Domenici Lawyers Up  —  What a small world.  Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) has nabbed Lee Blalack, best known as Duke Cunningham's lawyer, to represent him in the Senate ethics investigation, The Washington Post reports.  —  And they note the obvious irony:

Evangelical leader says Giuliani's divorce a problem … NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) — A Southern Baptist leader said Tuesday that evangelical voters might tolerate a divorced presidential candidate, but they have deep doubts about GOP hopeful Rudy Giuliani, who has been married three times.

Harsh Words Die Hard on the Web  —  Law Students Feel Lasting Effects of Anonymous Attacks  —  She graduated Phi Beta Kappa, has published in top legal journals and completed internships at leading institutions in her field.  So when the Yale law student interviewed with 16 firms for a job this summer …

The Libby Verdict  —  The serious consequences of a pointless Washington scandal  —  THE CONVICTION of I. Lewis Libby on charges of perjury, making false statements and obstruction of justice was grounded in strong evidence and what appeared to be careful deliberation by a jury.

Iranian general 'seeking asylum in US'  —  A RETIRED Iranian general who went missing in Turkey last month has defected and sought asylum in the US, according to a well-connected Arabic newspaper published in London.  —  The newspaper, al-Shark al-Awsat, cited "high-profile" …

How my eyes were opened to the barbarity of Islam  —  Is it racist to condemn fanaticism?  —  Once I was held captive in Kabul.  I was the bride of a charming, seductive and Westernised Afghan Muslim whom I met at an American college.  The purdah I experienced was relatively posh …

Contextualizing the Fox News Fight  —  It looks like the Nevada Democratic Party's house of cards, and particularly Harry Reid's stonewalling, is collapsing.  Local Democrats are frustrated.  John Edwards stepped up big time, and made a choice of refusing to validate a right-wing institution …

Soviet-era compound in northern Poland was site of secret CIA interrogation, detentions  —  US, Britain asked Poland to join clandestine program  —  POLAND — The CIA operated an interrogation and short-term detention facility for suspected terrorists within a Polish intelligence training school …

LET'S TONE IT DOWN, PEOPLE  —  Iowahawk Online Community Issues Forum Special  —  by Ann Coulter and Bill Maher  —  ANN: Hello, I'm syndicated columnist and best-selling author Ann Coulter.  —  BILL: And I'm Bill Maher, host of HBO's "Real Time."  —  ANN: Today we want to talk …

Hagel acts like he's already running  —  WASHINGTON - For a guy who hasn't announced a presidential bid, Sen. Chuck Hagel's schedule next week looks a lot like that of a candidate.  —  He's slated to appear with nine declared presidential hopefuls - including John McCain, Rudolph Giuliani …

Conservative Democrats Assert Power  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi faced scorn from fellow Democrats during a recent closed-door meeting for not moving more aggressively on Iraq, it was conservative Blue Dogs _ her ideological opposites _ who rose to defend her.

McCain: Obama 'A Very Honest and Fine Person'  —  ABC News' Teddy Davis and Matthew Zavala Report: Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., offered praise for a potential Democratic rival for the presidency today amid reports questioning Sen. Barack Obama's, D-Ill., investment activity.

Notes From Baghdad  —  Open liquor stores and other signs of the surge's success.  —  BAGHDAD—The new strategy to secure Baghdad has been dubbed by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as "Operation Imposing the Law."  After weeks of waiting and anxiety it is finally under way, and early signs are encouraging.

Under VA Chief, Effort to Aid Wounded Vets Stalled, Ex-Employee Charges  —  Brian Ross and Justin Rood Report:  —  A proposal to keep seriously wounded vets from falling through the cracks of the bureaucracy was shelved in 2005 when Jim Nicholson took over as the secretary …