Why Pro-Choice Is a Bad Choice for Democrats  —  I KEEP reading about a universe in which social conservatives are warming to Rudy Giuliani.  But this would have to be a place where his estranged children and three wives and multiple appearances in fishnets were irrelevant to the Republican base.

The Structural Imbalance of Political Talk Radio  —  Despite the dramatic expansion of viewing and listening options for consumers today, traditional radio remains one of the most widely used media formats in America.  Arbitron, the national radio ratings company, reports that more than 90 percent …

In Aiding Poor, Edwards Built Bridge to 2008  —  John Edwards ended 2004 with a problem: how to keep alive his public profile without the benefit of a presidential campaign that could finance his travels and pay for his political staff.  —  Mr. Edwards, who reported this year that he had assets …

Cheney Defiant on Classified Material  —  Vice President Cheney's office has refused to comply with an executive order governing the handling of classified information for the past four years and recently tried to abolish the office that sought to enforce those rules, according to documents released …

Guantanamo Splits Administration  —  Arguments Center on How to Handle Remaining Detainees  —  Senior Bush administration officials are engaged in active discussions about closing the U.S. military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, but deep divisions remain regarding the fate …

The Hillary Dilemma  —  Despite the breathless media reports about every jot and tittle of the Democratic contest for President, not all that much has changed in the last year.  Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) has consistently been the frontrunner in national surveys, sometimes by narrow spreads and frequently by sizeable margins.

White House contempt  —  House Judiciary Committee Democrats warned yesterday they would pursue a contempt of Congress motion if the White House fails respond to subpoenas for testimony and documents related to the firings of U.S. attorneys last year.  —  The deadline for a response is Thursday, June 28.

Senate Adopts an Energy Bill Raising Mileage for Cars  —  The Senate passed a broad energy bill late Thursday that would, among other things, require the first big increase in fuel mileage requirements for passenger cars in more than two decades.  —  The vote, 65 to 27 …

Research Finds Firstborns Gain the Higher I.Q.  —  The eldest children in families tend to develop higher I.Q.'s than their siblings, researchers are reporting today, in a large study that could settle more than a half-century of scientific debate about the relationship between I.Q. and birth order.

Romney aide is the focus of probe  —  Allegedly acted as State Police trooper  —  State Police are investigating one of Mitt Romney's top campaign aides for allegedly impersonating a trooper by calling a Wilmington company and threatening to cite the driver of a company van for erratic driving …

Will Rudy's Get-Tough Image Backfire?  —  How many alleged criminals can a law-and-order candidate be associated with before it starts to hurt?  That's the question facing former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, following the indictment Tuesday of Thomas Ravenel, his volunteer campaign chairman in South Carolina.

Voucher Students Show Few Gains in First Year  —  D.C. Results Typical, Federal Study Says  —  Students in the D.C. school voucher program, the first federal initiative to spend taxpayer dollars on private school tuition, generally performed no better on reading and math tests after one year …

'Sicko' leaves top Democrats ill at ease  —  Leading candidates are sidestepping direct comment on filmmaker Michael Moore's proposals for universal healthcare.  —  WASHINGTON — With the release of Michael Moore's "Sicko," a movie once again is adding sizzle to an issue that's a high priority …

Gore's 2000 team stays on sidelines  —  Most members of Al Gore's inner political circle have not yet signed up with any presidential campaign, triggering speculation that the 2000 Democratic nominee will jump into the race for the White House later this year.

Border bill backers seek boost in enforcement provisions  —  Senate negotiators of a compromise immigration bill are writing a catchall amendment, sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to bolster enforcement provisions of the bill, including a more robust "touchback" requirement for illegal immigrants.

Arrowhead Ripper: Surrender or Die  —  Battle for Baqubah  —  22 June 07  —  First a quick media round-up.  (This is not all-inclusive.)  —  Alexandra Zavis from Los Angeles Times is down in the heat of the battle bringing home information.  Michael Gordon from New York Times is still slugging it out …