Congressman Payne, NJ superdelegate, switches from Clinton to Obama  —  Rep. Donald Payne (D-10th Dist.), a New Jersey superdelegate who had been supporting Hillary Clinton for president, has switched his allegiance to Barack Obama.  —  “After careful consideration, I have reached the conclusion …

Almost there  —  Barack Obama deserves the nomination.  It is not yet clear whether he deserves the presidency  —  IN CARTOONS there is often a moment when a hapless character, having galloped over a cliff, is still unaware of the fact and hangs suspended in the air, legs pumping wildly …

Obama: McCain is ‘losing his bearings’  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) - Barack Obama chastised John McCain Thursday for engaging in “smear” politics, and defended himself from critics who question whether he is capable of being commander-in-chief, during a wide-ranging interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer …

Al Qaeda in Iraq leader not captured - U.S.  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — Abu Ayyub al-Masri, the head of al Qaeda in Iraq, has not been captured, a senior U.S. military official told CNN on Friday.  —  Iraqi authorities said Thursday that al-Masri had been captured in Mosul.

Pentagon Drops Post in Pakistan for Top General  —  WASHINGTON — When the Pentagon announced in March that Maj. Gen. Jay W. Hood would become the senior American officer based in Pakistan, it reflected the military's aim to put a crisis-tested veteran in a critical job at a pivotal …

The Obama Democrats' Ostrich Moment  —  The full-court press to force Hillary from the presidential race ain't working.  She will win the West Virginia, Kentucky, and Puerto Rico primaries.  —  But the screwed-up, patchwork system the Democrats are using to choose delegates has given small states …

Many Economists Back McCain, but More Are Silent  —  Almost half of the economists in the latest Wall Street Journal forecasting survey decided against answering a question on which presidential candidate offers the most responsible fiscal policies.  However, Sen. John McCain was the clear favorite of those who answered the question.

McCain Sets Stage for Fall Run  —  Senator Stakes Out Positions and Fills Campaign Coffers  —  In the three months since effectively capturing the Republican nomination, John McCain has built up his staff, filled campaign coffers and tried to define himself as a reliable conservative but not a George W. Bush clone.

3 accused of using corpse head to smoke pot  —  The Kingwood teenager's story of decapitating a corpse and using the head to smoke marijuana was so outlandish that at first Houston Police Department senior police officer Jim Adkins did not believe it.  —  Yet, Kevin Wade Jones Jr., 17 …

Thinking About November  —  The fight for the Democratic nomination seems to be winding down.  It's not completely over, but the odds now overwhelmingly favor Barack Obama.  —  Assuming that Mr. Obama is the nominee, he'll lead a party that, judging by the usual indicators …

Damsel of Distress  —  This is an amazing story.  The Democratic Party has a winner.  It has a nominee.  You know this because he has the most votes and the most elected delegates, and there's no way, mathematically, his opponent can get past him.  Even after the worst two weeks of his campaign …

Clinton campaign opposes giving Obama more Mich. delegates  —  LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign opposes Michigan's plan to give fewer delegates to her and more to rival Barack Obama, a campaign spokesman said Thursday.  —  The Democratic National Committee stripped Michigan …

Alec Baldwin, elected official?  His character on  —  “30 Rock” works for the Bush Administration now...  Alec Baldwin famously quipped years ago that if George W. Bush were elected president, it might be a good time to leave the United States.  Now, however, the “30 Rock” …

Cindy McCain says she'll never release her tax returns  —  WASHINGTON - Cindy McCain says she will never make her tax returns public even if her husband wins the White House and she becomes the first lady.  —  “You know, my husband and I have been married 28 years and we have filed separate tax returns for 28 years.