Exit Strategies  —  Would Iran Take Over Iraq?  Would Al-Qaeda?  The Debate About How and When to Leave Centers on What Might Happen After the U.S. Goes.  —  If U.S. combat forces withdraw from Iraq in the near future, three developments would be likely to unfold.

AP Poll: GOP pick is 'none of the above'  —  WASHINGTON - And the leading Republican presidential candidate is ... none of the above.  —  The latest Associated Press-Ipsos poll found that nearly a quarter of Republicans are unwilling to back top-tier hopefuls Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson …

The Salon Interview: Elizabeth Edwards  —  On her confrontation with Ann Coulter, why she backs gay marriage — and why Edwards is a better choice for women than Hillary Clinton.  —  Elizabeth Edwards listens to her husband speak at a campaign event in Concord, N.H., April 2, 2007.

Gen. Pace Declares Iraq 'Sea Change'  —  (RAMADI, Iraq) — In his most optimistic remarks since the U.S. troop buildup began, Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Tuesday that Iraq has undergone a "sea change" in security in recent months, and that this will influence …

Novak: Women's 'venom' toward Bush is 'so vicious.'  —  Appearing on Hugh Hewitt's radio show yesterday, conservative pundit Robert Novak claimed that "women, particularly," are making our current political discourse more "vicious":

Pervez Musharraf: How Good Of An Ally Is He Really?  —  Pervez Musharraf is often touted as an important ally in the war on terrorism.  With his strong control over the military, he has cracked down on Islamic militants operating in Waziristan and other parts of Pakistan.  —  Or so we've heard.

FBI: Iraqis Being Smuggled Across the Rio Grande  —  Brian Ross Reports:  —  The FBI is investigating an alleged human smuggling operation based in Chaparral, N.M., that agents say is bringing "Iraqis and other Middle Eastern" individuals across the Rio Grande from Mexico.

The Politico sewer  —  The Politico today is prominently touting on its front page another vapid, petty, and inane "news story" — the type of story which has, in just a few short months, become its hallmark: … Impressively, they followed up their Romney scoop with a hard-hitting …

David Brooks' field trip to the White House  —  As George Bush has become more and more isolated, and as his presidency has collapsed around him, he has increasingly arranged White House events where like-minded admirers come and gather around him and genuflect to his greatness.

Islamic Creationist and a Book Sent Round the World  —  In the United States, opposition to the teaching of evolution in public schools has largely been fueled by the religious right, particularly Protestant fundamentalism.  —  Now another voice is entering the debate, in dramatic fashion.

Blogosphere Responds To O'Reilly's Baseless Attacks On The Netroots  —  Last night on The O'Reilly Factor, host Bill O'Reilly dedicated a segment to disingenuously attacking the upcoming YearlyKos convention, its namesake DailyKos, and one of the event's sponsors, JetBlue.