An Incomplete Field  —  First impressions of the GOP's 2008 candidates.  —  They stood earnestly in a row, combed, primped and prepped, as Nancy Reagan gazed up at them with courteous interest.  But behind the hopeful candidates, a dwarfing shadow loomed, a shadow almost palpable in its power …

The U.S. Attorney, the G.O.P. Congressman and the Timely Job Offer  —  There is yet another United States attorney whose abrupt departure from office is raising questions: Debra Wong Yang of Los Angeles.  Ms. Yang was not fired, as eight other prosecutors were, but she resigned under circumstances …

General Dave Petraeus . . . A Small World  —  I received a number of e-mails this morning asking for more information about Lois Romano's piece in today's Washington Post subtitled "Petraeus's Lifesaver," which describes emergency surgery I performed on Gen. David Petraeus …

Where Do You Stop?  —  The Los Angeles Times reports on the suddenly veto-happy White House, which warned Congress yesterday that its expansion of the federal hate-crimes law would not survive if brought to the Oval Office.  The House passed the bill yesterday anyway, leaving it to the Senate …

I Guess the Word "Immediately" Has a Different Meaning When Used by Old Media  —  The L.A. Times asks: Will Fred Thompson's racist role have political repercussions? … The paper mulls over the meaning of this — and looks to conservative blogs! … Which conservative blogs?  I'm so glad you asked!

CONGRESS' WILLFUL IGNORANCE ON IRAQ  —  WHEN Nancy Pelosi confessed last year that she felt "sad" about President Bush's claims that al Qaeda operates in Iraq, she seemed to be disputing what every American soldier in Iraq, every al Qaeda operative and anyone who reads a newspaper already knew to be true.

BILL'S HARD DRIVE  —  MICROSOFT EYES SEARCH GIANT IN PROPOSED TAKEOVER  —  Stung by the loss of Internet advertising firm DoubleClick to Google last month, Microsoft has intensified its pursuit of a deal with Yahoo!, asking the company to re-enter formal negotiations, The Post has learned.

Military: New Iraqi school had bombs built in … BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — American soldiers discovered a girls school being built north of Baghdad had become an explosives-rigged "death trap," the U.S. military said Thursday.  —  The plot at the Huda Girls' school in Tarmiya was a …

Dems Outline Plans for Iraq Bill  —  Rep. Dave Obey (D-Wis.) outlined a new plan for an Iraq funding bill in private meetings Thursday afternoon, congressional aides said.  —  The plan would split the now vetoed supplemental spending bill into two bills, one that would provide two months …

The Colorful Case of A Well-Named Lawyer  —  Montgomery Blair Sibley's Current Client Isn't the Juiciest Part of His Story  —  Montgomery Blair Sibley, attorney for the morally impugned and legally challenged, is first and foremost Montgomery Blair Sibley, which is to say a descendant …

Bush Wants Phone Firms Immune to Privacy Suits  —  The Bush administration is urging Congress to pass a law that would halt dozens of lawsuits charging phone companies with invading ordinary citizens' privacy through a post-Sept. 11 warrantless surveillance program.

REAL CHILD OF HELL:  —  Behold!  Mitt Romney rides a pale horse.  From last night's debate: … Bin Laden is a singular figure, but, you know, fair enough; there will be a successor to bin Laden.  But where might Romney be going with this? … Mitt Romney's War: the total conflation of all Islamist movements.