K Street vs. Middle America: Battle Lines Being Drawn In Fight Over Dems' Secret Trade Deal With Bush  —  Another long day as the reverberations continue to intensify after yesterday's press conference announcing a secret "free" trade deal between a handful of senior Democrats and the Bush administration.

General says he needs more troops  —  U.S. commander for northern Iraq cites the growing violence in Diyala province.  —  BAGHDAD — The commander of U.S. forces in northern Iraq said Friday that he did not have enough troops to deal with the escalating violence in Iraq's Diyala province …

Football reference trips up GOP hopeful  —  LAKE GENEVA, Wis. - Note to Sen. Sam Brownback (news, bio, voting record): In Packerland, it's not cool to diss Brett Favre.  —  The GOP presidential hopeful drew boos and groans Friday at the Wisconsin Republican Party convention when he used …

Army Career Behind Him, General Speaks Out on Iraq  —  John Batiste has traveled a long way in the last four years, from commanding the First Infantry Division in Iraq to quitting the Army after three decades in uniform and, now, from his new life overseeing a steel factory here …

SCIRI Adopts Sistani, emphasizes Iraqiness  —  Bombings kill 26, wound 60  —  The Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq held its annual party convention on Thursday and Friday and, according to Mariam Karouny of Reuters has decided to make some significant changes.

Congressman McHenry's Campaign Aide Indicted  —  The CBS News Investigative Unit has learned a man who was a field coordinator in Congressman Patrick McHenry's (R-NC) 2004 campaign has been indicted for voter fraud in North Carolina.  —  The indictment charges that Michael Aaron Lay, 26 …

Momentum builds against GOP candidates  —  The week had the feel of 1974.  Republican members of Congress marched to the White House to deliver a frank message to an embattled president: You are a liability.  —  Three decades ago, it was Watergate.  Now, it's Iraq.

Religious Groups Granted Millions for Pet Projects  —  Saint Vincent College, a small Benedictine college southeast of Pittsburgh, wanted to realign a two-lane state road serving the campus.  But the state transportation department did not have the money.  —  So Saint Vincent tried Washington instead.

Obama talks hybrids, but his ride has a Hemi  —  Sen. Barack Obama talks a good game.  He also drives a good car, but the two are not entirely compatible.  —  The Democratic presidential contender was in Detroit on Monday, oozing charisma and environmental awareness as he chided local automakers …

Radical Muslim paramilitary compound flourishes in upper New York state  —  With the able assistance of Douglas Hagmann, Bill Krayer and Michael Travis  —  Situated within a dense forest at the foothills of the Catskill Mountains on the outskirts of Hancock, New York, Islamberg is not an ideal place …

The decline of motherhood  —  As we celebrate Mother's Day, we should pause to consider the social factors that keep more and more women from having children  —  Hiking along the northern reaches of British Columbia's Sunshine Coast last week, my sister and I passed by the home of a woman recently taken by cancer.

Ex-U.S. Attorney Questions Own Firing  —  Former W.Va. Prosecutor Says He Has 'Concerns' About Firing By Bush Administration  —  (AP) A former West Virginia federal prosecutor said Friday the White House fired him in 2005 in the middle of a corruption and vote-buying investigation but never told him why.

Thompson revises apology on gay comment  —  LAKE GENEVA, Wis. - Tommy Thompson cited a dead hearing aid and an urgent need to use the bathroom in explaining on Saturday why he said at a GOP presidential debate that an employer should be allowed to fire a gay worker.

TO THE DNC: SUE US  —  A Free Republic poster writes that he's a regular reader who enjoys our views on a variety of issues.  He writes that he's enjoyed our posts in which we use our skills as lawyers to weigh in on legal issues.  He draws our attention to the cease-and-desist letter …

Zimbabwe to head U.N. body over U.S. objection … UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Zimbabwe won approval on Friday to head a key U.N. body charged with promoting economic progress and environmental protection despite protests from the U.S., European nations and human rights organizations.