Biden Punks Crocker: ‘I Would Therefore Pick Al Qaeda on The Afghanistan-Pakistan Border’  —  There was once a blog called Joe Biden Is Thugged Out.  (I swear this is true.)  Biden just proved why.  He asked Ryan Crocker, who used to be ambassador to Pakistan, whether it would be better …

Report: Jimmy Carter to Meet With Hamas Leader in Syria  —  NEW YORK CITY — Former President Jimmy Carter is reportedly preparing an unprecedented meeting with the leader of Hamas, an organization that the U.S. government considers one of the leading terrorist threats in the world.

They Need More White People  —  The Tartan, Carnegie Mellon's student newspaper, reports on a campaign event featuring Michelle Obama: … The Obama campaign discriminates against people of color, and their own supporters no less, in what is presumably a misguided pander to white voters.

NYT Mag On Matthews: The Excerpts  —  Earlier: Forthcoming?  NYT Mag Piece on Matthews.  —  Earlier: Leibovich Dishes On Matthews  —  Earlier: NYT Mag On Matthews: NBC Forced Chris To Apologize.  —  We've got an advanced copy of Mark Leibovich's piece on Chris Matthews, entitled “Chris Matthews, Seriously.

Joe Klein from Time Magazine on Barack Obama's positions.  —  HH: Joined now by Joe Klein of Time Magazine, knows all, sees all, comments on all from Time Magazine, sometimes at their blog, the Swamp[land], often in his column.  Joe, welcome back, good to have you on the Hugh Hewitt Show.

In Justice Shift, Corporate Deals Replace Trials  —  WASHINGTON — In 2005, federal authorities concluded that a Monsanto consultant had visited the home of an Indonesian official and, with the approval of a senior company executive, handed over an envelope stuffed with hundred-dollar bills.

Frustrated Senators See No Exit Signs  —  Asked repeatedly yesterday what “conditions” he is looking for to begin substantial U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq after this summer's scheduled drawdown, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus said he will know them when he sees them.  For frustrated lawmakers, it was not enough.

Venezuela scolds Bush over Colombia deal  —  President Bush sold his decision to send the Colombia Free Trade Agreement to Congress largely as a national security issue: The United States needs to shore up an important ally against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who leads …

What Is the Cost of Freedom?  —  Surprise, surprise.  Having failed to penetrate General Petraeus's story about the great improvements on the ground in Iraq, liberals are now trying to make the case that the cost of the Iraq war may have somehow undermined the economy, and even caused the current slowdown.

More Good News: Seattle Times Axes 200  —  The “team” responsible for tossing litter onto my lawn every so often grew smaller today.  Seattle Times to Cut Approximately 200 Employees via The Stranger “Seattle's Only Newspaper”  —  A memo just promulgated onto the web by the odious “Stranger” …

Obama supporter Oprah takes a big dive  —  Much hay was made nearly a year ago when Oprah Winfrey announced that she would support — and campaign for — Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama.  Her effect in boosting support for Obama in early primary and caucus states like Iowa …

Gallup Daily: Obama Maintains Lead in Democratic Race  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Barack Obama continues to hold a significant lead over Hillary Clinton, 51% to 43%, in Democratic voters' presidential nomination preferences.  —  Gallup Poll Daily tracking from April 5-7 shows Obama …

Why Iraq Matters  —  Losing wars is always bad.  One of the major reasons for America's current global predominance economically and politically is that America doesn't lose wars very often.  It seems likely, however, that the American people are about to be told that they have to decide …

The New Liberal Taboo  —  What a spectacle.  It is now respectable for Democrats to assert, even to welcome, military defeat (see here).  But if a Presidential campaign functionary so much as hints at support for free trade, he's banished to policy exile.  —  That's the meaning …