Attack ad decision cost Huck $150K  —  DES MOINES, Iowa — Mike Huckabee's last-minute decision to pull the plug on an attack ad against Mitt Romney has been the talk of Iowa in recent days.  —  But it turns out there is more to the story than Huckabee explained at his now-famous, had-to-see-it-to-believe it news conference Monday.

Criminal probe opened over CIA tapes  —  WASHINGTON - Attorney General Michael Mukasey appointed an outside prosecutor Wednesday to lead a criminal investigation into the destruction of CIA interrogation videotapes.  —  The CIA acknowledged last month that it destroyed videos …

Poll: Neck-and-neck in New Hampshire  —  (CNN) — With six days to go until the New Hampshire primary, there are ties in poll results for the top candidates in both parties.  —  With roughly a quarter of those polled in both parties saying they won't make up their mind until the election …

Readership of major liberal blogs declined in 2007 while conservative blog readership increased  —  It has long been understood that the largest liberal blogs have generally produced more web traffic than the largest conservative blogs.  But I have noticed a general trend over the past few months …

Stonewalled by the C.I.A.  —  MORE than five years ago, Congress and President Bush created the 9/11 commission.  The goal was to provide the American people with the fullest possible account of the “facts and circumstances relating to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001” — and to offer recommendations to prevent future attacks.

Did A Hi-Tech Laser Beam Kill Benazir Bhutto?  —  Here are two important stories related to Pakistan.  First, allegations have surfaced that sophisticated laser beam technology was used to eliminate Benazir Bhutto.  Second, Pakistan's general election has been postponed until February 18.

The 40 Most Obnoxious Quotes Of 2007 … Also see,  —  The 40 Most Obnoxious Quotes Of 2006  —  The 40 Most Obnoxious Quotes For 2005  —  The 40 Most Obnoxious Quotes For 2004

Rush: Huck ‘not a conservative’  —  Rush Limbaugh devoted a large portion of his first show since the holidays to criticizing Mike Huckabee's candidacy and offering a disapproving bottom-line assessment of the former governor.  —  “Ladies and gentlemen, Gov. Huckabee, mighty fine man …

A Plan to Kill Everyone  —  “War, children, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away” - The Rolling Stones, from “Gimme Shelter"  —  FALLUJAH — A sign on the door leading out of India Company's Combat Operations Center says “Have a Plan to Kill Everyone You Meet.”

Edwards: Too Cute by Half  —  John Edwards may very well win Iowa.  He has a strong organization, four years in the making, and a message that goes to the anger and frustration of many voters.  —  His central theme is that Washington is corrupt.  Lobbyists and money control the process.

Parties Trading Places  —  As the first actual voting in this year's presidential contest is finally about to begin, the two parties have swapped places.  The Democrats, by tradition the party of irreconcilable factions, are, for all their election-eve squabbling, more united than they've been in decades.