Poll: Obama, McCain lead in Va.  —  Both enjoy sizable leads over rivals as primary approaches Tuesday  —  Barack Obama and John McCain may be cruising toward blowout wins in Virginia's presidential primary Tuesday.  —  Among the Democrats, the poll conducted for the Richmond Times-Dispatch …

Driving A Wedge  —  The Drudge Report is a right-wing site that is used to drive right-wing propaganda into the large, corporate media outlets.  When a story is featured at the Drudge Report, you always have to ask why, and ask what is the right's intent behind getting this story into circulation.

A LITTLE WEIRD  —  As you know, John McCain lost two of the three contests yesterday.  He was losing narrowly in Washington state and then pulled ahead by a narrow margin (less than two points) toward the end.  But then with 87% of the returns counted, the Washington state GOP, which runs the caucuses stopped releasing results.

Next Up for the Democrats: Civil War  —  WHAT if a presidential candidate held what she billed as “the largest, most interactive town hall in political history” on national television, and no one noticed?  —  The untold story in the run-up to Super Tuesday was Hillary Clinton's elaborate live prime …

The Disaffected Voters Who'll Decide 2008  —  It has been a totally confusing election — and the 2008 race is only getting started.  —  The resurrection of John McCain, the Barack Obama insurgency, the fall (and rise) of Hillary Rodham Clinton, the rise (and fall and rise) of Mike Huckabee …

Chris Wallace: probing, hard-nosed journalist  —  Chris Wallace interviewed George Bush today on Fox News and, after asking Bush about his views on waterboarding, this was the “question” which Wallace — sitting next to Bush in front of a cozy fireplace (after a borderline-romantic stroll …

Ashcroft: Bush is ‘the most respectful’ ever of civil liberties.  —  In a speech to Missouri Republicans yesterday, former attorney general John Ashcroft defended President Bush's warrantless wiretapping program and his record on civil liberties, declaring that Bush is “among the most respectful …

Neo-Cons and Bolton Flock to McCain Standard  —  As I noted in my last post, the withdrawal of both Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson would spur neo-conservatives and their closest aggressive nationalist friends, like John Bolton, to rally behind John McCain as their preferred candidate.

Bush: If Candidates Are ‘Talking About Me,’ Republicans ‘Have A Better Chance Of Winning’  —  In an interview with Fox News, President Bush argued that if his agenda and record are made central issues in the upcoming presidential election, then the Republican nominee stands “a better chance of winning” …

Superdelegates, Back Off  —  ON the first Wednesday in June, the morning after the last day of voting in the 1984 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, the long, drawn-out battle that began with Gary Hart's stunning victory in New Hampshire ended — but only after one last plot twist.

The Rules of the Game  —  Chris Bowers is outraged by the prospect of superdelegates determining the winner of the Democratic primary.  Kevin Drum is blasé.  I'll take a middle ground view — I think Chris is right to think it'd be a pretty bitter pill to swallow if that's how things shake out …