty bad …

GOP Looks Beyond War Measure to Fight on Funding  —  With Republicans speaking out against President Bush's war policy on the House floor yesterday, GOP leaders and the White House conceded defeat on a resolution opposing sending additional U.S. troops to Iraq and began looking toward the coming battle over the war's funding.

INSECURITY  —  Justice Kennedy made an unusual appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee this morning, ostensibly to talk about "Judicial Security and Independence."  It was billed as a very big deal.  In a press release last week, Chairman Patrick Leahy called it the …

Can we really support these troops?  —  During a heated debate in a class I teach on social justice, several US Marines who had done tours in Iraq told me that they had "sacrificed" by "serving" in Iraq so that I could enjoy the freedom to teach in the USA.  Parroting their master's slogan about …

Awaiting the Dishonor Roll  —  Congress "supports the troops" while emboldening the enemy.  —  Congress has rarely been distinguished by its moral courage.  But even grading on a curve, we can only describe this week's House debate on a vote of no-confidence in the mission in Iraq …

2008 Presidential Battle Closely Contested for Now  —  John McCain and Rudy Giuliani nearly tie with Hillary Clinton  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Three of the four current frontrunners for the Democratic and Republican nominations for president in 2008 can each credibly claim they would give …

Video: President Rush Limbaugh, Vice President Ann Coulter  —  Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter play President and Vice President on Fox News' new satirical television show premiering Sunday Night at 10pm Eastern:  —  Listen to Rush talk about his appearance here.  —  Blowback

OPEN FORUM  —  'Good cop, bad cop' needed  —  The "good cop, bad cop" routine doesn't just make for good TV, it is also an important negotiating strategy in business and economics.  The "good cop" can finesse the adversary and offer up deals and agreements — while citing the "bad cop" as the reason he must stay firm.