U.S. Says Iran Ended Atomic Arms Work  —  A new assessment by American intelligence agencies concludes that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 and that the program remains on hold, contradicting an assessment two years ago that Tehran was working inexorably toward building a bomb.

USA TODAY/Gallup Poll: Significant drops in support for Clinton & Giuliani  —  "National support for Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton and Republican Rudy Giuliani significantly eroded over the past month," USA TODAY Washington bureau chief Susan Page writes.  —  Meanwhile, Republican Mike …

Senate Aide In Kiddie Sex Bust  —  FBI: Staffer for Sen. Maria Cantwell sought tryst with boy  —  A U.S. Senate aide was arrested Friday after allegedly arranging a lunchtime sexual encounter with a teenage boy, according to federal court records.  James McHaney, 28, was nabbed by FBI agents …

Vulnerable Democrats See Fates Tied to Clinton  —  MANHATTAN, Kan. — Nancy Boyda, a Democrat who ran for Congress in this district last year, owed her upset victory partly to the popularity of the Democratic woman at the top of the ticket: Kathleen Sebelius, who won the governor's seat.

Prominent Stem Cell Researcher Praised By Bush Rips White House's Stem Cell Policies  —  Last month, University of Wisconsin professor James Thomson — the first scientist to successfully isolate embryonic stem cells — and his colleagues published a paper in Science Magazine stating …

Why is HRC stooping So Low?  —  I'm becoming increasingly concerned about the stridency and inaccuracy of charges in Iowa — especially coming from my old friend.  While I'm as hard-boiled as they come about what's said in campaigns, I just don't think Dems should stoop to this.

The latest turnabout  —  The decision to reduce the charges against Bell was the latest turnabout for Walters, who had vowed to aggressively prosecute the six black youths for their alleged roles in assaulting Justin Barker at Jena High School on Dec. 4, 2006, and kicking him while he lay unconscious.

Beware The Mormon Captivity Cont'd  —  Well, waiting for specific examples of what, exactly, a Mormon president might do that warrants explicitly voting against a Mormon is a bit like waiting for Godot.  Most of the responses I've received flatly admit that there is no problem with Mitt's conservatism, it's the Mormonism.

Congress takes-on credit card firms  —  Critics say some companies boost rates even when customers pay on time  —  WASHINGTON - Some members of Congress are denouncing credit card industry practices that include raising interest rates for customers whose credit ratings decline, even if they make their card payments on time.

Reid pushes back on Iraq optimism  —  Democrats are increasingly bailing on their previously held view that the troop surge in Iraq has been a "failure," but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid isn't ready to jump on the bandwagon with other Democrats who say the surge has worked.

When Did Scott Ott Become Hillary Clinton's Campaign Manager?  —  All right, I know a great satire site when I read it.  Scott Ott must have contracted with the Hillary Clinton campaign for this argument, right?  Only a true satirist or a complete idiot would go after a campaign opponent for his academic record — in kindergarten!

Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down Public Funding Of Evangelical Prison Program In Iowa  —  Americans United Praises Court Ruling That Upholds Separation Of Church And State  —  A federal appeals court today ruled that tax funding of an evangelical Christian rehabilitation program …