Hagel won't announce political plans until later this year  —  After months of buildup, Sen. Chuck Hagel stopped short of a presidential campaign Monday, saying he wants to keep his options open until later this year.  —  Instead, the Nebraska Republican will begin actively raising money …

Neoliberalism and Its Discontents  —  While agreeing with much of what Ezra Klein and Ben Adler have to say about the declining fortunes of neoliberal punditry, I think they're both far too harsh in their assessment.  —  The neoliberal school of thought has and had significant failings.

Congressman Holds No God-Belief  —  Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) is first Congress member in history to acknowledge his nontheism  —  Contact: Lori Lipman Brown, (202) 299-1091  —  There is only one member of Congress who is on record as not holding a god-belief.

Do we really need a Gen. Pelosi?  —  Congress can cut funding for Iraq, but it shouldn't micromanage the war.  —  AFTER WEEKS OF internal strife, House Democrats have brought forth their proposal for forcing President Bush to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq by 2008.

CNN RELIABLE SOURCES  —  Interview With Bob Woodruff; Rick Kaplan Appointed 'CBS Evening News' Producer  —  THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT.  THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.  —  HOWARD KURTZ, HOST (voice over): Cheating death.  ABC's Bob Woodruff talks about why he risked …

Obama, Clinton Sparring Early  —  CLINTON, Iowa — Standing in front of a large banner that blared "Clinton," surrounded by students in Clinton Community College sweat shirts, Sen. Barack Obama offhandedly mentioned the obvious.  —  "Hillary, you know, she's interesting," Obama said …

Tapscott's Copy Desk  —  ‹‹ More From this Blog … When I heard last week from Hill sources that the White House congressional liason staff was pressuring OMB Director Rob Portman to not release all of the earmarks requested by Members of Congress to executive agencies under …

Would U.S. News Make Up Fake Data?  —  It's not unusual for college presidents to complain about U.S. News rankings (at least out of the earshot of U.S. News editors).  But on Sunday, the president of Sarah Lawrence College publicly charged that the magazine is preparing to publish made up, false data about her institution.

Kerry's Swift Retribution  —  Get over it, Senator.  —  The country long ago moved beyond John Kerry's Presidential ambitions, but the Senator, as he seems never to tire of reminding us, has not.  Now Mr. Kerry's throbbing grievances jeopardize President Bush's nominee for U.S. Ambassador to Belgium.

On Screens Soon, Abused Earth Gets Its Revenge  —  Tired of abuse by mankind, the earth is angry.  Worse, the planet is out to even the score.  —  Audiences can expect a story along those lines when M. Night Shyamalan's film "The Happening" reaches screens in the next year.

Cheney: Congress undermining U.S. troops  —  WASHINGTON - Vice President Dick Cheney challenged lawmakers Monday to prove their support for U.S. troops and the war on terrorism by approving the Bush administration's requests for financing military action in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Fallback strategy for Iraq: Train locals, draw down forces  —  If the current 'surge' fails, planners suggest relying on advisors as the U.S. did in El Salvador in the 1980s.  —  WASHINGTON — American military planners have begun plotting a fallback strategy for Iraq that includes …

Businesses Prepare to Mount a Concerted Attack on Regulation  —  Call it the end of the post-Enron era.  —  A major anti-regulatory offensive culminates this week with a one-two punch thrown by Washington and Wall Street's most moneyed institutions, as the Treasury Department convenes …

In Jack Anderson's Papers, a Hidden History of Washington  —  A professor explores the archives of a newspaper columnist entwined with power  —  After gently digging through a few boxes, and finding only letters and old memoranda, Kevin Anderson settles on Box No. 83 and opens the lid.

The Paradox of Libertarianism  —  Yes: Bigger government.  —  But no, that isn't as bad as it might sound to many Cato readers.  —  I see a few major policy achievements in a libertarian direction.  In the United States inflation has come down from unacceptable levels in the 1970s to an eminently livable situation.