Iowa: Edwards surges, Huckabees bubble bursts  —  DES MOINES, Iowa — John Edwards has clawed his way into contention to win Iowa's caucuses on Thursday in the first vote for the Democratic presidential nomination, gaining strength even as rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have lost ground, according to a new McClatchy-MSNBC poll.

Times defends hiring conservative Kristol  —  The New York Times' hiring of Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol to write for its op-ed page caused a frenzy in the liberal blogosphere Friday night, with threats of canceling subscriptions and claims that the Gray Lady had been hijacked by neo-cons

Warning of Threats, Clinton Sells Clinton  —  Ex-President Emphasizes Wife's Experience  —  NASHUA, N.H. — Former president Bill Clinton yesterday delivered in stark terms a version of his wife's central campaign message: that her experience in Washington better prepares her to “deal with the unexpected.”

Bipartisan Group Eyes Independent Bid  —  First, Main Candidates Urged To Plan ‘Unity’ Government  —  New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, a potential independent candidate for president, has scheduled a meeting next week with a dozen leading Democrats and Republicans …

Thompson: ‘Not particularly interested in running for president’  —  (CNN) — Republican Fred Thompson has long faced criticism he lacks motivation to be President of the United States, but the Tennessee Republican's latest comments Saturday are likely to spawn fresh heat.

A Moderate MLA  —  The Modern Language Association frequently helps out its critics with provocative session titles and left-leaning political stands offered by its members.  At this year's annual meeting, in Chicago, some MLA members have worried that the association was poised to take stances …

2007 DMN Texan of the Year: The Illegal Immigrant  —  He is at the heart of a great culture war in Texas - and the nation, credited with bringing us prosperity and blamed for abusing our resources.  How should we deal with this stranger among us?  —  He breaks the law by his very presence.

A penalty for free riders  —  Obama floats a new detail — at least one I hadn't heard — of how he might deal with the “free rider” problem on his healthcare plan — healthy young people who don't get insurance until they get sick.  —  You could “charge a penalty if they try to sign up later,” he says on Meet the Press.

Bhutto's Successor  —  Benazir Bhutto's son has been anointed her successor, the slain former prime minister's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) confirmed today.  A senior PPP official had told TIME late Saturday that Bhutto's 19-year-old son, Bilawal, would likely be named as her political heir and the new party leader on Sunday.