McCain erases Obama lead  —  WASHINGTON - Republican Sen. John McCain has erased Sen. Barack Obama's 10-point advantage in a head-to-head matchup, leaving him essentially tied with both Democratic candidates in an Associated Press-Ipsos national poll released Thursday.

Petraeus Meets His Match  —  Senator Joseph Lieberman has become something of an agent provocateur in the semiannual Petraeus-Crocker hearings staged by the U.S. Senate.  This semester he chose to open his remarks by chastising unnamed colleagues for having a “hear no progress …

Randi Rhodes Quits Air America Rather Than Apologize For Hillary Clinton “F*cking Whore” Remark; “There's Relief And Joy” At The Station  —  Update: The Huffington Post has learned that Randi Rhodes quit Air America after being asked by the network to apologize for her inflammatory remarks against Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro.

29% Favor National Health Insurance Overseen by Federal Government  —  Twenty-nine percent (29%) of American adults favor a national health insurance program overseen by the Federal Government.  A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 39% oppose such a government-led initiative while 31% are not sure.

Judge Dismisses Core of Dan Rather Suit  —  Breaking: The judge in Dan Rather's lawsuit against CBS has issued a motion to dismiss most of the case.  CBS News confirms.  —  Developing...  > More: TVNewser has learned most of issues of the lawsuit have been dismissed.

David Brock, Dems plan $40M hit on McCain  —  Wealthy Democrats are preparing a four-month, $40 million media campaign centered on attacks on Senator John McCain.  And it will be led by David Brock, the former investigative reporter who first gained fame in the 1990s as a right-wing, anti-Clinton journalist.

Obama: I'm not ‘getting fresh or anything’  —  (CNN) - Barack Obama appeared to have a bit of an awkward moment on the campaign trail in South Bend, Indiana.  —  From the pool report:  —  “[Obama] posed for report pictures with the staff when he apparently felt his phone start to vibrate …

Obama Talks All Things LGBT with The Advocate  —  In an exclusive Chicago sit-down with The Advocate's Kerry Eleveld, Democratic front-runner Barack Obama discusses “don't ask, don't tell,” Rev. Wright, and what he would do for LGBT Americans if he becomes president.

EXCLUSIVE: Powell Praises Obama, Fears Afghanistan Growing ‘More Difficult’ Than Iraq  —  General Says Next President Will Face Long Struggle, Troop Strain in Two-Front Battle  —  Retired Gen. Colin Powell insists he hasn't yet decided who he'll back in the 2008 presidential election.

The Blogger Mom, In Your Face  —  Lots of businesses get hate mail, but few owners react the way Heather Armstrong does.  She prints out nasty emails, puts them in her driveway and drives over them with her car.  “That's the attitude I have,” she says, “and it's made my life a thousand percent better.”

Obama: Elie Weisel is a piker  —  Someone at the Barack Obama campaign had better start watching the hyperbole meter when Obama gets off script.  When a questioner at a Levittown event asked Obama about his church's fascination with Louis Farrakhan, Obama offered a very strange defense.