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.

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 …

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.

Gallup Daily: Tracking Election 2008  —  Based on polling conducted Feb. 18-20, 2008  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are now tied in national Democratic presidential preferences, based on Feb. 18-20 Gallup Poll Daily tracking.  —  The latest three-day average finds Clinton favored …

Iraq's Sadr expected to extend ceasefire  —  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Powerful Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr is widely expected to extend a ceasefire by his Mehdi Army militia on Friday, a decision Washington says is important to maintain security gains.  —  U.S. officials say the ceasefire …

Utah students hide guns, head to class  —  CNNU campus correspondent Joshua Molina is a senior at Brigham Young University.  CNNU is a feature that provides student perspectives on news and trends from colleges across the United States.  The views expressed in this article are not necessarily those of CNN …

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 …