Vultures circling in Iowa  —  A key Obama supporter in Iowa, former Democratic Party Chair Gordon Fischer, offered a glimpse into where his campaign sees growth: In scooping up Edwards supporters.  —  "It's going to move much more to a two-person race - Barack Obama and Hillary," …

Bush vetoes health and education bill  —  NEW ALBANY, Ind. - President Bush, escalating his budget battle with Congress, on Tuesday vetoed a spending measure for health and education programs prized by congressional Democrats.  —  He also signed a big increase in the Pentagon's non-war budget although …

Democrats remain stalled on Iraq debate  —  As the congressional session lurches toward a close, Democrats are confronting some demoralizing arithmetic on Iraq.  —  The numbers tell a story of political and substantive paralysis more starkly than most members are willing to acknowledge publicly, or perhaps even to themselves.

His Ideas Are Good, But I Want More Bullet Points  —  So we're back to arguing about John Edwards' plan to strip members of Congress of their health care if they don't pass comprehensive reform.  I'm always astonished at how bizarrely literally pundits act when they approach this idea.

Man Found Dead, Stuck In Cat Door  —  \32-Year-Old Trying To Get In Girlfriend's Home  —  ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — St. Johns County deputies recently launched an investigation into what they called one of the strangest accidents they've ever seen when a man was found dead after getting stuck in a cat door.

Full Video: McCain Says Supporter's "Bitch" Query About Hillary Is "An Excellent Question"  —  Below we noted that a local Fox affiliate had reported on a John McCain event in South Carolina where he'd stood by while one of his supporters called Hillary a "bitch."

Karim Amer is getting tortured in Prison  —  Abdel Karim Soliman, famously now known as Karim Amer, who got jailed for "disdain for religion" and "insulting the president" on his blog, is reportedly getting tortured by the Prison authorities. … I wish I could say I am surprised by this …

War costs could total $1.6 trillion by 2009, panel estimates  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — The total economic impact of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is estimated at $1.6 trillion by 2009, a congressional committee said in a report released Tuesday.  —  That is nearly double the $804 billion …

Say It Enough Times It Must Be True  —  First the Clinton campaign whines that the other candidates were picking on the girl.  Then, standing up to Russert is like standing up to Hitler.  Then Bill Clinton compared Russert to the Swift Boat Vets.  Now the Clinton campaign is warning Wolf Blizter that he better not "pull a Russert."

What Makes a Terrorist  —  It's not poverty and lack of education, according to economic research by Princeton's ALAN KRUEGER.  Look elsewhere.  —  In the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, policymakers, scholars, and ordinary citizens asked a key question …

Turn-Around In Iraq  —  My optimistic military emailer from yesterday, it needs to be said, added this vital caveat: … And the news on that front remains as dire as ever.  That's why I find Glenn Reynolds' view of what's happening in Iraq to be more than typically glib.

Planting Paranoia  —  There are good reasons to be paranoid after seven years of the Bush administration.  Questions for pres conferences are frequently screened beforehand.  Pundits are paid off to shill for Bush administration policy without revealing it.

Court takes no action on gun case  —  The Supreme Court on Tuesday announced no action on a new case testing the meaning of the Second Amendment — an issue the Court has not considered in 68 years.  The Orders List contained no mention of either the District of Columbia's appeal (07-290) …

Movin' On Up  —  A Treasury study refutes populist hokum about "income inequality."  —  If you've been listening to Mike Huckabee or John Edwards on the Presidential trail, you may have heard that the U.S. is becoming a nation of rising inequality and shrinking opportunity.

Post Critic Page Apologizes for E-Mail Remarks To Barry Aide  —  A Pulitzer Prize-winning writer for The Washington Post has apologized to D.C. Council member Marion Barry for sending an intemperate e-mail to his spokesman.  —  "It's the stupidest thing I've done in 30 years in journalism," music critic Tim Page said yesterday.