Is Jeremiah Wright a colossal disaster for Barack Obama or a press trick?  —  The Rev. Jeremiah Wright couldn't have done more damage to Barack Obama's campaign if he had tried.  And you have to wonder if that's just what one friend of Wright wanted.  —  Shortly before he rose to deliver his rambling …

Democrats Divided Over Gas Tax Break  —  WASHINGTON — As angry truckers encircled the Capitol in a horn-blaring caravan and consumers across the country agonized over $60 fill-ups, the issue of high fuel prices flared on the campaign trail on Monday, sharply dividing the two Democratic candidates.

McCain Strongly Rejected Long-Term Iraq Presence: “Bring Them All Home”  —  When it comes to getting U.S. troops out of Iraq, Sen. John McCain was for the idea before he was against it.  —  Three years before the Arizona Republican argued on the campaign trail that U.S. forces could be in Iraq …

The New, New Math  —  Despite the recent show of strength by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., the odds against her winning the Democratic presidential nomination are as imposing as ever — and probably worse.  —  There was a time when one of the stronger arguments in favor of nominating …

Cheney lawyer claims Congress has no authority over vice-president  —  The lawyer for US vice-president Dick Cheney claimed today that the Congress lacks any authority to examine his behaviour on the job.  —  The exception claimed by Cheney's counsel came in response to requests …

If You Change Your Sex, Are You Still Married?  —  The NYT has a story about a married couple who became New Jersey's first same-sex marriage when, 25 years after their wedding, Donald, the husband, became Denise.  They stayed together: ""We're one of the few of our friends who are still in our original marriage," Denise Brunner said."

Police looking for meth lab, find fish tank  —  Brooklyn Park police were looking for a meth lab, but they found a fish tank and the chemicals needed to maintain it.  —  And a few hours later, when the city sent a contractor to fix the door the police had smashed open Monday afternoon …

SHOULD WE WORRY ABOUT JOHN MCCAIN'S TEMPER?  —  So, a fresh and sly political subtext in a very bizarre campaign season.  The two Democratic nominees remain icily calm when in each other's vicinity—plain as it is that they cordially loathe and despise one another—while huge shudders …

The DNC IED  —  Several people have forwarded me a link this morning to the Democratic National Committee ad against John McCain that shows two American soldiers at the moment an explosion goes off beside them.  —  The soldiers are on screen for just a split-second, just long enough for viewers …

Exclusive: Iowa superdelegate to endorse Obama  —  Winthrop farmer Richard Machacek, an Iowa superdelegate, said today he is pledging to support Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.  —  Machacek, a member of the Democratic National Committee, had been uncommitted.  He said he saw little difference between …

Obama Heads for Superdelegate Edge  —  Candidate Benefits  —  From Calculations  —  Of Elected Officials  —  Despite his loss in Pennsylvania and other campaign bumps, Barack Obama is heavily favored to win what will be the final and decisive contest for the Democratic presidential nomination …

U.S. Was ‘Clueless’ on Counterinsurgency  —  WASHINGTON — Paul Wolfowitz, in his first public remarks on the Iraq war in years, said the American government was “pretty much clueless on counterinsurgency” in the first year of the war.  —  The former deputy secretary of defense said yesterday …