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.

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.

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 …

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 …

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.

Court strikes down Texas ban on sex toys  —  Federal appeals court says law violates right to privacy.  —  A federal appeals court has struck down a seldom-enforced Texas law making it a crime to promote or sell sex toys.  —  The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, ruling in a case originally filed …

When We Torture  —  The most famous journalist you may never have heard of is Sami al-Hajj, an Al Jazeera cameraman who is on a hunger strike to protest abuse during more than six years in a Kafkaesque prison system.  —  Mr. Hajj's fortitude has turned him into a household name in the Arab world …

Gallup Daily: Tracking Election 2008  —  Based on polling conducted February 10-12, 2008  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama remain locked in a statistical tie among Democrats nationally for the Democratic presidential nomination.  —  In Gallup Poll Daily tracking conducted …

Joel Surnow Exits “24″  —  ***UPDATE: Welcome fellow Corner fans and thanks again to John J. Miller for linking to us.  Please have a look around.  Today we learned Nicole Kidman will be playing Valerie Plame — the blonde leading the blonde.  —  More “24″ bad news from today's Hollywood Reporter:

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 …

The “Superdelegates”: Always Intended to be Independent  —  There is certainly a valid concern expressed by those who fear that the 796 “superdelegates” to the August 2008 Democratic National Convention — Democratic elected officials, party officials and VIPs - might make the difference …

Blood-and-guts politics  —  Old-guard feminists caterwaul for Hillary, while the “weird old coot” rattles right-wing radio.  Plus: Balancing the climate debate, real “Teeth,” and Suzanne Pleshette, RIP.  —  Disemboweling is evidently the theme du jour.  As the political wars rage …