Sources: GOP lawmakers tried to influence federal investigation  —  WASHINGTON - Sen. Pete Domenici and Rep. Heather Wilson of New Mexico pressured the U.S. attorney in their state to speed up indictments in a federal corruption investigation that involved at least one former Democratic state senator …

Walter Reed General Relieved of Command  —  The Army today relieved the commander of Walter Reed Army Medical Center, saying it had "lost trust and confidence" in his leadership in the wake of a scandal over outpatient treatment of wounded veterans at the Washington, D.C., hospital complex.

Pressed by U.S., Pakistan Seizes a Taliban Chief  —  The former Taliban defense minister was arrested in Pakistan on Monday, the day of Vice President Dick Cheney's visit, two government officials said Thursday.  He is the most important Taliban member to be captured since the American-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

Poll Shows Majority Back Health Care for All  —  A majority of Americans say the federal government should guarantee health insurance to every American, especially children, and are willing to pay higher taxes to do it, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll.

New Bush, Iraq Poll Numbers  —  In the months since the Congressional elections, President Bush has lost substantial support among members of his own party, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll.  —  Mr. Bush's approval rating dropped 13 percentage points since last fall among Republicans …

Santorum Says Anyone But McCain  —  Former Sen. Rick Santorum has drawn at least one conclusion about the Republican presidential primary field: Anybody but John McCain.  —  The Pennsylvania Republican, who signed a contract Thursday as a Fox News contributor, said he has spoken with every GOP candidate …

Shortages Threaten Guard's Capability  —  Nearly 90 percent of Army National Guard units in the United States are rated "not ready" — largely as a result of shortfalls in billions of dollars' worth of equipment — jeopardizing their capability to respond to crises at home and abroad …

Oh George, what will we do when you're gone?  —  Our columnist on an easy target for America-bashers  —  Somewhere, deep down, tucked away underneath their loathing for George Bush, in a secret place where the lights of smart dinner-party conversation and clever debating-society repartee never shine …

A Suddenly Convenient Truth  —  We would like to believe that the Bush administration has finally figured out how dangerous and counterproductive it is to hype intelligence — and that that's why officials are admitting they're not sure North Korea ever got very far with a secret uranium-based nuclear program.

Spirit of Strom Thurmond carries Cheney into, out of hot spots  —  MUSCAT, Oman _Vice President Dick Cheney rode an Airstream trailer into Pakistan and Afghanistan, and he rode the Airstream out of Kabul wearing cowboy boots.  —  He also traveled in the belly of "The Spirit of Strom Thurmond."

Alleged D.C. Madam "Considering" Selling Off Phone Records  —  Back in October, the feds busted a long-time prostitution service in the Washington, D.C. area.  The madam, Jean Palfrey, soon caught attention by telling a reporter from the Smoking Gun that they must be going after her as part …

On Arthur Schlesinger  —  There are three things to say about the work of Arthur Schlesinger, who has just died at the age of eighty-nine: (1) He was an exceptionally good writer, commanding a lucid, vivid, and often elegant prose style.  (2) He was an exceptionally bad historian …

For GOP, A Void on The Right  —  New York-based political consultant Kieran Mahoney's survey of probable Republican participants in the 2008 Iowa presidential caucuses showed this support for the "big three" candidates: John McCain, 20.5 percent; Rudy Giuliani, 16.3 percent; Mitt Romney, 3.5 percent.

Justices Weigh Right to Sue Over Church-State Separation  —  The Supreme Court, for the first time under Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., confronted yesterday the devilishly complicated issue of church-state separation, and whether ordinary taxpayers have the right to sue …