Part I: CNN/YouTube Democratic presidential debate transcript  —  This is part one of the transcript for the CNN/YouTube presidential debates.  To see the transcript of part two click here.  —  CHARLESTON, South Carolina (CNN) — The eight candidates vying to be the Democrat nominee …

U.S. Is Seen in Iraq Until at Least '09  —  While Washington is mired in political debate over the future of Iraq, the American command here has prepared a detailed plan that foresees a significant American role for the next two years.  —  The classified plan, which represents …

[TS] Op-Ed Columnist: A Reality-Based Economy  —  The neopopulist story line about skyrocketing inequality and the tides of globalization is incredibly simple-minded.

Doubts Raised on Magazine's 'Baghdad Diarist'  —  Just who is the "Baghdad Diarist"?  —  It is a question that many people are asking The New Republic, the Washington political magazine that has been running articles attributed to an American soldier in Baghdad.

Dangerous Attack on Free Speech  —  The proprietor of this blog claims that he has filed an FEC complaint against Daily Kos.  Supposedly, this won't fly, based on earlier FEC rulings, but this is nonetheless an outrage against the First Amendment that every conservative should fight vigorously.

Diplomats Received Political Briefings  —  White House aides have conducted at least half a dozen political briefings for the Bush administration's top diplomats, including a PowerPoint presentation for ambassadors with senior adviser Karl Rove that named Democratic incumbents targeted …

Cheese Headcases  —  Wisconsin reveals the cost of "universal" health care.  —  When Louis Brandeis praised the 50 states as "laboratories of democracy," he didn't claim that every policy experiment would work.  So we hope the eyes of America will turn to Wisconsin, and the effort …

Tax Break Used by Drug Makers Failed to Add Jobs  —  Two years ago, when companies received a big tax break to bring home their offshore profits, the president and Congress justified it as a one-time tax amnesty that would create American jobs.  —  Drug makers were the biggest beneficiaries …

Press Briefing by Tony Snow  —  Press Briefing Slide (PDF, 1.5 mb, 1 page)  —  MR. SNOW: Good afternoon.  First we'll begin with an announcement about the President's health.  Microscopic evaluations of the polyps discovered and removed during the President's colonoscopy confirmed the preliminary diagnosis, tubular adenoma.

THE CIA SPEAKS, WITH FORKED TONGUE  —  We've previously noted the new book Sabotage by Rowan Scarborough.  Scarborough's book explores the CIA's efforts to undermine the Bush administration.  It is a subject that we have written about here frequently over the past several years.

DEA cases in question after informant said he lied  —  Informant who admits he lied jeopardizes convictions, lawyers say  —  The decision by U.S. Attorney Greg White to release a woman from prison and drop charges against two men could be the tip of the iceberg in a federal perjury investigation.

He Just Plays a Straight Shooter  —  Fred Thompson has stepped out of character.  To much of America, he is Arthur Branch, the district attorney he portrays on the TV series "Law and Order."  Branch is a straight shooter, a no-nonsense kind of guy who says what he means and means what he says.