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 …

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 …

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 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.

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.

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 …

'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 …

Senate Adopts 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, was a major defeat …

Last Chance for Abbas  —  Gaza is now run not by a conventional political party but by a movement that is revolutionary, Islamist and terrorist.  Worse, Hamas is a client of Iran.  Gaza now constitutes the farthest reach of the archipelago of Iranian proxies: Hamas in Palestine …

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 …

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.

'The Left' Moves Front and Center  —  JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Why can't the left get any respect?  —  Whenever you use the word "left" in American politics, you feel almost compelled to add quotation marks.  Today's left is not talking about nationalizing industry, abolishing capitalism or destroying the rich.