McCain seems confused about al Qaeda again, suggests it's a 'sect of Shi'ites.'  —  During today's hearing with Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) questioned Petraeus on what he called “the major threat” of al Qaeda in Iraq.

Obama Catching Up With Clinton In Pennsylvania, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; She's Losing Ground Even Among Women  —  Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is catching up with New York Sen. Hillary Clinton in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary and now trails 50 - 44 percent among likely primary voters …

Surprising Political Endorsements By U.S. Troops  —  American Soldiers Speak Out About Their Presidential Endorsements  —  ABC's Martha Raddatz asked American soldiers in Iraq what issues are most important to them when looking at the presidential candidates.

Congress To Hear Of Gains In Iraq  —  Petraeus, Crocker To Face Impatient Lawmakers  —  In a reprise of their testimony last September, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker plan to tell Congress today and tomorrow that security has improved in Iraq and that the government …

Jay defends endorsement of Sen. Obama  —  Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., defended his decision to make an endorsement in the race for president during an interview with Gazette editors on Monday.  —  Rockefeller said some have criticized him for endorsing Sen. Barack Obama before the West Virginia primary in May.

Religious leaders tell al-Sadr to keep militia intact  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — Iraq's top Shiite religious leaders have told anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr not to disband his Mehdi Army, an al-Sadr spokesman said Monday amid fresh fighting in the militia's Baghdad strongholds.

New Book: McCain Once Physically Attacked Fellow Congressman  —  Appearing on Fox News this past Sunday, Sen. John McCain attempted to turn his infamously combustible temper from an electoral liability into political strength.  —  “If I lose my capacity for anger, then I shouldn't be president …

The 10 Pieces of U.S. Infrastructure We Must Fix Now  —  No one can predict what bridge, levee or water main will fail next.  But some problems are widely known, and work is long overdue.  As PM's new special report makes blatantly clear, we need to begin rebuilding the nation's infrastructure somewhere.

Vets for Freedom Rally for troops  —  About 480 veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan assembled beginning at 8:30 this morning just across the street from the Senate wing of the Capitol.  The temperature was about 45 degrees - global warming had struck.

LIBERALS AND THE SH*TPILE.  —  It's got to be a scary moment if you're a conservative.  The economy is in a meltdown that can be directly traced to insufficient regulation.  In other words, it's in meltdown because you suck at running it, and refused to listen to warnings that subprime loans required …

Obama tempts YouTube Gods  —  ...and McCain camp responds with glee that hasn't been heard from Crystal City since they got their hands on Mitt's Faneuil Hall debate against Shannon O'Brien.  —  And is anybody else amused by the fact that Meredith Viera is using Frank Rich of all people to make the McCain case?

Secret US plan for military future in Iraq  —  A confidential draft agreement covering the future of US forces in Iraq, passed to the Guardian, shows that provision is being made for an open-ended military presence in the country.  —  The draft strategic framework agreement between the US …

Builders of Nations  —  “This is my hardest deployment,” Marine Sergeant Cooley said as he unfastened his helmet and tossed it onto his bed.  “We weren't trained for this kind of thing.”  He's been shot at with bullets and mortars, and he's endured IED attacks on his Humvee …

50 greatest political moments  —  At Politico, we love politics for some of the same reasons people love sports: the endless human drama.  —  Unlike a lot of people, of course, we don't have the freedom — or, truth be told, the desire — to root for one side or the other to win.