A Rebellion and an Awkward Embrace  —  In the most exciting and confounding election cycle of my lifetime, Rudy Giuliani, the Prince of the City, is out because he was about to lose New York, John Edwards is out, the Clintons are fighting for their historical reputations …

Focus-group women unchanged post-debate  —  BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — If Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama wanted their last debate performances before Super Tuesday to change minds, it didn't work.  —  At least not for 10 undecided California women who gathered for a focus group aimed …

WH funds race: Clinton, Obama crush GOP-ers  —  Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama out-raised the four Republican presidential candidates - John McCain, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul - $49.6 million to $42.2 million in the last three months of 2007, according to finance reports made public Thursday night.

Buried WMD Scoop  —  Journalists are taught never to “bury the lead.”  Yet it looks as if that's precisely what CBS's “60 Minutes” did in reporter Scott Pelley's fascinating interview Sunday with George Piro, the FBI agent who debriefed Saddam Hussein following his capture in December 2003.

Times Reporter Subpoenaed Over Source for Book  —  WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury has issued a subpoena to a reporter of The New York Times, apparently to try to force him to reveal his confidential sources for a 2006 book on the Central Intelligence Agency, one of the reporter's lawyers said Thursday.

Employment Situation Summary  —  Technical information:  —  Household data: (202) 691-6378 USDL 08-0130  —  Establishment data: (202) 691-6555 Transmission of material in this release  —  http://www.bls.gov/ces/ is embargoed until 8:30 A.M. (EST), Media contact: (202) 691-5902 Friday, February 1, 2008.

The McCain Transition  —  John McCain is exhausted.  He hasn't had a full-night's sleep in forever.  It took him 10 hours to get to California because of flight trouble.  He underperformed in the debate Wednesday night, as his staff understands.  He took some shots at Mitt Romney …

Coulter: If McCain's the nominee, I'll campaign for Hillary  —  The ne plus ultra of conservatives crapping away Iraq in a fit of spite at Maverick: “I think she would be stronger on the war on terrorism.”  Madness.  —  Blowback

The Edwards Effect  —  So John Edwards has dropped out of the race for the presidency.  By normal political standards, his campaign fell short.  —  But Mr. Edwards, far more than is usual in modern politics, ran a campaign based on ideas.  And even as his personal quest for the White House faltered …

Countdown Special Comment: On FISA and Telecom Immunity  —  Keith Olbermann's Special Comment tonight on Countdown was yet another scathing rebuke of President Bush and his lies about the pending FISA legislation and fear tactics during his final State of the Union address earlier this week.

Clawing for a Legacy  —  Legacy?  What legacy?  —  There was general amazement when (the now-muzzled) Bill Clinton did his red-faced, attack-dog, race-baiting performance in South Carolina.  Friends, Democrats and longtime media sycophants were variously perplexed, repulsed, enraged …

Obama Won  —  It was, I think, his best debate in the campaign so far.  The one-on-one format elevated him instantly and he commanded the stage and the occasion.  Hillary Clinton did not do poorly.  All her strengths were on show: the policy mastery, the gaffe-free talking points, the Clinton record in the 1990s.

Here's the problem with McCain (Remember Alcibiades?)  —  If there is any justice in the world, Sen. John McCain's hopes of winning the 2008 Republican presidential nomination will suffer a body blow when people are reminded of a well-sourced story published last year by The Hill describing …