On the Hill, Gonzales Gets His Chance at Redemption  —  When Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales's top aide contemplated the mass dismissal of chief federal prosecutors two years ago, he advocated keeping the "loyal Bushies."  Two years later, the question confronting President Bush is whether …

McCain visits Murrells Inlet  —  Even though he was nursing a cold, Republican Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain spent nearly 90 minutes talking to nearly 500 people who crammed into the Murrells Inlet VFW Hall Wednesday morning.  —  The "Straight Talk" tour, as it's called, included stops in Summerville and Charleston.

Iran Exonerates Six Who Killed in Islam's Name  —  The Iranian Supreme Court has overturned the murder convictions of six members of a prestigious state militia who killed five people they considered "morally corrupt."  —  The reversal, in an infamous five-year-old case from Kerman …

Package Forced NBC to Make Tough Decisions  —  The package that arrived yesterday at NBC headquarters in New York was almost immediately flagged as suspicious, because it had been mailed from Blacksburg, Va., and bore the return name A. Ishmael.  —  Last night, the anchor of "The NBC Nightly News …

Democrats Would Make Iraq Timetable in Bill 'Advisory'  —  Congressional Democratic leaders are moving to make their proposed timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq "advisory" as they seek to reconcile two versions of war spending legislation into a single bill that they plan to pass next week …

Drinking Age Paradox  —  Public policy often illustrates the law of unintended consequences.  Society's complexity — multiple variables with myriad connections — often causes the consequences of a policy to be contrary to, and larger than, the intended ones.

The Media in the Mud  —  It pales in comparison to the carnage and loss of life this week at Virginia Tech.  But last week the tattered reputation of journalism in this country saw severe damage.  The role of the media in the phony Duke lacrosse rape story and the Don Imus firing left large parts …

Campaign against alleged voter fraud fuels political tempest  —  WASHINGTON - For six years, the Bush administration, aided by Justice Department political appointees, has pursued an aggressive legal effort to restrict voter turnout in key battleground states in ways that favor Republican political candidates.

Alberto Gonzales Testimony, Part III  —  AG Gonzales testimony continues.  I beg you to think before you comment.  The threads are moving quickly this morning, and having to switch fast and furious cuts into liveblogging time.  Please keep comments on topic and try to refrain …

Rove warns of threat of terrorism  —  Political strategist raises specter of attacks in U.S. if military pulls back abroad  —  ALLIANCE - Presidential confidant Karl Rove painted a bleak picture Wednesday of what would happen if the United States walked away from the global war on terror.

Behavior matches pattern  —  That's been the pattern in most previous school attacks in the U.S., according to a landmark study in 2002 by the U.S. Secret Service.  Researchers looked at 37 school shootings and interviewed 10 of the shooters themselves.  —  In more than 3 out of 4 school shootings …

Giuliani's Lead Shrinks, Clinton's Margin Holds  —  Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani's lead over his Republican presidential rivals has narrowed considerably, while Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) has maintained her advantage in the race for the Democratic nomination, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Where Kurdistan Meets the Red Zone  —  "If Turkey allows itself to interfere in the matter of Kirkuk, we will do the same...in Turkey."  - Kurdistan Regional Government President Massoud Barzani.  —  KIRKUK, IRAQ - Just south of the Kurdish autonomous region in Iraq's northernmost provinces lies …

House vote permits guns in more places  —  NASHVILLE - In a surprise move, a House panel voted Wednesday to repeal a state law that forbids the carrying of handguns on property and buildings owned by state, county and city governments - including parks and playgrounds.

Bruning may yet take on Hagel in '08  —  LINCOLN - Attorney General Jon Bruning has changed his mind.  He now is considering challenging fellow Republican Chuck Hagel in Nebraska's U.S. Senate primary next year.  —  Bruning said Wednesday he is upset with Hagel's criticism of President Bush and the Iraq war.