FORMER SENATOR FRED THOMPSON IN REMISSION FOR LYMPHOMA  —  WASHINGTON — Former Tennessee Republican Sen. Fred Thompson announced Wednesday he's in remission from lymphoma.  —  Thompson, who is considering a run for the White House in 2008, told FOX News that the illness is treatable.

3 Generals Spurn the Position of War 'Czar'  —  Bush Seeks Overseer For Iraq, Afghanistan  —  The White House wants to appoint a high-powered czar to oversee the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with authority to issue directions to the Pentagon, the State Department and other agencies …

HOS AND BITCHES....Now that Don Imus has been universally condemned for calling the Rutgers women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos," the conversation is moving on, as conversations do, to broader questions.  In the LA Times today, civil rights attorney Constance Rice joins in the condemnation …

Iraq in the Balance  —  In Washington, panic.  In Baghdad, cautious optimism.  —  BAGHDAD—For 35 years the sun did not shine here," said a man on the grounds of the great Shia shrine of al-Kadhimiyyah, on the outskirts of Baghdad.  I had come to the shrine at night, in the company of the Shia politician Ahmed Chalabi.

Rare Protests at Brigham Young Over a Planned Cheney Appearance  —  The invitation extended to Vice President Dick Cheney to be the commencement speaker at Brigham Young University has set off a rare, continuing protest at the Mormon university, one of the nation's most conservative.

McCain: I Blame Rumsfeld For Iraq  —  I took part in a blogger conference on my lunchbreak today with Senator John McCain on the topic of Iraq.  McCain, who gave a speech on Iraq at the Virginia Military Institute earlier today, wanted to reach out to New Media sources for his perspective …

Who's Behind the Pelosi Smear?  —  Oh the irony.  From Jim Lobe: … That would be the same Elliot Abrams who was indicted for (and pled guilty to) lying to Congress (no wonder members of the Bush junta have no fear of doing so) and who, in the 80s, led a very similar campaing to discredit …

Obama: Fire Imus  —  Obama First White House Contender to Call for Imus' Firing Over Racial Slur  —  In an interview with ABC News Wednesday afternoon, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., called for the firing of talk radio host Don Imus.  Obama said he would never again appear on Imus' show …

Republican candidate off the mark on cost of milk, bread  —  MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani hasn't done a lot of grocery shopping lately — at least based on his answers about the cost of milk and bread.  —  Campaigning in Alabama on Tuesday …

A.G.'s Statement Dropping Duke Rape Case  —  Statement from North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper on the Duke University lacrosse rape case.  —  Good afternoon, everyone.  —  On Jan. 13 of this year, I accepted the request of the Durham district attorney to take over three Durham cases.

I'M SORRY FOR SELLING MY STORY, SAYS IRAN HOSTAGE MR BEAN  —  Servicemen have rounded on the sailors who sold their stories of being held captive by Iran.  —  A series of messages on forces' websites ridiculed Arthur Batchelor and Faye Turney, who cashed in after being held prisoner for 13 days.

Regarding Imus  —  I'll have some more fleshed-out thoughts on the matter in the magazine this week, but for now, since many people have asked: No, I won't be going on Imus anymore.  Having said that, it's not like they'll be inviting me back.

A Word of Advice During a Housing Slump: Rent  —  A promotional spot for the National Association of Realtors came on the radio the other day.  The spot, introduced as something called "Newsmakers," was supposed to sound like a news report, with the association's president offering real estate advice.

Iacocca: 'Some of us are sick and tired of people who call free speech treason'  —  When it comes to politics, former Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca is generally not much of a player.  When he has dabbled in politics, Iacocca is generally known for being a Republican — he was close with Reagan …