Ickes: Blame Penn  —  Harold Ickes definitely doesn't buy the argument that Mark Penn isn't responsible for everything that has happened to the Hillary Clinton campaign.  —  “Mark Penn has run this campaign,” said Ickes in a brief phone interview this morning.

Obama staffer gave warning of NAFTA rhetoric  —  Barack Obama has ratcheted up his attacks on NAFTA, but a senior member of his campaign team told a Canadian official not to take his criticisms seriously, CTV News has learned.  —  Both Obama and Hillary Clinton have been critical …

Clinton raises $35 million in February  —  Hillary Clinton's camapign is set to announce later today that she's on track to raise roughly $35 million in the month of February, a huge month by any standard measure of political fundraising and her best of the campaign.

Obama's Open Letter To Gay Americans  —  Money quote: … The full thing after the jump:

Obama Has The Lead, But Potential Problems Too  —  Increasing Optimism About Iraq  —  Summary of Findings  —  Barack Obama is riding high as the March 4 primaries approach.  Obama has moved out to a broad-based advantage over Hillary Clinton in the national Democratic primary contest …

Geldof and Bush: Diary From the Road  —  I gave the president my book.  He raised an eyebrow.  “Who wrote this for ya, Geldof?” he said without looking up from the cover.  Very dry.  “Who will you get to read it for you, Mr. President?”  I replied.  No response.

McCain Endorsement Angers Catholic League President  —  Updated 6 p.m.  —  HOUSTON — The president of the Catholic League today blasted Sen. John McCain for accepting the endorsement of Texas evangelicalist John Hagee, calling the controversial pastor a bigot who has “waged an unrelenting war against the Catholic Church.”

McCain Keeps Up Attack on Obama  —  DALLAS — Senator John McCain accused Senator Barack Obama for the second day in a row of a willingness to hand over Iraq to Al Qaeda, a preview of the Republican national security strategy in the fall election.  —  At a news conference on Thursday …

1 in 100 U.S. Adults Behind Bars, New Study Says  —  For the first time in the nation's history, more than one in 100 American adults is behind bars, according to a new report.  —  Nationwide, the prison population grew by 25,000 last year, bringing it to almost 1.6 million.

American Traitor Adam Gadahn is Dead Update  —  A source tells The Jawa Report that Adam Gadahn is dead  —  ***Sticky: Scroll down for newer posts***  —  Is American al Qaeda member and indicted traitor Adam Gadahn dead?  Shortly after a U.S. Predator drone attack killed Abu Laith al-Libi …

Iran ‘number one world power’: Ahmadinejad … President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared on Thursday that Iran was the world's “number one” power, as he launched a bitter new assault on domestic critics he accused of siding with the enemy.  —  “Everybody has understood that Iran is the number …

Staying to Help in Iraq  —  The request is familiar to American ears: “Bring them home.”  —  But in Iraq, where I've just met with American and Iraqi leaders, the phrase carries a different meaning.  It does not refer to the departure of U.S. troops, but to the return of the millions …

Pelosi Letter to Attorney General Mukasey on Contempt Citations of Miers and Bolten  —  February 28th, 2008 by Office of the Speaker  —  Washington, D.C. - Today, Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent the following letter to U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey, informing him of the referral letter sent …

State GOP asks ‘60 Minutes’ for evidence or retraction  —  MONTGOMERY - The chairman of the Alabama Republican Party sent a letter to “60 Minutes” producers asking for a retraction unless they could provide evidence backing up a segment on former Gov. Don Siegelman's prosecution.

Press Conference of the President  —  THE PRESIDENT: Good morning.  Laura and I, as you know, recently came back from Africa, where we saw firsthand how the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief is saving lives.  I had a chance to go to the — speak to the Sullivan Foundation the other day about our trip …

Today's Must Read  —  You can understand their exasperation.  The administration and Congressional Republicans have done everything in their power to protect the telecoms.  They used every legislative tactic at the ready, made every speech or public pronouncement possible …

McCain: 'Chris carries on the spirit of his dad with a great sense of humor.'  —  John McCain, in between fund-raisers and events in Texas, held another conference call with bloggers.  Selected highlights:  —  McCain: My one opening comment is on Senator Obama's comment that he would consider …

Prince Harry in Taleban fighting  —  Prince Harry has been fighting the Taleban on the front line in Afghanistan, the MoD has confirmed.  —  Harry, 23, who is third in line to the throne, has spent the last 10 weeks serving in Helmand Province.  —  The prince joked about his nickname …

Disturbing New Photos From Abu Ghraib  —  NSFW: VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.  As an expert witness in the defense of an Abu Ghraib guard who was court-martialed, psychologist Philip Zimbardo had access to many of the images of abuse that were taken by the guards themselves.