The Elephant in the Room  —  George W. Bush has the lowest presidential approval rating in a generation, and the leading Dems beat every major '08 Republican.  Coincidence?  —  A Virtually Bush-Free Zone: The GOP debate in California on May 3  —  It's hard to say which is worse news for Republicans …

New Tape: Al Qaeda No. 2 Wants 200,000-300,000 U.S. Dead in Iraq  —  Ayman al-Zawahiri Says Al Qaeda Wants to Spill More U.S. Blood Before America Withdraws  —  In a new video posted today on the Internet, al Qaeda's number two man, Ayman al Zawahiri, mocks the bill passed by Congress setting …

With New Clout, Antiwar Groups Push Democrats  —  Every morning, representatives from a cluster of antiwar groups gather for a conference call with Democratic leadership staff members in the House and the Senate.  —  Shortly after, in a cramped meeting room here, they convene for a call with organizers across the country.

Riot alert for Sarkozy victory  —  Thousands of riot police will be deployed in Paris tonight after warnings that victory for Nicolas Sarkozy, the conservative candidate in today's presidential election, could spark violent protests.  —  Fears of a repeat of the rioting that swept France …

A Scandal That Keeps Growing  —  Attorney General Alberto Gonzales declared recently, while batting down bipartisan calls for him to resign, that he had many things to do and "can't just be focused on the U.S. attorneys situation."  It's not surprising that Mr. Gonzales wants to change the subject.

Boehner acknowledges GOP nervous on Iraq  —  WASHINGTON - The House Republican leader said Sunday that GOP support could waver if President Bush's Iraq war policy does not succeed by the fall.  —  But first, the president's troop increase deserves a shot, Minority Leader John Boehner (news, bio, voting record) said.

Thompson's Politics Much Like McCain's  —  But Unlike the Senator, Actor Is GOP's Darling  —  Fred Thompson fervently backed the Iraq war, railed against an expanding federal government, took stands that occasionally annoyed his party and rarely spoke about his views on social issues during …

Memorial honoring fallen soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan runs out of room  —  WASHINGTON - Congress already has run out of space on a memorial created last year to honor all of the U.S. service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.  —  In a grim sign of the times, the "Wall of the Fallen …

Dutch Martyrs  —  Pim Fortuyn, murdered five years ago today, took on conventions to bring about change.  Long before radical Islam was on the radar, Fortuyn had defined it, written a book about it and pointed to the need to confront it.  —  [Portrait of Pim Fortuyn by Jean Thomassen]

Hillsdale lives, breathes conservatism  —  Republicans love it, but college distances self from war-troubled GOP  —  HILLSDALE, Mich. - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney first met Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn in Washington.  —  Mr. Romney, then governor of Massachusetts …

The two-party system  —  Reading Jonathan Chait on the netroots and (belatedly) Off Center by Jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson,* it strikes me that the real political news of the last six months is the fact that the US now has a standard two-party system, arguably for the first time in its history.

U.S. Fights Off Bid to Punish UNESCO Official  —  Former Congressman Accused of Giving 'Preferential Treatment' on Contract to Chicago Firm  —  UNITED NATIONS — The United States and its key allies last week fended off a campaign by developing countries to discipline UNESCO's highest-ranking U.S. official …

Republican Candidates Run From Bush  —  Steve blogged about this already, but here's a funny little video compilation from "Real Time" that perfectly illustrates just how toxic President Bush is that his name could only be muttered once during the entire debate — and that was in response to a question about pardoning Scooter.