Libby Loses Liberty  —  Walton: As a prelude to my ruling, the fact that I've written lengthy decisions does not suggest I think an issue is close.  We are expected to give significant consideration to what we do.  My effort is to try to get it right, so this is why I tke my time so length does …

Palestinian leader declares state of emergency … GAZA CITY (CNN) — President Mahmoud Abbas dismissed the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority government and declared a state of emergency Thursday after four days of fighting that has left Hamas in control of much of Gaza.

Reid labels military leader 'incompetent'  —  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, "incompetent" during an interview Tuesday with a group of liberal bloggers, a comment that was never reported.

Legislators vote to defeat same-sex marriage ban  —  A proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage was defeated today by a joint session of the Legislature by a vote of 45 to 151, eliminating any chance of getting it on the ballot in November 2008.  At least 50 votes were needed to advance the measure.

No Drop in Iraq Violence Seen Since Troop Buildup  —  Three months into the new U.S. military strategy that has sent tens of thousands of additional troops into Iraq, overall levels of violence in the country have not decreased, as attacks have shifted away from Baghdad and Anbar …

Angelina Jolie's Freedom of Press, on Her Terms  —  Odds 'n' Ends  —  Angelina Jolie's Freedom of Press, on Her Terms  —  Angelina Jolie's true colors came out Wednesday as she promoted a film about freedom of the press and then tried to censor all her interviews.

DOJ Investigates if Gonzales Tried to Influence Aide's Testimony  —  The Justice Department is investigating whether Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales sought to influence the testimony of a departing senior aide during a March meeting in Gonzales's office, according to correspondence released today.

Chris Matthews on Fred Thompson's sexiness and smells  —  I've written a fair amount recently about the media's obsession with the faux-masculinity of GOP candidates in general, and the tough-guy military persona of Fred Thompson in particular, and don't have all that much to add about that specific topic at the moment.

Let's Get Serious  —  What do liberal hawks actually want to do regarding Iran?  —  "Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so," said John Kenneth Galbraith, "almost everyone gets busy on the proof."  —  Today's liberal hawks are engaged in a slightly subtler game.

The Political Brain  —  I'm genuinely not a big fan of advice books for Democrats.  Most of them strike me as very little beyond a complicated rationale for why the author's personal position is the only ideology that could construct a crushing majority in this country.

Edwards to Detail Health Care Plan  —  Presidential Candidate John Edwards to Announce Details of Health Care Overhaul Plan  —  Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards wants to reduce the cost of U.S. health care by removing patents for breakthrough drugs and requiring health insurance companies …

LOU DOBBS TONIGHT  —  Lebanese Politician Killed in Beirut Bomb Blast; Is Gaza on Brink of Civil War?  ; Iraq Mosque Explosion  —  THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT.  THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.  —  LOU DOBBS, HOST: Tonight, the Middle East exploding in violence from Beirut to Gaza to Iraq.

All Hillary, all positive, all the time  —  Not long ago, a campaign had a couple of options for getting out word of a big endorsement: a press release to political reporters, or maybe a calculated leak to a big local paper.  —  But Wednesday morning, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign broke …