McCain's Veep Options  —  While congratulations are still premature, with Mitt Romney dropping out of the race yesterday it is now very likely that the Republican Party will nominate Sen. John McCain for president.  If that happens, the GOP will, for the first time since 1976 …

Romney's Run Was Dogged by Miscalculations  —  With Mitt Romney's campaign for president nearly in tatters, he huddled with his senior advisers on Wednesday morning, jotting notes with pen and paper, to go over his options.  —  By the time the meeting ended, he seemed to want to stay in the race.

Can Mrs. Clinton Lose?  —  If Hillary Clinton loses, does she know how to lose?  What will that be, if she loses?  Will she just say, “I concede” and go on vacation at a friend's house on an island, and then go back to the Senate and wait?  —  Is it possible she could be so normal?

Bush, Congress hit bottom in AP poll  —  WASHINGTON - It's almost as if people can barely stand the thought of President Bush and Congress anymore.  Bush reached his lowest approval rating in The Associated Press-Ipsos poll on Friday as only 30 percent said they like the job he is doing …

Mormons Dismayed by Harsh Spotlight  —  Mitt Romney's campaign for the presidency brought more attention to the Mormon Church than it has had in years.  What the church discovered was not heartening.  —  Critics of its doctrines and culture launched frequent public attacks.

Gloves off: The Dem plan to hit McCain  —  With John McCain poised to win the Republican nomination, Democrats are already gathering ammunition to use against him in the general election.  —  In more than a few instances, the best fodder has been provided by the candidate himself.

Berkeley Backs Off On Banning Marines  —  Berkeley Mayor Apologizes To Marines Over Recruiting Center Flap  —  BERKELEY, Calif. — As six Republican senators devised a plan to yank $2.3 million in federal funding for Berkeley programs, the mayor of the famously liberal city apologized Wednesday …

Studies Deem Biofuels a Greenhouse Threat  —  Almost all biofuels used today cause more greenhouse gas emissions than conventional fuels if the full emissions costs of producing these “green” fuels are taken into account, two studies being published Thursday have concluded.

Remarks by the President to the Conservative Political Action Conference  —  Washington, D.C.  —  THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, all.  Good morning.  I thank you for coming.  I apologize to my friend — he likes to sleep in.  (Laughter.)  —  I really do want to thank you all for adjusting the schedule.

Questions for Dr. Retail  —  QUESTION: Dr. Retail, now that the Democratic presidential race has entered its long, bloody slog phase, I figured it was time to get a fresh perspective.  Can you explain to me what it's all about?  —  DR. RETAIL: Why do you bother me with simple problems?

Boy wants to return to school as a girl  —  HIGHLANDS RANCH - The issue of being transgender usually pops up with students in high school.  However, a 3rd grade boy wants to dress as a girl and wants teachers and students to address him with a girl's name.  —  “As a public school system …

The Story from CPAC  —  Will reporters hype the division?  —  JOHN MCCAIN'S SPEECH at CPAC was surprisingly well-received.  Aside from a couple small pockets of boos, McCain got a more than polite applause from the crowd.  And one of the interesting things to watch, from my vantage point …

A Long Story  —  The economic news has been fairly dire this week.  The credit crunch is getting worse, and a widely watched indicator of trends in the service sector — which is most of the economy — has fallen off a cliff.  It's still not a certainty that we're headed into recession, but the odds are growing greater.