Study: False statements preceded war  —  WASHINGTON - A study by two nonprofit journalism organizations found that President Bush and top administration officials issued hundreds of false statements about the national security threat from Iraq in the two years following the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Will the Democratic presidential candidates adhere to their rhetoric?  —  (updated below - Update II - Update III)  —  Time's Massimo Calabresi predicts the likely outcome of the imminent FISA and telecom immunity fight, to begin this week or next: … Here we have a perfect expression …

The Death of Heath Ledger  —  The actor Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday afternoon in an apartment in Manhattan, according to the New York City police.  Signs pointed to a suicide or an accidental overdose, police sources said.  Mr. Ledger was 28.  [Now online: Comprehensive coverage prepared for Wednesday editions of The Times.]

Clinton Now Looking Beyond S.C.  —  Focus on 4 Delegate-Rich States Is Considered Risky  —  The next Democratic presidential nominating contest will take place in South Carolina on Saturday, but Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has already turned her full attention to places such as this …

McCain picks up $1 million in New York cash  —  Fort Walton Beach, Fla. - Armed with a contingent of high profile veterans and former prisoners of war, Sen. John McCain hammered home his core message of keeping the nation safe from terrorism as he wooed voters in this heavily military region …

Schwarzkopf to endorse McCain  —  Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, the heavily decorated Gulf War commander, will endorse Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Wednesday, a Republican source said.  —  McCain is stumping in Florida and Schwarzkopf is in Colorado.  But the general is likely to appear on the campaign trail with McCain soon.

The blog swarm Chris Matthews never saw coming  —  “I get it."  — Chris Matthews, January 17  —  When Chris Matthews' long-winded monologue at the opening of the January 17 Hardball program eventually touched down with an apology to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) …

With Thompson Out, Who Benefits Most?  —  The decision by former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson to end his candidacy for the GOP presidential nomination removes a conservative voice from the field even as the remaining Republican candidates crisscross Florida in search of votes in advance of the state's Jan. 29 primary.

Might Google Buy the New York Times?  —  The choice for the family would be basically this: double your money or double down on “young Arthur,” as the NYT's Chairman and CEO is sometimes called.  In the back of their minds, the prospect of doubling down on “young Arthur” …

Found in Translation  —  FBI whistleblower Sibel Edmonds spills her secrets.  —  Most Americans have never heard of Sibel Edmonds, and if the U.S. government has its way, they never will.  The former FBI translator turned whistleblower tells a chilling story of corruption at Washington's highest levels …

Clinton-Obama Slugfest  —  Who lands a clean punch?  Edwards was there, too.  —  In one of the liveliest debates of the 2008 presidential campaign, the three top Democrats slugged it out in Myrtle Beach, S.C. We noted some low blows:  — Clinton falsely accused Obama of saying he …

Wow[UPDATE: Not A Big Wow] - Tuesday, January 22, 2008 @ 11:10:28 PM  —  McCain, according to this, leads in California 41% to 17% for Romney, Rudy at 13% and Huckabee at 10%.  What?!  Yeah, I read it a few times to make sure I had it right.  (SurveyUSA by the way was very accurate on SC.)

Gazans destroy wall, flee to Egypt  —  Gunmen destroyed most of 7-mile wall along Gaza amid Israeli blockade  —  RAFAH, Gaza Strip - Tens of thousands of Palestinians poured from the Gaza Strip into Egypt Wednesday after masked gunmen with explosives destroyed most of the seven-mile wall dividing the border town of Rafah.

Gov. Blunt won't seek second term  —  Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, a Republican, just announced that he's not running for re-election this fall.  —  In a statement that shocked political leaders, in both parties, Blunt released a TV address “announcing that having achieved virtually everything …