Fred Thompson may drop out  —  DES MOINES, Iowa - Several Republican officials close to Fred Thompson's presidential campaign said they expect the candidate will drop out of the race within days if he finishes poorly in Thursday's Iowa caucus.  —  Thompson's campaign, which last spring …

Criminal probe opened over CIA tapes  —  WASHINGTON - The Justice Department opened a full criminal investigation Wednesday into the destruction of CIA interrogation videotapes, putting the politically charged probe in the hands of a mob-busting public corruption prosecutor with a reputation for being independent.

Manhunt for Father Suspected of Killing Teen Girls  —  IRVING, Texas — Police continued searching for a man suspected of shooting his two teenage daughters, including one who called 911 about an hour before officers found them dead in his taxi, police said.

As Campaign Season Begins, Only One Presidential Candidate is Viewed Favorably by Majority of Voters  —  One impact of the long run-up to Election 2008 can be seen in public perceptions of the leading Presidential candidates.  After a year of campaigning with no votes actually being cast …

Return of the Swift Boaters  —  More than three years after John Kerry's bitter defeat, at the dawn of what looks like a far more promising campaign cycle for the Democrats, the party is still haunted by the specter of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.  Once upon a time, “Swift boat” …

Chris Dodd stands by his supporters.  Will not be part of an auction  —  Here's another reason to like Chris Dodd.  Andrea Mitchell wanted to know who Chris Dodd would support for the presidential nomination because she said there were reports that other candidates who are not considered to be in the top tier are cutting deals.

Clinton to appear on Letterman  —  Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) made a last-minute decision to appear on “Late Night with David Letterman” on the eve of the Iowa caucuses, campaign sources said.  —  Wednesday is Letterman's first night back since the writer's strike began.

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 Vast Right-Wing Hypocrisy  —  Richard Mellon Scaife, billionaire bankroller of conservative crusades, spent heavily to expose Bill Clinton's “Troopergate” misbehavior.  Now Scaife's divorce from his second wife, Ritchie, is providing another unsavory saga—adultery! addiction! assault! dognapping!?!—as both parties let loose to V.F.

Jim Talent: Romney will stop ‘the militant gays.’  —  Today on MSNBC's Hardball, former senator Jim Talent, now an adviser to Mitt Romney, discussed Romney's record on gays.  Talent maintained that Romney has never been inconsistent on gay rights and has “always” wanted to stop the influence of “the militant gays":

Former “Dateline” reporter blasts NBC  —  NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - A former “Dateline NBC” correspondent claims that in the aftermath of September 11, the network diverted him from reporting on al Qaeda and instead wanted him to ride along with the country's “forgotten heroes,” firefighters.

Attorney For D.C. in Gun Ban Case Fired  —  Counsel Was Set To Defend Law Before High Court  —  Acting D.C. Attorney General Peter Nickles has fired the city lawyer who had been preparing to defend the District's longtime ban on handguns before the Supreme Court this spring, a move that some city officials fear could harm the case.

Rosenthal withdraws from DA race  —  Harris County District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal has withdrawn his name from the Republican ballot for re-election today amid pressure from his own party following last week's release of intimate emails he wrote to his personal assistant.