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 …

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.

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.

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]

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 …

Deployed troops fight for lost custody of kids  —  Children taken from single parents in uniform when they are mobilized  —  She had raised her daughter for six years following the divorce, shuttling to soccer practice and cheerleading, making sure schoolwork was done.

The Washington Post has now added a correction to its widely-discussed story saying Congressional Dems had "backed off" by telling the White House that they would drop withdrawal timetables from their Iraq war-funding bill: … In other words, the premise and headline of WaPo's front-page story were essentially false.

Will France choose Sarko or the road to ruin?  —  Paris  —  It rarely happens to a country that a clear opportunity is presented to it to save itself from ruin.  Only once since the war has it happened to Britain, in 1979, when the people realised that the end of the road had been reached …

CIA Senior Operative Calls Tenet A Liar (Updated)  —  George Tenet has received plenty of criticism about his new book, At the Center of the Storm, ranging from poorly researched anecdotes to excoriation over the long delay and changing stories after he left the agency.

CNN: Presidential Debate Footage Available without Restrictions  —  CNN to Make Presidential Debate Footage Available without Restrictions  —  As previously announced, CNN will team up with Hearst-Argyle's WMUR-TV and the New Hampshire Union Leader to host two presidential debates to be held in America's first primary state.

I Miss The Department Terribly  —  Comey sounded a little homesick for DOJ didn't he?  —  Back before Comey became USA SDNY, there was a bit of war in NY over the nomination for that office.  The Bush Administration had already abandoned the notion of getting nominations from the Senators …

A Welcome Face — and A Question  —  Some months after Richard Nixon resigned, my husband and I decided to go away.  We wanted to get as far from Washington and Watergate as possible, so we headed to Bahia, in northern Brazil, for Carnival.  —  Bahia is a sort of melting pot for all races, a mix of cultures and colors.

NH's Leftward Turn May Change National Politics  —  LEBANON, N.H. — Good newspapers answer questions, but very good newspapers ask them, and the Valley News, which is published in the central area of the Connecticut River Valley hard by the Vermont border, is a very good newspaper.

Paris Hilton Going to Jail for 45 Days  —  LOS ANGELES (AP) - A judge sentenced Paris Hilton to 45 days in county jail Friday for violating her probation, putting the brakes on the hotel heiress' famous high life.  —  Hilton, who parlayed her name and relentless partying into worldwide notoriety …