Vice President Exempts His Office from the Requirements for Protecting Classified Information  —  The Oversight Committee has learned that over the objections of the National Archives, Vice President Cheney exempted his office from the presidential order that establishes government-wide procedures …

Poll: Bush hits lowest approval rating of presidency  —  President Bush registers the lowest approval rating of his presidency—making him the least popular president since Nixon—in the new NEWSWEEK Poll.  —  Iraq isn't the only issue dragging Bush's approval ratings down

Nader ponders run, calls Clinton 'coward'  —  Ralph Nader says he is seriously considering running for president in 2008 because he foresees another Tweedledum-Tweedledee election that offers little real choice to voters.  —  "You know the two parties are still converging …

New Photos Show Secret Pakistan Plutonium Plant; Fear of More Weapons Being Made  —  Elizabeth Sprague Reports:  —  A satellite photograph obtained by ABC News reveals Pakistan is nearing completion of a third, previously unknown plutonium production reactor, suggesting Pakistan may be planning to expand its nuclear weapons arsenal.

Romney to call for 'new course' in war on terror  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will call for a "new course" in the war on terror by proposing "a new type of Marshall plan" in a speech Thursday night.  —  According to the prepared text of of the speech …

Turning on al-Qaeda in Baquba  —  I helicoptered today into Baquba, the centerpiece of the current U.S. offensive in Iraq, with Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno —and then drove via Stryker brigade into the center of the fight for a briefing.  It was midday, and the sun was so hot that both sides in the battle seemed to be taking a siesta.

Senate Dems fight for energy bill amid intra-party, GOP concerns  —  Senate Democrats yesterday were scrambling to prevent the sweeping energy overhaul bill, a top domestic priority, from crumbling amid growing regional divisions within their party and Republican concerns.

Immigration Vote Count  —  Opponents of the immigration bill recognize that the vote on cloture (maybe tomorrow, but probably early next week) will be key.  Outside groups are scoring a vote for cloture as a vote for the bill.  Cloture will succeed with 60 votes.

List of journalists taking sides  —  And their explanations, from 'Yikes!' to 'They're all in somebody's pocket'  —  Have you captured a candidate on camera?  We want to see it.  Click here to send us your pictures and videos, and we'll post the best on MSNBC.com.

Lincoln's Example for Iraq  —  In his only term in Congress, Abraham Lincoln was an ardent opponent of the Mexican War.  He introduced a series of resolutions that challenged President James Polk to show the "spot" of American soil on which Mexicans had spilled American blood …

Putdown for Paulose: Colleagues Clap for Her Critics at Retirement Party  —  Rachel Paulose, the embattled U.S. attorney for Minnesota, suffered through an awkward moment Tuesday when a retirement party for a long-serving prosecutor in her office turned into a thunderous ovation for several of Paulose's severest critics.

WHERE BIAS AND CLUELESSNESS INTERSECT  —  MSNBC features a report on the campaign contributions by MSM journalists.  The report is based on the public records of the Federal Election Commission.  I doubt anyone will be surprised to learn that of the 144 journalists who made political contributions …

Obama Announces FY08 Federal Funding Requests  —  Discloses earmarks to improve government transparency  —  WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today announced that he had requested federal funding for the following projects, in the amounts designated by his constituents …

Operation Arrowhead Ripper: Day One  —  The first day of operation Arrowhead Ripper was intense.  The Army is giving full access to the battlefield, and while on base full access to the TOC (HQ) which means I see the raw truth on the ground, and as it feeds through the TOC.  They are hiding nothing.

Rival camps take aim at Romney's religion  —  Gathering for their April meeting at the county courthouse, Republican activists from Warren County, Iowa, planned for this summer's county fair and vented about illegal immigration.  —  And then the county chairman for Senator John McCain's …

Americans' Confidence in Congress at All-Time Low  —  Confidence in most institutions drops  —  PRINCETON, NJ — The percentage of Americans with a "great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in Congress is at 14%, the lowest in Gallup's history of this measure — and the lowest …

Lott: 'I've already offended everybody'  —  Fence?  Goats?  What is Lott talking about?  —  WASHINGTON —What does a fence on the United State-Mexico border have to do with goats?  —  Sen. Minority Whip Trent Lott, R-Miss., was talking to reporters Wednesday about the immigration bill …