A federal judge dismissed former CIA operative Valerie Plame's lawsuit against members of the Bush administration Thursday, eliminating one of the las  —  WASHINGTON - A federal judge dismissed former CIA operative Valerie Plame's lawsuit against members of the Bush administration Thursday …

Raw Story uncovers even more pricey primping by Romney  —  The perception that Mitt Romney is some sort of pretty-boy was burnished earlier this week when reports emerged that he spent $300 in campaign funds for makeup "consulting" this year.  It turns out Romney has maintained an expensive beauty regimen for years.

Activity Guide  —  Democrats want 'John Doe' provision cut  —  Democrats are trying to pull a provision from a homeland security bill that will protect the public from being sued for reporting suspicious behavior that may lead to a terrorist attack, according to House Republican leadership aides.

General David Petraeus on the conditions on the ground in Iraq  —  The Hugh Hewitt Show  —  HH: Welcome, General.  You took over command of the multinational forces in February of this year, February 10.  In the past five months, how have conditions in Iraq changed?

Sunni insurgency: Out of the shadows  —  I just want to draw attention to a really important story about Iraq, which could easily get lost in the questions about the Mashhadani capture - the report in the Guardian about the moves to cement the public political profile of the major Sunni insurgency groups …

Harry Potter And The Fact That I Hate The New York Times  —  ? No WMD rumors to plaster on the front page, no Jayson Blair to make things up for posterity, no Alessandra Stanley to mangle TV show names?  I'm mad so I'm lashing out, but come on: How on earth could you run a review of the last Harry Potter?

Iraq and the Defense Bill: A Post-Mortem Guide for the Perplexed  —  So Harry Reid (D-NV) withdrew the defense authorization bill this morning after the Democrats weren't able to break the GOP filibuster.  —  The indignation spilled out across the aisle, with Republicans bemoaning Reid's …

Pentagon challenges Clinton's Iraq talk  —  WASHINGTON - The Pentagon told Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton that her questions about how the U.S. plans to eventually withdraw from Iraq boosts enemy propaganda.  In a stinging rebuke to a member of the Senate Armed …

Bush: No Deal On Children's Health Plan  —  President Says He Objects On Philosophical Grounds  —  President Bush yesterday rejected entreaties by his Republican allies that he compromise with Democrats on legislation to renew a popular program that provides health coverage to poor children …

FEMA Suppressed Health Warnings for Workers, Katrina Victims  —  Agency Rejected Environmental Testing on Formaldehyde Gas Levels  —  The Federal Emergency Management Agency has suppressed warnings from its own Gulf coast field workers since the middle of 2006 about suspected health problems …

U.S. says Iraqi militant nonexistent  —  The man known as Abu Omar Baghdadi is an actor and the group a front for Al Qaeda in Iraq, the military says.  —  BAGHDAD — In March, he was declared captured.  In May, he was declared killed, and his purported corpse was displayed on state-run TV.

A NEW AD EXPLOITS THE SUFFERING OF THE EDWARDS' FAMILY.  BUT THAT'S OK.  —  I think John Edwards just made an ad about his wife's cancer, but I'm not sure.  In his latest New Hampshire spot, the gutsy and appealing Elizabeth Edwards talks about her husband's toughness.

Department of Energy disputes Rep. Murtha's claims on earmark request  —  The Department of Energy is denying Rep. John Murtha's (D-Pa.) claim that it supports his $1 million earmark request for a project in his district aimed at protecting the nation's natural-gas pipelines.