Obama Camp's Memo on Clintons' Politicizing Race  —  Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign has prepared a detailed memo listing various instances in which it perceived Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign to have deliberately played the race card in the Democratic primary.  [See the full memo here.]

McCain & the Israeli/Palestinian Dispute  —  As I've previously noted, Sen. McCain adheres to the ill-conceived view, long regnant in diplomatic circles, that striking a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians is a top priority of U.S. foreign policy.

PRESIDENTIAL TRIAL HEATS: WHO'S WEAKEST FOR G.O.P?  —  This weekend, CNN released results of general election trial heats, pitting each of the four leading Republican candidates for President against both of the leading Democrats.  —  The unmistakable message from this national exercise …

Responding to Recession  —  Suddenly, the economic consensus seems to be that the implosion of the housing market will indeed push the U.S. economy into a recession, and that it's quite possible that we're already in one.  As a result, over the next few weeks we'll be hearing a lot about plans for economic stimulus.

The Democrats' Fairy Tale  —  “Give me a break.  This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I've ever seen."  Thus spoke Bill Clinton last Monday night, exasperated by Barack Obama's claim that he — unlike Hillary Clinton — had been consistently right (or wrong, depending on your point of view) on the Iraq war.

Clinton Attacks on Iraq  —  To add to what Ezra Klein says about the new round of Iraq-related attacks Hillary Clinton is making on Barack Obama, my issue here is that I don't understand what point her campaign is trying to make.  Has Obama been less of a consistent, strong anti-war leader than I would have liked?

AMICUS BRIEFS FOR PETITIONER IN D.C. V. HELLER:  —  On Friday, 20 amicus briefs were filed in support of the District of Columbia government, in the case challenging the District's ban on handguns and on functional firearms.  The briefs are here.  —  Most notably, the Solicitor General asked …

McCain Moves Into Lead; Obama Gains on Clinton  —  The first contests of the 2008 presidential campaign have led to a dramatic shake-up in public opinion nationally, with Sen. John McCain now leading the Republican field and Sen. Barack Obama all but erasing Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's once …

In Defending War Vote, Clintons Contradict Record  —  WASHINGTON — Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton have repeatedly invoked the name of Senator Chuck Hagel, a longtime critic of the Iraq war, as they defend Mrs. Clinton's 2002 vote to authorize the war.  —  In interviews and at a recent campaign event …

Financial advisers' No. 1 worry: A Democrat in the White House  —  Nothing worries financial advisers more than the prospect of a Democrat's being elected president in November, according to a quarterly poll by Brinker Capital Inc.  —  The fourth-quarter edition of the Brinker Barometer …

The Pork King Keeps His Crown  —  The new earmark disclosure rules put into effect by Congress confirm the pre-eminence of Representative John Murtha at procuring eye-popping chunks of pork for contractors he helped put in business in Johnstown, Pa. The Pennsylvania Democrat …

Escalating Ice Loss Found in Antarctica  —  Sheets Melting in an Area Once Thought to Be Unaffected by Global Warming  —  Climatic changes appear to be destabilizing vast ice sheets of western Antarctica that had previously seemed relatively protected from global warming, researchers reported yesterday …

HILLARY, BARACK RAP & ROCK  —  PRESIDENTIAL hopeful Barack Obama claims to run a clean campaign, but someone in his camp took a swipe at Hillary Clinton through the candidate's theme song.  —  As Obama and his wife, Michelle, strolled triumphantly into his victory party in Des Moines, Iowa …