McCain's Critics on Right Look Again  —  WASHINGTON — Senator John McCain has long aroused almost unanimous opposition from the leaders of the right.  Accusing him of crimes against conservative orthodoxy like voting against a big tax cut and opposing a federal ban on same-sex marriage …

MOVEON ENDORSES OBAMA...  Today Barack Obama earned the endorsement of MoveOn, one of the largest grassroots membership organizations in the United States, after clobbering Hillary Clinton by 40 percent in Internet balloting.  Obama led the final tally 70.4% to 29.6%, clearing the supermajority required for the endorsement.

News Shocker: Ron Paul biggest GOP fundraiser last quarter  —  Well, it's official, ladies and gentlemen.  Believe it or not, Rep. Ron Paul, the 72-year-old Texan who hardly ever gets mentioned in Republican political news and the one-time libertarian who always gets the least time on TV debates …

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.

Al Qaeda use two 'Down's syndrome' women to blow up 73 people in Baghdad markets  —  Two women thought to suffer from Down's syndrome may have been unwilling suicide bombers in twin blasts that killed up to 73 people at pet markets in Baghdad today.  —  The first bomber instantly killed 45 people …

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.

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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.

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 …

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

Re: The GOP's Best Hope  —  John, if the Republicans' best hope is to scurry quickly past national security issues and bank on the Democrats' artificiality, then the game is over.  I agree that Iraq per se may not be our strong point.  But linking opposition to a precipitous pull-out in Iraq …