FORMAL TALKS?  —  CNN is reporting this morning that the Obama and Clinton campaigns are in formal talks about ending her quest for the Democratic nomination and possibly giving her the VP slot.  —  These apparent talks are described by CNN as being in a “very preliminary” stage and as “difficult.”

Why I Will No Longer Support John McCain For President  —  I've never been a fan of John McCain.  Not only is he not a conservative, he may have done more damage to the conservative movement than any other Republican over the last few years.  Look back at the Gang-of-14, global warming …

In most inclusive count, Clinton has the numbers  —  Lost in the excitement of Barack Obama's coronation this week was an inconvenient fact of Tuesday's results: Hillary Clinton netted approximately 150,000 votes and is now poised to finish the primary season as the popular-vote leader.

Bad day for John McCain, Part II: anger management  —  When a candidate has well-known anger-management issues, he really needs to be careful about the tone of his statements.  —  Today, John McCain was one of only three Senators who failed to show up for the debate and vote on Sen. Jim Webb's improved GI Bill.

Liberal Pundits Offer Unprecedented Apology  —  Alternate Universe Washington, DC (AUP)—An influential group of liberal pundits and political commentators has formed a new organization to apologize for their columns on Ned Lamont's 2006 challenge to Joe Lieberman (R - Forallintentsandpurposes) and to call for their own resignations.

McCain appears cancer-free, healthy  —  FOUNTAIN HILLS, Ariz. - Three-time melanoma survivor John McCain appears cancer-free, has a strong heart and is in otherwise general good health, according to eight years of medical records reviewed by The Associated Press.

Republicans and Our Enemies  —  On Wednesday, Joe Lieberman wrote on this page that the Democratic Party he and I grew up in has drifted far from the foreign policy espoused by Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman and John Kennedy.  —  In fact, it is the policies that President George W. Bush has pursued …

Of donuts and dumb celebrities  —  Sigh.  You all know I've been a fan of Dunkin Donuts for quite some time-and have touted their strong position in favor of immigration enforcement.  —  Charles Johnson notes, and many readers have e-mailed about, Dunkin Donuts' spokeswoman Rachel Ray's clueless sporting …

And Paul Begala for Vice President?  —  “Tucker Carlson for president?”  That's the headline at the personal blog for Brendan Nyhan, a former Spinsanity editor who is now a graduate student in political science at Duke.  Nyhan says that Carlson, the former “Crossfire” host and former writer …

Congressman admits Democrats “stretched the facts,” misled anti-war supporters about supposed plans for ending War  —  Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D-PA) has been a fairly undistinguished member of the House of Representatives for nearly a quarter of a century.

More Than 100 Post Journalists Take Buyout  —  More than 100 Washington Post reporters, editors, photographers, artists and other journalists will take early retirement packages offered by the company as a way to cut costs, reducing the newsroom staff by at least 10 percent.

MCCAIN'S FANTASY WAR ON EARMARKS  —  PORTLAND, OR, MAY 12, 2008. … JOHN MCCAIN BOASTS THAT HE CAN SAVE $100 BILLION A YEAR “IMMEDIATELY” BY ELIMINATING THE SO-CALLED EARMARKS THAT LEGISLATORS ATTACH TO SPENDING BILLS TO FINANCE PET PROJECTS, USUALLY IN THEIR HOME STATE.

In 2000, McCain admits he'd be too old to run in 2008  —  As McCain gets ready to release his medical records in a very limited fashion today, I've come across a clip back on 08/01/2000.  He's being interviewed by Jim Lehrer on News Hour and admits that he'd be too old to run in 2008.  —  Download |

In Iraq, a Surge in U.S. Airstrikes  —  Military Says Attacks Save Troops' Lives, but Civilian Casualties Elicit Criticism  —  CAMP TAJI, Iraq — From an Apache helicopter, Capt. Ben Katzenberger's battlefield resembles a vast mosaic of tiny brown boxes.  —  “The city looks like a bucket …