Right Wing Launches Baseless Smear Campaign Against 12 Year Old Recipient Of SCHIP  —  Two weeks ago, the Democratic radio address was delivered by a 12-year old Maryland boy named Graeme Frost.  Graeme told his story of being involved in a severe car accident three years ago …

He's back: Sandy Berger now advising Hillary Clinton  —  WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Sandy Berger, who stole highly classified terrorism documents from the National Archives, destroyed them and lied to investigators, is now an adviser to presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton.

PATRIOTIC GORE  —  The Democrat Party senior leadership is feeling a Rush.  Rush Limbaugh, that is.  Late last week, DNC Chair Howard Dean, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, his deputy, Sen. Dick Durbin and Senatorial Committee chair, Sen. Chuck Schumer, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi all signed off …

FIRST THOUGHTS: FRED'S DEBUT  —  From NBC's Chuck Todd and Domenico Montanaro  —  *** Fred's debut: All eyes are on Fred Thompson this week as he makes his debate debut at the CNBC/MSNBC/The Wall Street Journal debate on Tuesday from Dearborn, Michigan.  It is the first Republican Presidential debate …

Gates Vs Cheney Over Iran War  —  The UK's Daily Telegraph had an interesting report yesterday which said that Bob Gates is the only real barrier within the Bush administration to Cheney's war with Iran. … That last sentence is the scariest thing I've read in weeks.

Obama's energy proposal  —  Barack Obama is going to unveil the details of his energy plan today.  I haven't seen a copy of the speech or the plan yet, so all I have to go on is the reporting, which is just ... awful.  I can't decide which is worse, the L.A. Times, Reuters, or AP.

Bill Kristol's Favorite Bible Verse  —  Hard to parody: … Is this supposed to be a joke?  And then this remarkable passage from Clarence Thomas's book that Kristol finds instructive.  It refers to Thomas's grandfather's unbounded affection for his great-grandson, Jamal, in contrast to the way he had brought up Thomas himself:

Top Iraqis Pull Back From Key U.S. Goal  —  Reconciliation Seen Unattainable Amid Struggle for Power  —  BAGHDAD — For much of this year, the U.S. military strategy in Iraq has sought to reduce violence so that politicians could bring about national reconciliation, but several top Iraqi leaders …

Kudlow has his eye on Matthews for Tuesday's CNBC debate  —  Softer 'Hardball'?  —  After Yeas & Nays brought you the story of some pointed political remarks by MSNBC's Chris Matthews on Thursday night, there's been plenty of fallout, including some questions being raised about Matthews' moderating of Tuesday's GOP debate in Detroit.

Hillary Will Trigger Stock Crash  —  I give political analysis, not financial advice.  But sometimes, the two closely merge.  So here's what I think: Hillary Clinton will cause the stock market to crash as her likely election as president approaches.  —  Hillary says she wants to raise the capital gains tax.

Is Rudy the most electable Republican?  —  Last week Rudy Giuliani said this: "Every poll shows that I would be, by far, the strongest candidate against Hillary Clinton.  There hasn't been one taken in the last six or seven months that shows anything other than I'm the Republican that has the best chance to beat her."

Republicans Remain Deeply Distrustful of News Media  —  Democrats much more positive  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Republicans in America today remain deeply distrustful of the national news media — in sharp contrast to Democrats, who have a great deal more trust in the media's accuracy.

Rep. Ron Paul: I advocate the same foreign policy the Founding Fathers would  —  Any response to this paper's Friday editorial on my foreign policy position must rest on two fundamental assertions: first, that the Founding Fathers were not isolationists; and second, that their political philosophy …

The Price of Freedom  —  IF THE DUTCH GOVERNMENT ABANDONS AYAAN HIRSI ALI, AMERICA SHOULD WELCOME HER.  —  If any country has enjoyed a long reputation for peaceful and democratic consensus combined with civic fortitude, that country is the Netherlands.  It was one of the special countries …

Have Mercy, Have Mercy!  —  It may be a first.  Castration via live satellite hook up.  —  This morning, tough guy Joe Scarborough unloaded on "Iraqi losers" for complaining about Blackwater for blowing away so many Iraqi civilians.  —  Moments later, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) comes on the show and sends Scarborough scurrying for cover.

Same Old Party  —  There have been a number of articles recently that portray President Bush as someone who strayed from the path of true conservatism.  Republicans, these articles say, need to return to their roots.  —  Well, I don't know what true conservatism is, but while doing research …

The Age of Apoplexy  —  Are the controversial comments of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (or Larry Summers or Bill O'Reilly or NARAL) really so threatening?  —  F  —  or a while now, I've fretted that we're turning into a nation of weenies and permanently enraged censors, that too many of us are afraid …