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 …

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.

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.

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 …

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 …

Defending Iraq War, McCain Assails Democrats  —  Senator John McCain of Arizona today accused his potential Democratic presidential rivals of playing "small politics" in opposing the war in Iraq, saying withdrawal would lead to chaos across the Middle East, embolden Al Qaeda and expose the United States to "another 9/11 — or worse."

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 …

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.

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.

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.

Richardson: "I Would Have No Residual Force Whatsoever"  —  I am currently listening to the entire MoveOn.org forum on Iraq.  Right now, I am about halfway through Clinton's segment.  So far, in the entire forum, no line struck me more than Bill Richardson's "I would have no residual force whatsoever" …

'Katie's Notebook' Item Cribbed From W.S. Journal  —  Katie Couric did a one-minute commentary last week on the joys of getting her first library card, but the thoughts were less than original.  The piece was substantially lifted from a Wall Street Journal column.

Government lawyers' membership in GOP group seen as inappropriate  —  WASHINGTON - In his day job, Christian Adams writes legal briefs for the voting rights section of the Justice Department, a job that requires a nonpartisan approach.  —  Off the clock, Adams belongs to the Republican …

Pelosi is open to Iran trip  —  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Tom Lantos, D-San Mateo, just back from a trip to Syria that brought sharp criticism from Republicans and the Bush administration, suggested Tuesday that the two may be interested in taking another diplomatic trip — to open a dialogue with Iran.

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.

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.