Ex-Aide Says Gonzales Was Involved in Firings  —  The former chief of staff to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales testified today that contrary to Mr. Gonzales's earlier assertions, the attorney general was involved in discussions to fire United States attorneys.

Britain takes case against Iran to U.N.  —  UNITED NATIONS - Britain took its case to free its 15 sailors and marines held by Iran to the United Nations on Thursday, asking the Security Council to support a statement that would "deplore" Tehran's action and demand their immediate release.

Senate OKs war bill with Iraq timeline  —  WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats ignored a veto threat and pushed through a bill Thursday requiring President Bush to start withdrawing troops from "the civil war in Iraq," dealing a rare, sharp rebuke to a wartime commander in chief.

Giuliani, wife discuss White House roles  —  WASHINGTON - Republican presidential contender Rudy Giuliani says if elected, he'd be open to his wife attending Cabinet meetings on issues in which she's interested.  —  In an interview with Barbara Walters to air Friday on ABC News' "20/20," …

Evil Americans, Poor Mullahs  —  Forty-eight percent of Germans think the United States is more dangerous than Iran, a new survey shows, with only 31 percent believing the opposite.  Germans' fundamental hypocrisy about the US suggests that it's high time for a new bout of re-education.

A 'Law & Order' Presidential Candidate?  —  "Law & Order" star and former U.S. senator Fred Dalton Thompson is considering a bid for the White House that would test whether Hollywood can once again launch a Republican to the world's premier political stage.  —  His interest, confirmed …

Income Gap Is Widening, Data Shows  —  Income inequality grew significantly in 2005, with the top 1 percent of Americans — those with incomes that year of more than $348,000 — receiving their largest share of national income since 1928, analysis of newly released tax data shows.

Democrats Fail to Impress in First 100 Days  —  Government Faulted on Vets' Care, Military Ratings Slip Post-Walter Reed  —  Summary of Findings  —  Also inside...  Reps see McCain, Giuliani and Romney as more moderate than "self"  —  Hillary and Obama Backers differ little on Iraq

Sullivan on Brooks II: Nobody wants to read a fisk of a fisk, I assume, so I'll confine my own response to Andrew's critique of David Brooks to one point, which is that I don't actually think Andrew and Brooks actually have a major substantive disagreement about public policy.

THE JIM WEBB / PHILLIP THOMPSON GUN ARREST STORY has had the salutary effect of bringing more attention to the District of Columbia's silly gun laws.  The Washington Post headlines its story this way: You Can Bring Gun to Capitol, But Not Through D.C. and observes: … Jeez.

Press Briefing by Dana Perino  —  White House Conference Center Briefing Room  —  MS. PERINO: Just a couple of announcements, and then we'll go to questions.  You heard the President this morning.  He had a meeting with the House Republican Conference, in which they talked about a range of issues …

Supply-Side Giuliani  —  The announcement yesterday by the magazine executive and former presidential candidate, Steve Forbes, that he is endorsing Mayor Giuliani in 2008 and joining the campaign as a national co-chairman and senior policy adviser, crystallizes for us a feeling that has been germinating …

U.S. Iraq Role Is Called Illegal by Saudi King  —  King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia told Arab leaders on Wednesday that the American occupation of Iraq was illegal and warned that unless Arab governments settled their differences, foreign powers like the United States would continue to dictate the region's politics.

Gore climate event turned away from D.C.  —  GOP senator says the proposed 'Live Earth' concert is partisan and shouldn't be at the Capitol.  —  WASHINGTON — When former Vice President Al Gore testified before Congress last week, his appearance was viewed as the triumph of environmentalists …