Clinton Has Edge in Ohio; Race in Texas Deadlocked  —  AUSTIN, Feb. 21 — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, facing a pair of big Democratic primary tests on March 4 that could determine the fate of her presidential candidacy, is deadlocked with Sen. Barack Obama here in Texas and holds a slender lead …

The Long Run-Up  —  Behind the Bombshell in ‘The New York Times.’  —  RELATED CONTENT  —  'Charlie's Horse,' by S.V. Date (2/6/08)  —  Last night, around dinnertime, The New York Times posted on its website a 3,000-word investigation detailing Senator John McCain's connections to a telecommunications lobbyist named Vicki Iseman.

The CNN Democratic presidential debate in Texas  —  This is the transcript of the debate between Democratic presidential candidates Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on February 21, 2008 at the University of Texas in Austin.  —  CNN's CAMPBELL BROWN: And the candidates have taken their seats.

An echo from Hillary  —  Several readers, and Obama's staff, heard an echo in Clinton's closing line, that the candidates on stage would be “fine.”  —  Clinton Tonight: ? … Edwards the December 13 debate: … Some borrowing is fairly normal.  What's been striking about the two Obama moments is that they were almost verbatim.

Police concerned about order to stop screening  —  DALLAS — Security details at Barack Obama's rally Wednesday stopped screening people for weapons at the front gates more than an hour before the Democratic presidential candidate took the stage at Reunion Arena.

Spending by Clinton Campaign Worries Supporters  —  Nearly $100,000 went for party platters and groceries before the Iowa caucuses, even though the partying mood evaporated quickly.  Rooms at the Bellagio luxury hotel in Las Vegas consumed more than $25,000; the Four Seasons, another $5,000.

Defining Victory Downward  —  Why was President Bush's decision more than a year ago to send another 30,000 troops to Iraq called “the surge”?  I don't know who invented this label, but the word “surge” evokes images of the sea: a wave that sweeps in, and then sweeps back out again.

A Final Thought On Tonight's Debate  —  This was the night where we all learned that Hillary Clinton understands the moment in history we are in, and that she is smart enough and gracious enough to realize that her party is more important than personal vanity, that there are things she just cannot …

When backing Barack feels like joining a cult  —  I'm an Obama girl and my man throttled Hillary Clinton, again, Tuesday night.  —  Suddenly, the impossible is real.  —  Suddenly, I'm nervous.  Very nervous, actually.  —  I'm nervous because an otherwise normal grownup told …