Obama's Lead in Delegates Shifts Focus of Campaign  —  WASHINGTON — Senator Barack Obama emerged from Tuesday's primaries leading Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton by more than 100 delegates, a small but significant advantage that Democrats said would be difficult for Mrs. Clinton …

Clinton counts on superdelegates  —  WASHINGTON — Hillary Clinton will take the Democratic nomination even if she does not win the popular vote, but persuades enough superdelegates to vote for her at the convention, her campaign advisers say.  —  The New York senator …

Making (Some) Progress in Iraq  —  Good news is rare in Iraq.  But after months of bitter feuding, Iraq's Parliament has finally approved a budget, outlined the scope of provincial powers, set an Oct. 1 date for provincial elections and voted a general amnesty for detainees.

McCain and Obama Take Their Senatorial Rivalry Into the Presidential Race  —  WAUKESHA, Wis. — Their tempest began well before their bids for a presidential nomination.  —  When Senator John McCain claimed victory for a round of primaries on Tuesday, it was little surprise that he skipped …

McCain Adviser Won't Fight Obama  —  ABC News' Teddy Davis Reports: On Wednesday, a top adviser to John McCain said more definitively than he has in the past that he will step down from the Arizona senator's presidential campaign if the presumed GOP nominee faces Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., in the general election.

Maverick Fails The Test: McCain Votes Against Waterboarding Ban  —  Today, the Senate brought the Intelligence Authorization Bill to the floor, which contained a provision from Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) establishing one interrogation standard across the government.

The Cult of Obama  —  Every political news outlet, from the networks to the blogs, is abuzz today with the question: Is the Obama phenomenon a cult?  —  People — particularly Hillary partisans — are eagerly putting this idea out there.  I want to make it very clear before I get started …

Hardbrawl  —  Last fall, as network executives, members of Congress and other hotshots gathered beneath a massive tent at Washington's Decatur House to celebrate the 10th anniversary of “Hardball,” Chris Matthews began to address the crowd.

Texas Ban on Sex Toy Sales Is Overturned  —  FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A federal appeals court has overturned a statute outlawing sex toy sales in Texas, one of the last states — all in the South — to retain such a ban.  —  The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Texas law making …

Obama at the Top  —  Hillary Clinton probably didn't watch the stem-winder speech that Barack Obama delivered Tuesday night after cleaning her clock in the Potomac primaries.  If not, she should.  —  It was tiresome.  —  The speech was classic Obama.  Beautifully written and beautifully delivered …

Be My Political Valentine  —  Are you in love with a staffer on Capitol Hill, someone who works at a think tank, or just a plain, old political wonk?  Well, then today's your lucky day because you can show them that you really do understand their weird obsession with monetary policy …

Ethics Panel Admonishes Craig for Conduct in Sex Sting  —  Sen. Larry E. Craig (R-Idaho) was rebuked yesterday by the Senate ethics committee over his conviction for disorderly conduct in an airport men's restroom, with the panel concluding that he committed the offense and citing him for actions …