Publisher: McClellan doesn't believe Bush lied  —  Spokesman 'did not intend to suggest' the president purposely misled him  —  President George W. Bush listens as his Press Secretary, Scott McClellan, announces his resignation at the White House April 19, 2006 in Washington, DC.  —  Video

The Two-Man Republican Race  —  Rudy Giuliani has either stalled or fallen some in the polls over the last month, and questions are being raised about his campaign's "theory of the race" — which is, basically, that he can successfully wait to win a state until Florida's primary on January 29 …

She's No Morgenthau  —  Most of the time, Barack Obama seems like he's boxing in the wrong weight class.  But Monday in Fort Dodge, Iowa, he delivered an unscripted jab that was a beaut.  —  At a news conference, the Illinois senator was asked about Hillary Clinton's attack on his qualifications.

Saudi rape victim's husband blames judge for punishment  —  (CNN) — The husband of a Saudi rape victim sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in prison said his wife is "a crushed human being," but blamed a judge — not the Saudi judicial system — for treating her as a criminal.

Latest Column  —  Let the games begin.  —  As for FISA:  —  1. The bipartisan bill that was being negotiated by House Intelligence Committee members probably would have won a veto-proof majority, and would have included the most crucial civil liberties protections—the "minimization" …

Resurgent Taliban closing in on Kabul: report  —  LONDON (Reuters) - The conflict in Afghanistan has reached "crisis proportions," with the resurgent Taliban present in more than half the country and closing in on Kabul, a report said on Wednesday.  —  If NATO, the lead force operating in Afghanistan …

The New Willie Horton?  Not Quite  —  Mitt Romney has had a tough week.  Just days after someone push-polled Iowans in an ugly display of bigotry, a new attack has floated into the blogosphere regarding Romney's judicial nominations as Governor in Massachusetts.

Ron Paul Backer Aims to Snag Travelers  —  Larry Lepard, a venture capitalist and Ron Paul supporter from Massachusetts, has shelled out about $85,000 of his own money to throw what he told U.S. News is a "small hard rock at a good target": a full-page ad supporting Paul that will run …

Ron Paul Courts 9-11 Troofers on Alex Jones Show...Again  —  Apparently, America's greatest patriot was on Loonwaffle/Trooferville's favorite radio show today with the King Nutbar himself, although I'm not sure if anyone grabbed audio.  —  If you want to listen to the rebroadcast stream, go here.

Ex-Iraq commander says bring troops home  —  WASHINGTON - Retired Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the top commander in Iraq shortly after the fall of Baghdad, said this week he supports Democratic legislation that calls for most troops to come home within a year.

Russian opposition election candidate shot  —  MOSCOW (Reuters) - An opposition politician running in Russian parliamentary elections was shot and seriously wounded on Wednesday as he entered his house in the southern Russian region of Dagestan, Russian media reported.

Top conservative slams Rudy on abortion  —  As the Republican presidential primaries approach early next year, a chorus of voices for former Mayor Rudy Giuliani is consistently telling the public that he would appoint "strict constructionist" judges to the federal bench.

Former AG Alberto Gonzales heckled at speaking appearance  —  WASHINGTON (AP) - As he steps out on a speech-giving tour at college campuses, former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales may soon wish he was still talking to hostile congressional committees.  —  Gonzales, who resigned under fire …

The United Nations is Always Right  —  Last week, the secretary-general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, issued a new warning on global warming that began with this sentence: "We all agree.  Climate change is real, and we humans are its chief cause ... we are on the verge of a catastrophe if we do not act."

They hate me!  They really hate me!  —  Wow.  Early in my tenure at the NYT, I was advised that it's a bad idea to devote a column to attacking another columnist — not just at the Times, but anywhere.  Why?  Because it makes you look small — as if you have nothing better to do than snipe …