Howard Dean 2004: The Medals Matter  —  Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., launches a biography tour next week, which looks to tell the American people about his days as a POW in Vietnam, at least based on his new TV ad (watch HERE) introduced today in New Mexico.  —  In response, Democratic National …

Treasury Dept. Plan Would Give Fed Wide New Power  —  WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department will propose on Monday that Congress give the Federal Reserve broad new authority to oversee financial market stability, in effect allowing it to send SWAT teams into any corner of the industry …

Freed Alabama Ex-Governor Sees Politics in His Case  —  MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Former Governor Don Siegelman of Alabama, released from prison today on bond in a bribery case, said he was as convinced as ever that politics played a leading role in his prosecution.

GOP ACHILLES HEEL  —  HOW REPUBLICANS LOST WEST  —  CHEERED as Republicans may be by the Clinton-Obama wars, the fact is that long-term trends still favor the Democrats this fall.  To see the problem, consider the interior West - the eight states between the Midwest and the Pacific Coast …

McCain guru linked to subprime crisis  —  The general co-chairman of John McCain's presidential campaign, former Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Texas), led the charge in 1999 to repeal a Depression-era banking regulation law that Democrat Barack Obama claimed on Thursday contributed significantly to today's economic turmoil.

Analysis: Iraqis' Basra fight not going well  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — The Iraqi military push into the southern city of Basra is not going as well as American officials had hoped, despite President Bush's high praise for the operation, several U.S. officials said Friday.

Asking a Judge to Save the World, and Maybe a Whole Lot More  —  More fighting in Iraq.  Somalia in chaos.  People in this country can't afford their mortgages and in some places now they can't even afford rice.  —  None of this nor the rest of the grimness on the front page today will matter a bit …

All the news that's Fitna  —  Geert Wilders' film is a hit - over 1.5 million views in English, over 2.5 million in Dutch last time I checked - but it's nevertheless been yanked by LiveLeak, with the following statement: … Indeed.  The Internet will keep Fitna alive in odd corners hither and yon …

Condemning ‘offensively anti-Islamic’ video, Ban Ki-moon appeals for calm  —  Secretary-General today led a chorus of United Nations condemnation of the Internet broadcast of a video made by the Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders, describing it as “offensively anti-Islamic,” …

Wash. Post claimed McCain “most aggressive” of the three major candidates in “identifying ways to reduce spending,” ignoring cost of Iraq policy  —  A March 28 Washington Post article, headlined “As Candidates Warm to Bush Tax Cuts, Economists Warn of Long-Term Effects,” claimed that “[o] …

“Yahoo and MSN helping to root out Tibetan rioters”  —  The Observers, a publication of France 24 TV, has documented Yahoo! China and MSN posting banner ads and prominent photos of Tibetans the Chinese government have identified as “most wanted” in connection to recent protests inside Tibet.