Clinton Camp to Obama: Cut Ties & Return Cash After Top Booster's Vicious Attacks  —  As Obama rails against "slash & burn" politics, his top Hollywood fundraiser - David Geffen - personally attacks Hillary & her family  —  Clinton Communications Director Howard Wolfson issued …

EXCLUSIVE: Cheney Says British Troop Withdrawal Is Positive Sign  —  Vice President Tells Soldiers in Tokyo the U.S. Will Not Withdraw Until the Job Is Done  —  British Prime Minister Tony Blair's announcement that British troops will begin withdrawing from Iraq would appear to be bad news for the Bush administration.

The Defense Rests, and Not a Minute Too Soon  —  For a brief moment yesterday, Scooter Libby was not a former White House aide on trial for perjury.  He was an orphan in need of a loving home.  —  "He's been under my protection for the last month; now I'm entrusting him to you," defense lawyer Ted Wells told the puzzled jurors.

Berger Case Still Roils Archives, Justice Dept.  —  In a chandeliered room at the Justice Department, the longtime head of the counterespionage section, the chief of the public integrity unit, a deputy assistant attorney general, some trial lawyers and a few FBI agents all looked down at their pant legs and socks.

Arguing from ignorance  —  Paul Campos has beclowned himself.  He did it in the usual way, by arguing loudly about things he does not understand.  —  Campos chose to devote an entire column ("The right's Ward Churchill," Feb. 20) to a blog entry of mine from last week …

Swift Action Promised at Walter Reed  —  Investigations Urged as Army Moves to Make Repairs, Improve Staffing  —  The White House and congressional leaders called yesterday for swift investigation and repair of the problems plaguing outpatient care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center …

Putnam Emerges As GOP's Top Aggressor  —  LAKELAND - It was Tony Snow, the Fox News anchor-turned-presidential spokesman, who in effect ended the recent scandalette over whether the military plane that would fly Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi back and forth to California was too luxurious.

Wonkette Jumps the Shark; John Edwards, Empty Suit  —  It's encouraging to read the kind of thoughtful, intelligent discussion of foreign affairs, I discovered on Wonkette today.  Over the years, I have found that Wonkette has done an admirable job of dishing up a tasty mix of political gossip and Washington-based insight.

Where Tim Hardaway Was Right  —  Recent comments by retired basketball star Tim ("I hate gay people") Hardaway did serious damage to his image and career but also unwittingly raised serious cultural issues about sexuality and gender.  —  Hardaway appropriately apologized for his harsh remarks …

Open Letter on Iranian Holocaust Denial Conference  —  [This has been sent to me by an Iranian reader, with with a request that I post it.]  —  An open letter by a group of Iranian academics, writers, and artists regarding the Tehran Conference on Holocaust Denial

February 21, 2007 - Giuliani Tops Clinton In 2008 Presidential Race, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Republican Runs Strong In Red, Blue And Purple States  —  Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani leads Sen. Hillary Clinton 48 - 43 percent among American voters …

Michael Interviews Michael... and Pilgrims and American Exceptionalism  —  Michael J. Totten interviewed Michael Oren, author of Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East: 1776 to the Present - which appears to be a fascinating book and a must read for everyone interested in this subject.

Hornets hit France and could reach Britain  —  Swarms of giant hornets renowned for their vicious stings and skill at massacring honeybees have settled in France.  —  And there are now so many of the insects that entomologists fear it will just be a matter of time before they cross to Britain.

Father killed family for being too western  —  A father killed his wife and four daughters in their sleep because he could not bear them adopting a more westernised lifestyle, an inquest heard yesterday.  —  Mohammed Riaz, 49, found it abhorrent that his eldest daughter wanted to be a fashion designer …

Steve Jobs Has Guts  —  Steve Jobs has guts — enough guts to speak his mind about what he thinks is wrong with public education even at the risk of harming his business interests.  —  In a speech on Friday, the chief executive officer of Apple and Disney honcho declared …

NRCC to keep Alishtari money — for now  —  As we discussed yesterday, Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali Alishtari (aka Michael Mixon) currently faces federal charges of providing material support to terrorists.  Alishtari is also a generous Republican donor contributing more than $15,000 in the '02 …

The Woman in the Middle  —  Moderate Democrat Is New Target of Liberal Bloggers  —  The Democratic majority was only three weeks old, but by Jan. 26, the grass-roots and Net-roots activists of the party's left wing had already settled on their new enemy: Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher (D-Calif.) …

Nevada Democratic Party Response On Fox News Debate  —  The Beacon figured out what the obscure Western Majority Project is.  What we haven't heard is anything from the State Democratic Party about the movement to boycott the debate sponsored by the WMP and Fox News.

The 'Crime' Of Blogging In Egypt  —  A former college student, Abdelkareem Nabil Soliman, is sitting in an Egyptian prison, awaiting sentencing tomorrow.  His alleged "crime": expressing his opinions on a blog.  His mistake: having the courage to do so under his own name.