Getting At 'The Truth'  —  We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you an important development from the media world.  —  Ron Brownstein has been a fixture at the Los Angeles Times for nearly two decades, an influential political reporter and talking head who delves into policy as well as campaign strategy.

How Bush's AG Pick Irritates the Right  —  If the administration was trying to avoid a fight with the left over the confirmation of Alberto Gonzales' replacement as Attorney General, they may have succeeded with the nomination of former New York district judge, Michael Mukasey.

The Iraq Blackwater Test  —  Depending on whether the Blackwater security firm stays in Iraq will inform us whether Prime Minister Maliki has any power or is just a U.S. puppet.  My money is on the puppet.  Over the weekend Blackwater contractors escorting a State Department/US Embassy Baghdad convoy got into a shoot out.

Blackwater Security banned from Iraq  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — Iraq's Interior Ministry has revoked the license of Blackwater USA, an American security firm whose contractors are blamed for a Sunday gunbattle in Baghdad that left eight civilians dead.  —  Sunday's firefight took place near Nusoor Square …

JOINT STATEMENT:  —  RE DONALD BREN SCHOOL OF LAW  —  We are very pleased to announce that Erwin Chemerinsky, the Alston & Bird Professor of Law and Political Science at Duke University, has been offered and has accepted the position of founding dean of the Donald Bren School of Law at the University of California, Irvine.