Ron Paul's campaign takes to the airwaves  —  Maverick boosts pursuit of votes in early primaries  —  WASHINGTON — Hoping to defy more expectations, Rep. Ron Paul is ratcheting up his maverick Republican presidential campaign by launching TV and radio commercials in early primary states …

W.M.D. in Iran?  Q.E.D.  —  TIM RUSSERT: Mr. Vice President, welcome to "Meet the Press."  —  VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY: Good morning, Tim.  —  RUSSERT: How close are we to war with Iran?  —  CHENEY: Well, I think we are in the final stages of diplomacy, obviously.

Walking Into Iran's Trap  —  ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Is the United States going to war with Iran?  That's what a Lebanese businessman here wants to know from a visiting American.  If it's war, he doesn't want to make a big new investment in the region.

Fox heralds Bush as a World Series 'hero.'  —  Last night, Fox aired a montage prior its airing of the Red Sox/Rockies game that celebrated great moments in World Series history.  "The story of the World Series is told in seven chapters," the narrator said, "each with their old tale, each with their own hero.

Edwards: 2-year ban on new drug ads  —  CONCORD, N.H. - Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards says prescription drug companies should have to wait two years to begin advertising their new products to consumers.  —  Edwards on Sunday was outlining a plan to regulate what he views as a proliferation of misleading drug ads.

McCain Leans on His Past to Press Forward  —  As Primary Season Nears, McCain Leans on POW Past  —  On October 26, 1967, John McCain was killed.  —  Forty years ago today — the first day of McCain's nearly 5¾ year incarceration in a North Vietnamese prison …

Medical marijuana advocate kills herself  —  Robin Prosser, a Missoula woman who struggled for a quarter century to live with the pain of an immunosuppressive disorder, tried years ago to kill herself.  Last week, she tried again.  This time, she succeeded.

Leahy rejects White House criticism of AG confirmation process  —  Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Saturday rejected White House criticism that his panel was moving along too slowly the nomination of Michael Mukasey, whom President Bush tapped as the next attorney general.

Rudy, the Values Slayer  —  WITH the new president heading off to his Texas vacation during that slow news month of August 2001, I wrote a column about a man who would never be president: Rudy Giuliani.  Banished from Gracie Mansion after dumping his second wife for Judith Nathan …

Protesters shout down anti-Islam speaker at MSU  —  Audience uses chants, obscenities to interrupt British Nationalist's speech  —  EAST LANSING - When British Nationalist Nick Griffin took the podium at a Friday night Michigan State University event, he tried to explain how Islam is a threat to Western civilization.

JOHN RICH OF BIG & RICH DOES A RICK SANTORUM IMPERSONATION ON NASHVILLE RADIO— A NAIL IN HIS PROFESSIONAL COFFIN?  —  I had already left Warner Bros by the time our Nashville division had released its first album with Big Kenny (Alphin) and John Rich (pka, Big & Rich).

Holocaust survivor trumps Dutch  —  "Europe was not as outraged by Auschwitz as by Guantanamo Bay"  —  He'll probably apologize for the remark later but Democratic Congressman Tom Lantos of California, the only Holocaust survivor in Congress, told it like it is to some Dutch politicians …

19 states now enjoy 'shoot first' laws  —  Burglars in the United States could once sue homeowners if they were shot, but now a growing number of states have made it legal to shoot to kill when somebody breaks into a house.  —  John Woodson, 46, found that out last week when he ambled …