After the Surge  —  The Administration Floats Ideas for a New Approach in Iraq  —  President Bush and his senior military and foreign policy advisers are beginning to discuss a "post-surge" strategy for Iraq that they hope could gain bipartisan political support.

Immigration Compromise Faces New Opposition  —  Proposal Stays Alive, But Foes Lie in Wait  —  The Senate voted last night to move forward on an overhaul of immigration laws, but even proponents of the delicate compromise proposal conceded that the furor over the deal was surpassing their expectations and endangering the plan.

Iran plans Iraq summer showdown  —  Iran is secretly forging ties with al-Qaida elements and Sunni Arab militias in Iraq in preparation for a summer showdown with coalition forces intended to tip a wavering US Congress into voting for full military withdrawal, US officials say.

Gunning for the Varmint  —  You know things have gotten serious in a campaign when the candidates are insulting the sizes of each other's guns.  And you know, in a crowded field such as the one for the Republican Party's nomination for president, the candidate who's winning is the one who isn't playing the game.

Edwards charges $55,000 to speak to UC Davis students about poverty  —  Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, who as a Democratic presidential candidate recently proposed an educational policy that urged "every financial barrier" be removed for American kids who want to go to college …

The Left's Iraq Muddle  —  Yes, it is central to the fight against Islamic radicalism.  —  At this year's graduation celebration at The New School in New York, Iranian lawyer, human-rights activist and Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi delivered our commencement address.

President Stands by Gonzales  —  President Bush said yesterday that Democrats in Congress are engaging in "pure political theater" by preparing resolutions of no confidence in Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, and he repeated his support for his embattled aide and longtime friend.

President Bush Participates in Joint Press Availability with NATO Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer  —  PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you all for coming.  Mr. Secretary General, thank you very much for joining us.  Laura and I are really happy to have you here at our place in Crawford.

Clinton, Obama whip for ''08  —  Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) have intensified their fight for congressional endorsements, setting up whip operations in which their surrogates are cajoling undecided lawmakers to get off the fence.

Ron Paul Boomlet To Implode In 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ...  I have watched with some amusement as centrist, liberal and uncategorizable blogs attempt to herald Ron Paul as a reasonable conservative, especially after his statement in the last debate that claimed that American foreign policy invited the 9/11 attacks.

Onetime Giuliani Insider Is Now a Critic From Outside  —  As Rudolph W. Giuliani runs for president, his image as a chief executive who steered New York through the disaster of Sept. 11 has become a pillar of his campaign.  But one former member of his inner circle keeps surfacing to revisit …

Rachel's Helpful Guide to Online Dating: For Men  —  Must get this one out of my system.  —  Almost all of the single people I know use online dating services; the taboo seems to have completely lifted in the last few years.  Because, would it really be better to meet men in bars?  Eww.

McCain's temper back on campaign's front-burner  —  His shouting match with a Senate colleague raises new questions about an old issue.  —  An angry, profane exchange between Sen. John McCain and another Republican senator last week prompted a new round of questions Monday …

Why Bush hasn't been impeached  —  The Bush presidency is a lot of things.  It's a secretive cabal, a cavalcade of incompetence, a blood-stained Church Militant, a bad rerun of "The Godfather" in which scary men in suits pay ominous visits to hospital rooms.

We're Full Up On Lunatics, Thank You  —  The Lebanese government has ordered its army to finish off the Fatah Islam terrorist group holed up in the Nahr el-Bared refugee camp on its northern coast.  They want an end to the al-Qaeda affiliate before it has a chance to grow out of control …

Levin sees no rift with Rangel on China trade  —  Rep. Sandy Levin (D-Mich.) insisted this week that he and Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) are on the same page on how to deal with the trade deficit with China.  —  In an interview with The Hill, Levin said those who assume …