Backs turn on Clinton  —  The tide turned against Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) on Capitol Hill Wednesday, as even some of her supporters said she should consider ending her White House bid.  —  Some uncommitted Democratic superdelegates refused to meet with the beleaguered candidate …

The Five Mistakes Clinton Made  —  For all her talk about “full speed on to the White House,” there was an unmistakably elegiac tone to Hillary Clinton's primary-night speech in Indianapolis.  And if one needed further confirmation that the undaunted, never-say-die Clintons realize their bid might …

‘Deafening’ silence on analyst story  —  Even with countless media outlets available these days, a Sunday New York Times cover story could always be counted on to send a jolt through the television news cycle.  —  But apparently that's no longer the case.  Indeed, reporter David Barstow's …

Larsen endorses Obama after Hill meeting  —  Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) surprise visit Thursday to the House floor has already paid dividends in the form of a superdelegate endorsement.  —  Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) announced, after meeting with Obama at the Democratic Congressional …

Clinton supporter pressures Pelosi over White House battle  —  WASHINGTON — In a heated phone call with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi late last month, Hillary Clinton supporter Harvey Weinstein threatened to cut off campaign money to congressional Democrats unless Pelosi embraced a new plan …

Obama plans to declare victory May 20  —  Not long after the polls close in the May 20 Kentucky and Oregon primaries, Barack Obama plans to declare victory in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.  —  And, until at least May 31 and perhaps longer, Hillary Clinton's campaign plans to dispute it.

McCain's Pastor Problem: The Video  —  WASHINGTON DISPATCH: In a taped sermon, the preacher McCain calls a “spiritual guide” calls on America to see the “false religion” of Islam “destroyed.”  Still, the candidate won't reject Rod Parsley's endorsement.  —  During a 2005 sermon …

Staten Island's Fossella admits he's the father of 'old friend's' child  —  Rep. Vito Fossella (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) has acknowledged that he is the father of a 3-year-old daughter with divorcee Laura Fay, the retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who picked him up from an Alexandria, Va., jail last week after he was busted for DWI.

Hillary to Address Major Backers in D.C.  —  Hillary Clinton has begun to ask her influential backers to be in Washington on May 14 for a meeting at her home, according to a major fund-raiser.  Separately, the fund-raiser said, Bill Clinton will be speaking with top donors this afternoon on a conference call.

It's Obama, Warts and All  —  Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama each took a state Tuesday.  But the result was a damaging loss for the woman who was once the overwhelming front-runner for the Democratic nomination.  Here are some observations on the race:  — Mr. Obama is now the prohibitive favorite.

Obama Floated Idea Of Voluntarily Capping Donations  —  During a private fundraiser last month, Sen. Barack Obama said he was “considering” voluntarily restricting the amount of money he could raise in a general election from campaign donors.  —  “We need to separate money from political influence.

First Look: ‘W,’ Oliver Stone's Bush Biopic  —  Entertainment Weekly goes inside the director's dark, comic, and already controversial movie about George W. Bush's rise to power, starring Josh Brolin  —  “Where is George Bush's bedroom?”  —  Oliver Stone is flinging open French doors inside …

Ahmadinejad: Israel a ‘stinking corpse’  —  Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday that the state of Israel is a “stinking corpse” that is destined to disappear, the French news agency AFP reported.  —  “Those who think they can revive the stinking corpse of the usurping …

Alan Wolfe on the Unity Ticket  —  The idea of a Barack Obama-Hillary Clinton “unity ticket” has been floated quite a bit the last few days.  But, seriously, is the idea any good?  We asked a few friends of the magazine to weigh in.  Here's Alan Wolfe, a TNR contributing editor and professor of political science at Boston College.

Political Office In Alec Baldwin's Future?  —  Now That He's 50, Actor Tells 60 Minutes Political Office Is Looking More Appealing  —  (CBS) Now that actor Alec Baldwin is 50 years old, he might run for political office.  Baldwin talks to 60 Minutes correspondent Morley Safer …

McCain's Mommy  —  This is one of the most unusual ads I've seen from a presidential candidate.  It is endearing and serious at the same time.  Take one look at the woman to the right of John McCain — his mother — and questions about McCain's age — relevant and appropriate questions to be sure — seem less urgent.