Defections to Fred Thompson Pose a Major Threat to McCain  —  John Dowd represented Sen. John McCain in his darkest hour, the "Keating Five" scandal.  He supported McCain the first time he ran for president in 2000 and signed up to be a major fundraiser for him in this year's presidential race.

"New Broom" To Head Chiefs Of Staff  —  Pace is out as Chief of Staff, in an unexpected move. … Mullen is obviously intended to repair bridges with America's European defense partners so damaged by Rummie's "Old Europe" policies.  In his bio, his experience in working with NATO and European officers is the big stand-out point.

Leading Conservative Activist Seeks Punitive Damages  —  Judge Robert Bork, one of the fathers of the modern judicial conservative movement whose nomination to the Supreme Court was rejected by the Senate, is seeking $1,000,000 in compensatory damages, plus punitive damages, after he slipped and fell at the Yale Club of New York City.

[TS] Op-Ed Columnist: Lies, Sighs and Politics  —  If early campaign reporting is any guide, the bad media habits that helped install the worst president ever in the White House haven't changed a bit.

Peace Corps Is Edwards Terror Plan  —  Senator Edwards is outlining a new national security strategy that hinges on the creation of a 10,000-person civilian peace corps to stem the tide of terrorism in weak and unstable countries.  —  Mr. Edwards's plan, which he presented in Manhattan yesterday …

Two Years of Humble Pie  —  In Britain, Canada and other civilized places, national elections are often called, run and concluded within six weeks.  In America, election campaigns go on forever.  It used to be one year, now it's two.  No one planned this, but like other evolutionary artifacts …

Turning the Page: The Real Che?  —  He's the ultimate symbol of radical chic but was Che Guevara really a homophobic, racist square who personally ordered the jailing and executions of innocent men, women and children?  —  That's according to Humberto Fontova, the author of …

WILY VLADIMIR  —  PUTIN TO BUSH: So, what's so special about putting the interceptors in Poland?  (Putin and Bush comment here).  —  Putin, I think it's fair to say, rather outmaneuvered Bush on this issue at the G-8 meeting, first by making the case there's nothing particularly magic …

Ars takes a field trip: the Creation Museum  —  A museum like no other  —  Here at Ars Technica we've written about the US creationist movement and its attack on science quite regularly.  From attempts to alter the way science is taught in different states across the US to statements …

Don't Ask, Don't Translate  —  IMAGINE for a moment an American soldier deep in the Iraqi desert.  His unit is about to head out when he receives a cable detailing an insurgent ambush right in his convoy's path.  With this information, he and his soldiers are now prepared for the danger that lies ahead.