Mr. Comey's Tale  —  JAMES B. COMEY, the straight-as-an-arrow former No. 2 official at the Justice Department, yesterday offered the Senate Judiciary Committee an account of Bush administration lawlessness so shocking it would have been unbelievable coming from a less reputable source.

Terror Attack Scenario Exposes Deep Differences Among G.O.P. Hopefuls  —  The scenario presented to the 10 Republican presidential candidates was chilling: Three American shopping malls had been bombed, producing huge casualties.  Terrorists with detailed knowledge of another imminent …

Iraq Withdrawal Move Thwarted in Senate  —  WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate on Wednesday rejected legislation that would cut off money for combat operations in Iraq after March 31, 2008.  —  The vote was a loss for Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., and other Democrats who want to end the war.

Wolfowitz to Resign This Afternoon?  —  Kirit Radia and Brian Ross Report:  —  World Bank officials say the bank's board is completing an "exit strategy" that will allow World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz to resign this afternoon and "still save some face" over the issue of his efforts …

Romney Leaps to GOP Lead in Iowa; Edwards Keeps His Edge  —  Giuliani the big loser, while McCain remains steady; Hillary, Obama remain strong in tight Dem contest  —  Republican Mitt Romney has pushed from a distant third place into a small lead in Iowa, the continuation of progress …

HEALTHCARE IN AMERICA....The Commonwealth Fund has released its latest comparison of healthcare performance among various countries, and you can read all about it here.  However, since I know you're all busy people, I'll just cut to the chase: we suck.  Despite the fact that we see doctors less often …

Bush Pick Gets Extra Payment From Old Job  —  A senior lobbyist at the National Association of Manufacturers nominated by President Bush to lead the Consumer Product Safety Commission will receive a $150,000 departing payment from the association when he takes his new government job …

We must attack Iran before it gets the bomb  —  Iran should be attacked before it develops nuclear weapons, America's former ambassador to the United Nations said yesterday.  —  John Bolton, who still has close links to the Bush administration, told The Daily Telegraph that the European Union had to …

Feingold Amendment Defeated  —  As expected, it goes down, 29-67.  —  But the vote allowed the Dem Presidential candidates — Hillary, Obama, Biden — as well as many other Dems, to make strong antiwar statements, endorsing the idea of cutting funding in principle.

Pentagon General to Be 'War Czar'  —  WASHINGTON — President Bush has chosen Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute, the Pentagon's director of operations, to oversee the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan as a "war czar" after a long search for new leadership, administration officials said Tuesday.

Administration vaunted bogus credentials  —  Records from the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine show that Dr. Keroack did not finish his residency in obstetrics and gynecology until 1993.  This means he could not possibly have practiced obstetrics for 20 years.

Greenpeace Builds Replica of Noah's Ark  —  ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) - Environmental activists are building a replica of Noah's Ark on Mount Ararat—where the biblical vessel is said to have landed after the great flood—in an appeal for action on global warming, Greenpeace said Wednesday.