For McCain, Self-Confidence on Ethics Poses Its Own Risk  —  WASHINGTON — Early in Senator John McCain's first run for the White House eight years ago, waves of anxiety swept through his small circle of advisers.  —  A female lobbyist had been turning up with him at fund-raisers, in his offices and aboard a client's corporate jet.

MSNBC and Me  —  On Tuesday night, after an important and historic victory in the Wisconsin Presidential Primary by Senator Barack Obama, I appeared on the MSNBC post-election program.  “Hardball” host Chris Matthews (who is, it turns out, as ferocious as they say), began grilling me on Senator Obama's legislative record.

O'Reilly: “I don't want to go on a lynching party against Michelle Obama unless there's evidence, hard facts, that say this is how the woman really feels"  —  During the February 19 edition of his nationally syndicated radio show, Bill O'Reilly took a call from a listener who said of Michelle Obama …

Clinton's Blueprint  —  A trio of senior advisers to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (N.Y.) presidential campaign held a conference call this afternoon to lay out what they believe is a blueprint that — over the next two weeks — will restore the race for the nomination to rough parity between …

Danish Caricaturist of Muhammad Fame Now Homeless  —  Two years ago Kurt Westergaard was in his Copenhagen home drawing pictures.  One of them was of the Muslim prophet, Muhammad.  Now Westergaard is homeless.  —  Draw a picture offensive to Muslim extremists, and you might find yourself without a roof.

Justices Rule on Retroactivity of Decisions  —  WASHINGTON — In a new pro-defendant twist on federalism, the Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that state courts are free to give criminal defendants the benefit of new constitutional developments, even when federal courts would be foreclosed from doing so.

TIA Passenger Had Box Cutter In Hollowed-Out Book  —  A security officer at Tampa International Airport found a box cutter hidden in a hollowed-out book on Sunday.  —  TAMPA — A 21-year-old Clearwater man was arrested at Tampa International Airport this weekend after security personnel found …

Clinton Campaign Sets Up Website to Push to Change the Rules  —  This morning brings the news that the campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, has launched a new website where they are announcing how they are officially preparing to make the case that the rules of the Democratic nomination process should be changed.

Use of Private Care Tests British Health System  —  LONDON — Created 60 years ago as a cornerstone of the British welfare state, the National Health Service is devoted to the principle of free medical care for everyone.  But recently it has been wrestling with a problem its founders never anticipated …

“Barack Will Never Allow You to Go Back to Your Lives as Usual.”  —  Last night I appeared on Hugh's show, and his producer Duane mentioned a Michelle Obama speech at UCLA.  Captain Ed talked about this a bit, but I hadn't seen anyone transcribe the part of the speech where it gets a little... unnerving.

Attacking Obama  —  I am tapping out my link-free cocktail party talking points of probable attack lines against Obama.  Help me out!  —  1. Can We Settle For Picking A President, Not A Messiah?  —  It's wonderful that Mr. Audacity of Hope has got Scarlett Johannson all acquiver …

CNN: al Qaeda congratulates Obama on WI primary victory  —  To be fair, Anderson Cooper didn't actually say what the closed captioning stenographer thinks he did.  But, c'mon. How many hearing-impaired Americans do you suppose are out there that think bin Laden called Senator Obama last night?