Hillary without tears  —  Why it's time to close the book on the Clintons — and herald the Obamas!  Plus: Iran war hawks, Russian drag queens and the genius of Zeppelin.  —  As her husband has dragged his numerous female play objects before her and has humiliated her on the public stage year after year …

Six candidates to appear at GOP debate  —  Following the New Hampshire primary, six Republican candidates will attend Thursday night's debate in Myrtle Beach, state party officials said today.  —  Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee …

Dems push ‘uncommitted’ option  —  Party leaders want Obama and Edwards backers to take a stand on the primary ballot.  —  LANSING — Top Michigan Democrats made another plea Wednesday to coax supporters of presidential candidates Barack Obama and John Edwards to vote “uncommitted” …

Richardson Drops Out of Democratic Race  —  Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico is pulling out of the presidential race, after coming in fourth in both the New Hampshire primary and the Iowa caucuses.  —  Mr. Richardson made the decision after returning to New Mexico yesterday and meeting with his top advisers.

2005 Use of Gas by Blackwater Leaves Questions  —  WASHINGTON — The helicopter was hovering over a Baghdad checkpoint into the Green Zone, one typically crowded with cars, Iraqi civilians and United States military personnel.  —  Suddenly, on that May day in 2005, the copter dropped CS gas …

New Estimate of Violent Deaths Among Iraqis Is Lower  —  A new survey estimates that 151,000 Iraqis died from violence in the three years following the U.S.-led invasion of the country.  Roughly 9 out of 10 of those deaths were a consequence of U.S. military operations, insurgent attacks and sectarian warfare.

The Surge Worked  —  It was exactly one year ago tonight, in a televised address to the nation, that President George W. Bush announced his fateful decision to change course in Iraq, and to send five additional U.S. combat brigades there as part of a new counterinsurgency strategy and under the command of a new general, David Petraeus.

Hillary's Free Pass  —  MANCHESTER, N.H.  —  Whatever your politics, people, you have to admit this is one great presidential race.  What next?  Fred Thompson takes Florida on a sympathy vote from retirees?  (They like a leader who's really, really rested.)  John Edwards finds a new emotion for South Carolina?

Justices Indicate They May Uphold Voter ID Rules  —  WASHINGTON — There are many ways to lose a Supreme Court case, and by the end of an argument that was before the court on Wednesday, the Democrats who were challenging Indiana's voter-identification law appeared poised to lose theirs …

Why Hillary Won  —  What would Shakespeare's Jack Cade say after the New Hampshire Democratic primary?  Maybe the demagogue in “Henry VI” would call for the pollsters to be killed first, not the lawyers.  —  The opinion researchers find themselves in a difficult place after most predicted a big Obama sweep.

For U.S., The Goal Is Now ‘Iraqi Solutions’  —  Approach Acknowledges Benchmarks Aren't Met  —  In the year since President Bush announced he was changing course in Iraq with a troop “surge” and a new strategy, U.S. military and diplomatic officials have begun their own quiet policy shift.

Romney's Fishy Delegate Claim  —  Why is the former Massachusetts governor telling folks that he leads in delegates?  —  In Boston today, Romney told supporters, “we have more delegates than any other Republican candidate running for president."  —  Here's the ABC News GOP Delegate Estimate:

President Bush and Palestinian Authority President Abbas Participate in Joint Press Availability  —  PRESIDENT ABBAS: (As translated.)  Your Excellency, President George Bush, President of the United States of America, I welcome you in Ramallah, as well as in Bethlehem, on the land of Palestine …

Goldman Sachs sees recession in 2008  —  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs on Wednesday said it expects the U.S. economy to drop into recession this year, prompting the Federal Reserve to slash benchmark lending rates to 2.5 percent by the third quarter.  —  In a note to clients …