The Capitulation Bill: "Obviously it's a good move"  —  The crazy thing about the fight is that Democratic insiders are convinced that capitulation is the right strategy.  They actually believe that this will put pressure on the Republicans in the fall, and that standing up to Bush is a bad idea.

POLL SHOWS OPPOSITION TO IRAQ WAR AT ALL TIME HIGH  —  Americans now view the war in Iraq more negatively than at any time since the war began, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.  —  Six in 10 Americans say the United States should have stayed out of Iraq and more than three …

QUESTIONS FOR OUR LIBERAL FRIENDS  —  Bruce is a big boy, and certainly doesn't need me to help him out, but let's talk about Iraq for a moment.  Because I have questions for people like Oliver Willis to which I'm curious to hear the answers.  And I'm not asking in a snarky way.  I'm honestly interested.

Justice official: There was "concern" about Heffelfinger  —  The Justice Department had concerns about the amount of time that former U.S. attorney for Minnesota Tom Heffelfinger spent on American Indian issues, the department's former White House liaison testified Wednesday.

Bush Backs Gonzales After New Criticisms  —  WASHINGTON — President Bush said Thursday he would address any wrongdoing uncovered by congressional or other investigations related to the firings of eight federal prosecutors, but added that new allegations have not swayed his support for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Raid on spy's home 'reveals details of Chirac's secret £30m bank account'  —  LONG-STANDING rumours that the former French president Jacques Chirac holds a secret multi-million-euro bank account in Japan appear to have been confirmed by files seized from the home of a senior spy.

Press Conference by the President  —  THE PRESIDENT: Please be seated.  Thank you, all.  Good morning.  —  Today, Congress will vote on legislation that provides our troops with the funds they need.  It makes clear that our Iraqi partners must demonstrate progress on security and reconciliation.

Torture, Al-Qaeda Style  —  Drawings, tools seized from Iraq safe house in U.S. military raid  —  In a recent raid on an al-Qaeda safe house in Iraq, U.S. military officials recovered an assortment of crude drawings depicting torture methods like "blowtorch to the skin" and "eye removal."

Immigration and Welfare  —  Most of them will pay at least as much as they collect.  —  The immigration debate is roaring again, and we're happy to join the fun.  One place to start is a myth that has become a key talking point among restrictionists on the right—to wit …

Cheney Attempting to Constrain Bush's Choices on Iran Conflict: Staff Engaged in Insubordination Against President Bush  —  There is a race currently underway between different flanks of the administration to determine the future course of US-Iran policy.  —  On one flank are the diplomats …

Despite Campaign, Familiarity With Candidates Has Not Changed Substantially  —  Giuliani remains most positively evaluated; Clinton and Romney least so  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Despite the remarkably early start on this year's presidential campaign and the high-visibility presence of the major candidates …

Morgue Data Show Increase In Sectarian Killings in Iraq  —  More than three months into a U.S.-Iraqi security offensive designed to curtail sectarian violence in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq, Health Ministry statistics show that such killings are rising again.

FLIERS WITH PERSON'S PICTURE + "GOD HATES FAGS" = FELONY: That seems to be the theory of this prosecution in Illinois: … The fliers show two men kissing — one of them apparently "a male classmate[,] and neighbor of one of the girls[,] with whom they had been feuding" — coupled with the words "God hates fags."

Fineman: McCain and the upside of anger  —  McCain's outbursts are the understandable byproduct of a candidate whose courage is constantly tested by bad luck.  —  The nasty words are flying between the camps.  By now, political junkies know how it escalated.