Fred Thompson running for president  —  Fred Dalton Thompson is planning to enter the presidential race over the Fourth of July holiday, announcing that week that he has already raised several million dollars and is being backed by insiders from the past three Republican administrations, Thompson advisers told The Politico.

E. coli conservatism (19): the ne plus ultra  —  Offered without comment.  What is there possibly to say? … Oh, all right.  One small comment.  First, observe the contempt for liberty.  When E. coli conservatives say self-regulation is preferable to government, they're even lying about that.

Economix: Truth, Fiction and Lou Dobbs  —  The whole controversy involving Lou Dobbs and leprosy started with a "60 Minutes" segment a few weeks ago.  —  The segment was a profile of Mr. Dobbs, and while doing background research for it, a "60 Minutes" producer came across a 2005 news report …

Right-wing noise machine: Plame not covert  —  (updated below - updated again - Update III)  —  NBC News, yesterday: … The right-wing noise machine spent the last two years repeatedly, continuously and emphatically telling their followers the exact opposite:

ACLU Sues Boeing Subsidiary for Participation in CIA Kidnapping and Torture Flights  —  Group Also Appeals to United States Supreme Court in Khaled El-Masri Lawsuit  —  NEW YORK - The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a federal lawsuit against Jeppesen Dataplan, Inc. …

TB Patient Says He Was Advised Not to Fly  —  A man who may have exposed passengers and crew members on two trans-Atlantic flights earlier this month to a highly drug-resistant form of tuberculosis knew he was infected, and had been advised by health officials not to travel overseas.

The persecution of Lina Joy, continued  —  No, you cannot convert: Three cheers for sharia!  —  Last August, I wrote about the plight of an ex-Muslim woman in Malaysia named Lina Joy.  She had converted to Christianity and wanted to marry a Christian man.

Bush envisions U.S. presence in Iraq like S.Korea  —  Source: Reuters  —  President George W. Bush would like to see a lengthy U.S. troop presence in Iraq like the one in South Korea to provide stability but not in a frontline combat role, the White House said on Wednesday.

Terror suspects detained in Sadr City … BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — Coalition forces detained five suspected terrorists in Baghdad's Sadr City neighborhood Wednesday, including their cell leader, a U.S. military statement said.  —  All are believed to be members of a cell involved in weapons trafficking.

Libertarians, beware the rigid reign of Rudy  —  Behind Rudy Giuliani's impressive lead in the polls is one fact that puzzles the pundits: Many cultural conservatives are backing a pro-choice, pro-gun control candidate.  But what should be equally surprising is the strong support Giuliani …

Lawyer: Cheney Visitor Logs Not Recorded  —  WASHINGTON — A lawyer for Vice President Dick Cheney told the Secret Service in September to eliminate data on who visited Cheney at his official residence, a newly disclosed letter states.  —  The Sept. 13, 2006, letter from Cheney's lawyer …

Lieberman in Iraq sees "progress," says so-called surge "would start to break the insurgency"  —  What a coincidence.  Two years after Cheney said the insurgency was in its last throes, Joe Lieberman made essentially the same prediction.  —  CNN reports that Lieberman is on an unannounced "surprise" visit to Baghdad.

Our 44th President  —  Fred Thompson is so three hours ago.  Via Ballot Access News comes new info about former Rep. Cynthia McKinney, last seen punching a Capitol Hill cop and then losing re-election: … Please note that she includes "impeachment of the president" among her potential campaign planks …

1986 Redux: Proposed Senate Immigration Reform Repeats Past Failure  —  The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 legalized individuals who had resided unlawfully in the United States continuously for five years by granting temporary resident status adjustable to permanent residency.

Al-Qaida video threatens attacks on U.S.  —  CAIRO, Egypt - An American member of al-Qaida warned President Bush on Tuesday to end U.S. involvement in all Muslim lands or face an attack worse than the Sept. 11 suicide assault, according to a new videotape.  —  Wearing a white robe and a turban …

DeMint rips war 'wimps'  —  Defeatist Democrats such as Harry Reid share blame for Iraq war deaths, senator tells Upstate constituents  —  SPARTANBURG — Sen. Jim DeMint on Tuesday blamed Democratic "wimps" in Congress for American casualties in Iraq, and cited Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for special censure.