South Carolina Poll: Mitt, Huck Up, Rudy Cratering, Race Super-Volatile  —  Greetings from Clemson, South Carolina, where John McCain is scheduled to make an appearance this morning before heading to Florida for the YouTube debate.  —  But the big news here is a new Palmetto Poll …

Head of Rove Inquiry in Hot Seat Himself  —  Bloch Used Private Company,  —  Geeks on Call, to Delete Files  —  On His Office Computer  —  WASHINGTON — The head of the federal agency investigating Karl Rove's White House political operation is facing allegations that he improperly …

Bill Clinton Flatly Asserts He Opposed War at Start  —  During a campaign swing for his wife, former President Bill Clinton said flatly yesterday that he opposed the war in Iraq "from the beginning" — a statement that is more absolute than his comments before the invasion in March 2003.

US public opinion shifts on Iraq 'surge'  —  US public opinion on military progress in Iraq has improved sharply since the troops "surge" started in February but a majority of Americans still want soldiers brought home, according to a new poll.  —  Some 48 per cent of Americans now believe …

In Iowa, Mormon Issue Is Benefiting Huckabee  —  The religious divide over Mitt Romney's Mormon faith that his supporters had long feared would occur is emerging in Iowa as he is being challenged in state polls by Mike Huckabee, a former Baptist pastor who has played up his faith in his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

GOP will demand 'oath' of February primary voters  —  RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — If you're planning to vote in Virginia's February Republican presidential primary, be prepared to sign an oath swearing your Republican loyalty.  —  The State Board of Elections on Monday approved a state Republican Party request …

NRO Exclusive: Mansoor Ijaz Details His Exchange With Romney  —  I spoke with Mansoor Ijaz — author of a Christian Science Monitor op-ed asserting that Mitt Romney said he would not consider Muslims to work in his Cabinet — yesterday, and we conducted the following interview by e-mail.

Reporters say Baghdad too dangerous despite surge  —  Nearly 90 percent of U.S. journalists in Iraq say much of Baghdad is still too dangerous to visit, despite a recent drop in violence attributed to the build-up of U.S. forces, a poll released on Wednesday said.

NO WAY ZALMAY?  —  With Mitt and Muslims, it's a pretty extraordinary statement that a presidential candidate would, on principle, rule out members of an entire religion for high office in his administration.  And it's not an entirely theoretical question.  Zalmay Khalilzad …

Palestinian Authority TV shows" Palestine" map erasing Israel  —  Just a day after Israeli and Palestinian leaders at the Annapolis peace conference pledged to negotiate a peace treaty by the end of 2008, Mahmoud Abbas's Palestinian Authority continues to paint a picture for its people of a world without Israel.

Teacher charged in teddy bear case  —  KHARTOUM, Sudan (CNN) — A British teacher arrested in Sudan after allowing her class to name a teddy bear "Mohammed" has been charged by authorities with offending religion, British officials say.  —  Gillian Gibbons, 54, is being held by police …

BUSTED!!.... ANOTHER BOGUS IRAQI SLAUGHTER STORY!!!  —  LAY THIS BOGUS IRAQI SLAUGHTER STORY TO REST...  Reportedly, on Sunday 11 close family members of Jordanian-based Baathist reporter Dia al-Kawwaz, who runs the online anti-Iraq newspaper Shabeqat Akhbar al-Iraq, were slaughtered in Baghdad.

Aloha!  DoJ Voting Chief is Frequent Flier  —  When John Tanner, chief of the Civil Rights Division's voting section, appeared before a Congressional panel last month, he was upbraided by Democrats for his "ineffectiveness."  Little did they know that as the section, probably the most politicized …

Edwards Campaign Launches New Grassroots Campaign Asking Voters To Help Reclaim America By Signing "America Belongs To Us" Pledge  —  Campaign challenges 1 million supporters to pledge to refuse to vote or caucus for presidential candidates who accept campaign contributions from Washington lobbyists or special interest PACs

Rudy and the gays  —  The Empire State Pride Agenda, the main New York gay group, launched a site today with video of Rudy Giuliani's appearances before the group.  —  The best moment — which gives you a feel for who he was as New York's mayor — comes with what his audience took …

Democrats' health plans echo Nixon's failed GOP proposal  —  WASHINGTON — Even before Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton unveiled her new health-care plan, Republicans attacked it as socialized medicine.  They neglected to mention, however, that her plan bears a striking resemblance …

Caution: Taliban Crossing  —  IN the early 1900s, a crusty British general, Andrew Skeen, wrote a guide to military operations in the Pashtun tribal belt, in what is now Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province.  His first piece of advice: "When planning a military expedition into Pashtun tribal areas …