The Long Defeat  —  Hillary Clinton may not realize it yet, but she's just endured one of the worst weeks of her campaign.  —  First, Barack Obama weathered the Rev. Jeremiah Wright affair without serious damage to his nomination prospects.  Obama still holds a tiny lead among Democrats nationally …

Is ‘success’ of U.S. surge in Iraq about to unravel?  —  BAGHDAD — A cease-fire critical to the improved security situation in Iraq appeared to unravel Monday when a militia loyal to radical Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al Sadr began shutting down neighborhoods in west Baghdad and issuing demands of the central government.

Forest Lake event canceled; too political  —  Forest Lake High's principal said the decision was spurred by concerns that the presentation was more political than educational.  —  A national tour featuring decorated veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan won't be stopping …

Dems to hammer McCain for ‘100 years’  —  John McCain is scheduled to deliver a major foreign policy speech Wednesday in Los Angeles, one with a heavy Iraq focus, but chances are Democrats won't be listening.  They've already distilled his views into an easy to remember formulation: 100 years of war.

Obama's Test: Can a Liberal Be a Unifier?  —  WASHINGTON — At the core of Senator Barack Obama's presidential campaign is a promise that he can transcend the starkly red-and-blue politics of the last 15 years, end the partisan and ideological wars and build a new governing majority.

Clinton camp tags Obama for ‘the audacity of nope’  —  The Clinton campaign will not let go of the discounted Democratic primary votes in Michigan, where Sen. Hillary Clinton “won” as the only major candidate on the Jballot, and in Florida, which Clinton “won” in an uncontested election.

Don't discount Gore-led ticket  —  U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney, whose district includes much of Martin and St. Lucie counties, is hoping he won't have to attend the Democratic Party national convention in Denver in August.  —  If he does go, that will mean the Democrats still haven't decided a nominee for the presidential election.

Wisdom of the oracle  —  When asked why she'd appoint Alan Greenspan to a working group of financial leaders to design a response to the housing crisis, Clinton told the Philadelphia Daily News:

Worried Dems wish for ‘dream team’  —  WASHINGTON — What are the odds Democrats will field a “dream team ticket” with Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton combining forces?  —  London bookmaker Ladbrokes is taking bets at 8-1, but leading Democratic insiders aren't ready to put down their money — yet.

Righting the Right  —  WASHINGTON — What's the matter with conservatism?  —  Its problems start with the failure of George W. Bush's presidency but they don't end there.  Inequality is rising and working-class voters are being hammered.  The cost and availability of health coverage are a big problem …

The Audacity of Rhetoric  —  It is painful to watch defenders of Barack Obama tying themselves into knots trying to evade the obvious.  —  Some are saying that Senator Obama cannot be held responsible for what his pastor, Jeremiah Wright, said.  In their version of events …

A FARC Fan's Notes  —  A hard drive recovered from the computer of a killed Colombian guerrilla has offered more insights into the opposition of House Democrats to the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement.  —  A military strike three weeks ago killed Raúl Reyes, No. 2 in command of the FARC …

McCain Expands Campaign Media Team  —  Presumptive GOP nominee John McCain is vastly expanding his campaign media team — bringing in a number of the leading consultants as he prepares for the general election.  —  The media operation, which will be known as Foxhole Productions …

Britain is world's 7th most stable and prosperous nation  —  The United Kingdom has been ranked as one of the most stable and prosperous countries in the world, beating the United States, France and even Switzerland in a global assessment of every nation's achievements and standards.

Rush to register at Pa. deadline  —  At the Montgomery County Board of Elections Office yesterday, there wasn't a single moment when someone wasn't at the counter clutching a voter registration form.  —  “It's been a madhouse,” said Joseph Passarella, the director of voter services …

Sources: Air marshals missing from almost all flights  —  (CNN) — Of the 28,000 commercial airline flights that take to the skies on an average day in the United States, fewer than 1 percent are protected by on-board, armed federal air marshals, a nationwide CNN investigation has found.

Senator Obama, Unplugged  —  I have written and broadcast on the subject of Senator Obama's first book, Dreams From My Father.  It has to be the most unusual book ever by a presidential aspirant, and much of what he writes cannot be classified as mainstream, and some of what he wrote would shock …