‘Bush intends to attack Iran before the end of his term’  —  US President George W. Bush intends to attack Iran in the upcoming months, before the end of his term, Army Radio quoted a senior official in Jerusalem as saying Tuesday.  —  The official claimed that a senior member of the president's entourage …

FIRST THOUGHTS: EVERYONE'S A WINNER  —  From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro  —  *** Everyone's a winner: Much like a children's soccer or Tee Ball game, tonight's contests in Kentucky (which Clinton is expected to win big) and Oregon (ditto for Obama) are going to allow everyone to walk out a winner.

Clinton Puts Up A New Fight  —  The Candidate Confronts Sexism On the Trail and Vows to Battle On  —  Women of all ages and nationalities push against the rope line carrying books and T-shirts, posters and stuffed animals — anything for her to autograph.  They tote huge signs that shout …

All in the Family: Are Candidates' Spouses Fair Game?  —  Obama Says ‘Lay Off’ Wife but Spouses Playing Political Role in '08 Race  —  In a political season that's seen candidates' spouses play unprecedented roles, Sen. Barack Obama called for a new standard Monday that seeks to redraw …

Exclusive: Fossella will not seek re-election  —  In a bombshell announcement that brings the curtain down on one of the most storied careers in Staten Island political history, fifth-term Republican Rep. Vito Fossella will not seek re-election this fall.  —  Mired in scandal after revelations …

Obama's Unique Appeasement Style  —  Spin doctors were relabeled “strategists” in the early 1990s.  And as Mark Steyn wrote last week in National Review, “Increasingly, the Western world has attitudes rather than policies.”  —  The latest attitude to be flouted as policy is indignation.

John McCain's Rapid-Fire Responders  —  Aides Turn the Media Rebuttal Into a Savvy Campaign Tactic  —  When Newsweek ran a story last week on how John McCain and his allies may attack Barack Obama in the fall, the Arizona senator's top adviser fired off a letter calling the article “offensive” …

WH vs. NBC: NBC News' Response  —  NBC News responds to The White House letter: … Meanwhile, CNN has already picked up the story, as Elaine Quijano filed a report outside The White House regarding the letter during The Situation Room at 5:37pmET.  —  Click continued to see the full letter …

Clinton Keeps Up Fight As Staff Tensions Rise  —  By MONICA LANGLEY in Bowling Green, Ky., and AMY CHOZICK in Crow Agency, Mont.  —  Heading into twin Democratic primaries Tuesday in Kentucky and Oregon — which the two candidates are expected to split — Sen. Hillary Clinton is vowing …

Talking Versus Doing  —  In 1965, Mancur Olson wrote a classic book called “The Logic of Collective Action,” which pointed out that large, amorphous groups are often less powerful politically than small, organized ones.  He followed it up with “The Rise and Decline of Nations.”

Mom forced to live in car with dogs  —  SANTA BARBARA, California (CNN) — Barbara Harvey climbs into the back of her small Honda sport utility vehicle and snuggles with her two golden retrievers, her head nestled on a pillow propped against the driver's seat.

Oil crosses $129 for first time, heads for $130  —  Crude oil futures pass $129 a barrel for the first time, likely headed past $130  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices spiked to a new trading high Tuesday, sweeping toward $130 a barrel as supply concerns intensified the momentum buying that has lifted crude deeper into record territory.

Anatomy of a Beltway Smear Campaign  —  During the past two years, while my nomination to the Federal Election Commission was pending - and before I withdrew last week - friends would call whenever the latest newspaper story or blog post attacking me was planted by political operatives and left-wing advocacy organizations.

TNGOP's Controversial Obama Video Features Former Strip Club Owner Expressing His Pride In America  —  Andy Sher, at the end of an obligatory article on the controversy and Senatorial rebukes set off by the Tennessee Republican Party's YouTube missive welcoming Michelle Obama to Nashville …

Obama Will Meet with Leader of Iran (TBD)  —  Obama advisor Susan Rice serves up the nuance to Wolf Blitzer: … Translation: Ahmadinejad may not be the leader of Iran when Obama is president, in which case Obama isn't going to travel all the way to Tehran just to make a social call on a Holocaust denier.