Rice Deputy Quits After Query Over Escort Service  —  Randall Tobias Oversaw U.S. Foreign Aid Programs  —  Randall L. Tobias, the deputy secretary of state responsible for U.S. foreign aid, abruptly resigned yesterday after he was asked about an upscale escort service allegedly involved in prostitution, U.S. government sources said.

A genuine political sea change?  —  There were two seemingly unrelated incidents this week which, taken together, reflect some extremely important political developments.  —  First was the amazing letter to The Washington Post jointly sent by all 50 Democratic Senators other than Harry Reid …

Mr. Obama's Worldview  —  BARACK OBAMA, who has been chided for failing to supplement his inspiring rhetoric as a presidential candidate with substantive stands on issues, took an important step this week toward correcting the deficiency.  In a 40-minute address to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs …

Political Appointees No Longer to Pick Justice Interns  —  The Justice Department is removing political appointees from the hiring process for rookie lawyers and summer interns, amid allegations that the Bush administration had rigged the programs in favor of candidates with connections …

The White House Scales Back Talk of Iraq Progress  —  The Bush administration will not try to assess whether the troop increase in Iraq is producing signs of political progress or greater security until September, and many of Mr. Bush's top advisers now anticipate that any gains by then will be limited …

Edwards: No Terror "War"  —  This is a quite big deal that most of us totally missed last night: John Edwards doesn't believe there's a "global war on terror," at least not in the simple-show-of-hands sense.  —  This is something a lot of Democrats say privately — and something mainstream …

C.I.A. Held Qaeda Leader in Secret Jail for Months  —  The Central Intelligence Agency held a captured Qaeda leader in a secret prison since last fall and transferred him last week to the American military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, officials said Friday.

Done  —  Today is going to be the day that I've been dreading for quite sometime now.  Today is the day I walk away from this blog.  Done.  Finished.  —  There are many reasons, each would take a post to list, and I just do not have the energy to list them.

Defra in storm over discredited EU carbon plan  —  The government department spearheading Britain's effort to reduce carbon output is driving companies and individuals towards paying for emissions cuts that do not take place.  —  The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs …

Special Events  —  A TRUE SOURCE OF INSPIRATION  —  Most of the socializing goes on around here late in the evening out in the smoking pit—a somewhat dicey collection of old office chairs and plastic pool furniture outside the renovated parking garage that is our home.

U.S. Proposal Would Allow Oil Drilling Off Virginia  —  Five-Year Plan Would Also Open Alaskan, Gulf Waters  —  The Interior Department will announce a proposal Monday to allow oil and gas drilling in federal waters near Virginia that are currently off-limits and permit new exploration …

US Raids Capture AQI Terrorists, Iranian Weapons  —  A day after the Pentagon announced the capture of al-Qaeda mastermind Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi, US forces in Iraq captured a number of AQI terrorists in a series of raids.  They also found and detonated a truck bomb and discovered a cache of Iranian arms south of Baghdad:

Bringing the Crazy  —  Gnarls Barkley is the writer of what is fast becoming Campaign 2008's theme song.  The fact that an African-American and a woman are running for president is just bringing out the craaaaazy.  Talking Points Media was kind enough to put together a little YouTube of the latest from Rush Limbaugh.

Tenet Details Efforts to Justify Invading Iraq  —  Former CIA Director Says White House Focused on the Idea Long Before 9/11  —  White House and Pentagon officials, and particularly Vice President Cheney, were determined to attack Iraq from the first days of the Bush administration …

Jimmy Carter, Arab Front Man  —  Alan Dershowitz has often infuriated conservatives with his liberal ideology and sharp-witted speech.  He drew insults by the bucketload for defending OJ Simpson in the mid-90s, when it appeared OJ would require a strong team for an appeal …