Cindy Sheehan Quits as 'Face' of Anti-War Movement  —  Cindy Sheehan, the "peace mom" who made headlines in 2005 by staging a marathon protest outside President Bush's Crawford, Texas, ranch, said Monday that she no longer wants to be seen as a leader of the anti-war movement.

Social conservatives bite bullet, back Rudy  —  Rudy Giuliani, whose positions on abortion and homosexuality mark him as the most socially liberal Republican presidential candidate in more than a generation, is so far winning the contest for the support of social conservatives, according to a new analysis of recent polls.

MISS UNIVERSE PULLS AN UPSET  —  One thing I've noticed is that beauty pageants tend to follow form.  I'm not sure how bettors are able to predict judges' choices, but they generally do so pretty accurately.  But not in this year's Miss Universe competition.

TO TEMPER IMAGE, GIULIANI TRADES GROWL FOR SMILE  —  ATLANTA — Oh, baby, here it comes.  The gray-haired woman raises her hand and compliments His Honor for his Sept. 11 bravery.  Then she asks him:  —  Why does so much of the world hate us?  Haven't we failed to understand Arab grievances?

Lawmakers Push for Big Subsidies for Coal Process  —  Even as Congressional leaders draft legislation to reduce greenhouse gases linked to global warming, a powerful roster of Democrats and Republicans is pushing to subsidize coal as the king of alternative fuels.

Progress in Iraq likely to miss target  —  Military officers doubt any of the three top goals will be achieved before the September assessment.  —  BAGHDAD — U.S. military leaders in Iraq are increasingly convinced that most of the broad political goals President Bush laid out early this year …

Iraq Brings to Table Two Countries Inching Closer to a War Footing  —  WASHINGTON — Iraq's Shiite-led government is embarking on a reconciliation project of its own between its two closest supporters, America and Iran.  —  Yesterday, Prime Minister Maliki was the host of a four-hour meeting …

You can't play nice with Syria  —  In the Middle East, violence is not the result of poor communication but a tool for political gain.  Nothing proves that point better than Syria's successful use of violence and terrorism to promote its interests.  No amount of dialogue is going to change that reality.

Campaign Puts New Strain on Secret Service  —  Big Field and Early Start Force Cuts in Other Efforts  —  The U.S. Secret Service expects to borrow more than 2,000 immigration officers and federal airport screeners next year to help guard an ever-expanding field of presidential candidates …

U.S. and Iranian Officials Meet in Baghdad, but Talks Yield No Breakthroughs  —  The United States and Iran held rare face-to-face talks in Baghdad on Monday, adhering to an agenda that focused strictly on the war in Iraq and on ways the two bitter adversaries could help improve conditions here.

LETTER FROM WASHINGTON: Democrats in Washington want to keep impeachment off the table  —  WASHINGTON - The push to impeach President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney is gaining a hearing in some parts of the country, but not in Washington.  —  More than 70 cities and 14 state Democratic parties …

Is Iraq in a Civil War?  —  Many politicians have determined Iraq to be in a civil war.  "We're not fighting terrorism in Iraq," Rep. John Murtha (Democrat-Penn.) said on January 27, 2006, "We're fighting a civil war in Iraq."  [1] He is not alone.  On November 27, 2006 …

Obama offers universal health care plan  —  IOWA CITY, Iowa - Seeking to add heft to his presidential bid, Democrat Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record) is offering a sweeping plan that would provide every citizen a means to have health coverage and calls on government, businesses and consumers to share the costs of the program.

AP Still Gets Kyoto History Wrong  —  Earlier this year, I noted that the Associated Press either did a poor job of research or revealed their bias against the Bush administration by incorrectly recounting the history of the Kyoto Treaty in the US.  They used the Left's talking points …

Welcome to the Newly-Expanded Huffington Post  —  It's still the same place, with the same address, the same mission, and the same attitude that has always made HuffPost such a great read.  It's just that now there is much more of it to love.  And to organize it all we've created five new sections …

Editorial: Make a Bad Bill Better  —  The great immigration struggle of 2007 has moved from the Senate chamber in Washington to the continent at large.  With Congress taking the week off, it's time for constituents to weigh in.  You can be sure of this much: The debate will get louder before it gets better.

Venezuelan TV station goes off air  —  Country's oldest private TV broadcaster was critical of the government  —  CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuelan police fired tear gas and plastic bullets Monday into a crowd of thousands protesting a decision by President Hugo Chavez that forced …