Three Top Democrats Share Lead In Iowa Poll  —  Less than six months before Iowa voters open the 2008 presidential nomination battles, the Democratic contest in the Hawkeye State is a deadlock, with Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards in a virtual tie for first place, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

House erupts in chaos  —  In a massive flare-up of partisan tensions, Republicans walked out on a House vote late Thursday night to protest what they believed to be Democratic maneuvers to reverse an unfavorable outcome for them.  —  The flap represents a complete breakdown in parliamentary procedure …

Ruling Limited Spying Efforts  —  Move to Amend FISA Sparked by Judge's Decision  —  A federal intelligence court judge earlier this year secretly declared a key element of the Bush administration's wiretapping efforts illegal, according to a lawmaker and government sources …

Chris Dodd Smacks Down O'Reilly about Daily Kos: The VIDEO  —  Continuing on Nicole's post, I've got the video of Dodd doing a great job of sticking up for Daily Kos in an excellent way.  He told the truth.  And when propagandists like BillO are confronted with the truth—heads explode.

Judge Backs C.I.A. in Suit on Memoir  —  Valerie Wilson may be the best known former intelligence operative in recent history, but a federal judge in New York ruled Wednesday that she was not allowed to say how long she worked for the Central Intelligence Agency in the memoir she plans to publish this fall.

Dodd obliterates O'Reilly; O'Reilly denies he welcomed al Qaeda attack on San Francisco  —  I was going to post an open thread, which is Joe's tradition at this hour, but then I figured you all could really use a pick-me-up first thing in the morning.  This video is it.

Take your pick  —  a.  This is a brilliant idea, providing an unknown candidate with a cut-through gimmick that helps him be remembered.  The campaign strategist is a genius.  —  b.  This is a lamentable idea, making a no-hope candidate look ridiculous, diminish his effectiveness …

Pakistan slams 'ignorant' Obama attack warning  —  ISLAMABAD (AFP) - Pakistan accused Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama of "sheer ignorance" for threatening to launch US military strikes against Al-Qaeda on Pakistani soil.  —  Obama warned Wednesday that if he is elected president …

Reid: Bridge collapse is 'wake-up call'  —  It took less than a day for the disastrous bridge collapse in Minneapolis to turn into a political uproar on Capitol Hill.  —  As Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) opened the Thursday session of the Senate, he warned that the bridge disaster was a …

McCain changes course on immigration  —  WASHINGTON - Republican presidential hopeful John McCain on Thursday backed a scaled-down proposal that imposes strict rules to end illegal immigration but doesn't include a path to citizenship.  —  The move away from a comprehensive measure …

Doesn't Sound Like A Funding Issue  —  MnDOT officials had concerns about the I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River last winter, focusing on the same fatigue and potential cracking that has grabbed the focus of the post-collapse coverage.  Engineers debated whether to apply patches …

CAIR Executive Director Placed at HAMAS Meeting  —  The executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Nihad Awad, participated in a three-day summit of U.S.-based HAMAS members and supporters in 1993.  —  Until now, he had been identified only as Nihad LNU (last name unknown) in FBI reports and analyses.

Maliki's Impact Blunted By Own Party's Fears  —  Hussein-Era Secrecy Persists, Analysts Say  —  BAGHDAD — As the U.S. military attempts to pacify Iraq so its leaders can pursue political reconciliation, Iraqi and Western observers say Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his inner circle …