GOP sees Rev. Wright as pathway to victory  —  For months, Republican party officials have watched with increasing trepidation as Barack Obama has shattered fundraising records, packed arena after arena with shrieking fans and pulled in significant Republican and independent votes.

Questions About Obama  —  For the first time in two months, Democrats who had concluded that Barack Obama had sewn up the nomination, Democrats who support Barack Obama, Democrats who had concluded, as I had, that the mathematics work against Hillary Clinton, are filling my inbox and voice mail …

Paul slighted by the ‘neoconservative’ GOP  —  Ron Paul says the legions of newcomers his presidential campaign brought to the Republican Party are getting the cold shoulder from John McCain and from the party.  —  The Texas congressman says neither he nor his supporters have heard …

Bush Defends War in Iraq  —  President Bush has marked the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq with a speech defending the war and warning that a withdrawal would hand victory to terrorists.  —  Mr. Bush told an audience at the Pentagon Defense Department Wednesday …

Bear's Run-Up Sets the Stage For Epic Clash  —  Speculators Ignite Rally, Driving Shares Up 23%; Disbelief on Deal Price  —  Investors aren't ready to give up on the Bear just yet.  —  Betting that J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. will have to pay up to seal its fire-sale deal to acquire Bear Stearns Cos. …

McCain Missteps on Iraq; Democrats Pounce  —  JERUSALEM — Senator John McCain's trip overseas was supposed to highlight his foreign policy acumen, and his supporters hoped that it would showcase him in a series of statesmanlike meetings with world leaders throughout the Middle East and Europe …

PATERSON GAL'S TAPE SHOCKER  —  OLYMPICS BABE BARES RECORDING & JOB ‘HE GOT ME’  —  An attractive Olympic gold-medalist says she had a close personal relationship with Gov. Paterson earlier this year - during which time she recorded a series of secret telephone conversations with him.

Bearing Arms ... Against Bears  —  JUSTICE KENNEDY THINKS D.C. RESIDENTS NEED PROTECTION—FROM GRIZZLIES.  —  With all due respect to those who complain that the justices on the Supreme Court are too secretive, and for those who wish, perhaps, that David Souter was more like David …

Sharpton supporting Barack - silently  —  The Rev. Al Sharpton is backing Barack Obama, but he's made the strategic decision to keep his support quiet.  —  That's the message Sharpton delivered to his flock last Saturday as he boasted of talking to Obama “two or three times a week” …

Calls Mount for Olympic Ceremony Boycott  —  PARIS (AP) - Moves to punish China over its handling of violence in Tibet gained momentum Tuesday, with a novel suggestion for a mini-boycott of the Beijing Olympics by VIPs at the opening ceremony.  —  Such a protest by world leaders …

Obama chooses reconciliation  —  Experts say ‘nonpartisan’ speech on race is almost without precedent  —  It was an extraordinary moment — the first black candidate with a good chance at becoming a presidential nominee, in a country in which racial distrust runs deep and often unspoken …