Taxpayers fund Bill Clinton spending  —  The Clintons have made a $100-million fortune since leaving the White House, but a Politico analysis found that hasn't kept Bill Clinton from taking full advantage of the publicly funded perks offered to ex-presidents.

Is that really a naked woman in Dick Cheney's sunglasses?  —  WASHINGTON — He shot his hunting partner, but Vice President Dick Cheney apparently doesn't fly fish with naked women.  —  Since Wednesday, the blogosphere has been atwitter over a photograph on the White House Web site of Cheney …

Dean: McCain's Age Worries Voters  —  DNC Chair Cites Health, ‘Old-Fashioned’ Views  —  Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said Thursday that swing voters participating in focus groups commissioned by the D.N.C. bring up John McCain's age unprompted.

Spy photos reveal ‘secret launch site’ for Iran's long-range missiles  —  The secret site where Iran is suspected of developing long-range ballistic missiles capable of reaching targets in Europe has been uncovered by new satellite photographs.  —  The imagery has pinpointed the facility …

Barack Obama may lose support in Philadelphia over ‘street money’  —  CULTURE CLASH: Barack Obama campaigns in Philadelphia last week.  His people are telling Democratic leaders there that he won't pay “street money” to those who help the campaign.  —  Candidates traditionally get out the money to get out the vote.

Bush Abdicates to Generals on Iraq; 10 Killed in Sadr City; Al-Maliki Excludes Sadrists  —  Bush Abdicates to Generals on Iraq;  —  10 Killed in Sadr City;  —  Al-Maliki Excludes Sadrists  —  War turns Republics into dictatorships.  The logic is actually quite simple.

SHOCKING— New Obama Audio Posted Online!  —  This is just amazing.  —  If Obama really wanted to have a talk about race he could start by explaining his hateful words on this audio.  —  (9 minutes 53 seconds)  —  Just words?  —  Bob McCarty also finds it shocking.

Big Donors Among Obama's Grass Roots  —  Sen. Barack Obama credits his presidential campaign with creating a “parallel public financing system” built on a wave of modest donations from homemakers and high school teachers.  Small givers, he said at a fundraiser this week …

Cheney, others OK'd harsh interrogations  —  WASHINGTON - Bush administration officials from Vice President Dick Cheney on down signed off on using harsh interrogation techniques against suspected terrorists after asking the Justice Department to endorse their legality, The Associated Press has learned.

Let's ‘Surge’ Some More  —  It is said that generals always fight the last war.  But when David Petraeus came to town it was senators - on both sides of the aisle - who battled over the Iraq war of 2004-2006.  That war has little in common with the war we are fighting today.

Boos follow cheers as Jackie Speier becomes newest member of Congress  —  WASHINGTON - For a few feel-good moments on the floor of the U.S. House today, Jackie Speier basked in bipartisan applause as she was sworn in as its newest member.  Her family, supporters and kids cheered as she embraced her new colleagues.

Athletes who take Tibet stand ‘face Olympic cut’  —  Athletes who display Tibetan flags at Olympic venues — including in their own rooms — could be expelled from this summer's Games in Beijing under anti-propaganda rules.  —  Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee …

Spare votes?  —  ALTOONA, Pa. — The Pleasant Valley Recreation Center has acquired the patina of a place touched by history — like, say, the Watergate or Tom's Restaurant, whose façade was immortalized on “Seinfeld.”  For this is the bowling alley, family-owned since 1947 …

Poor go hungry as rich fill their tanks  —  Rocketing global food prices are causing acute problems of hunger and malnutrition in poor countries and have put back the fight against poverty by seven years, the World Bank said yesterday.  —  Robert Zoellick, the Bank's president …

McCain Revises Proposals for Families in Economic Crisis  —  Two weeks after drawing criticism for saying he favored only a limited federal role to help deal with the home mortgage crisis, Republican presidential candidate John McCain sought to assure Americans that he is prepared to use …