Obama And Dean Team Up To Recast The Political Map  —  Sixteen months after he launched his campaign for the White House, Sen. Barack Obama may, just now, be entering his campaign's most perilous stage.  Facing a rift of sorts within the Democratic Party and concerns over the scope of his political base …

Clinton Says V.P. Is Obama's Choice  —  Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today disavowed a campaign by some of her supporters to pressure Senator Barack Obama into choosing her as a running-mate, saying they were acting on their own and the decision on who to pick was “Senator Obama's and his alone.”

Obama Confronts Lieberman On McCain Advocacy, Tone, on Senate Floor  —  Sen. Joe Lieberman, the self-described “Independent Democrat” who caucuses with the Democratic party in the Senate even though he has endorsed Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, got some tough talk from Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois …

2 Top Leaders of Air Force Pushed Out After Inquiry  —  WASHINGTON — The Air Force's senior civilian official and its highest-ranking general were ousted by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates on Thursday following an official inquiry into the mishandling of nuclear weapons and components, senior Pentagon officials said.

GOP fears Obama's money machine  —  With Hillary Clinton's campaign coming to an end this weekend, Barack Obama's rise as the Democratic nominee brings serious bad news to a new group — John McCain's finance team.  —  A review of campaign finance data offers not one ounce of good news …

Senate Panel Accuses Bush of Iraq Exaggerations  —  WASHINGTON — In a report long delayed by partisan squabbling, the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday accused President Bush and Vice President Cheney of taking the country to war in Iraq by exaggerating evidence of links between Saddam Hussein …

Son of GOP nominee throws hat into ring for Staten Island's seat  —  It could be father versus son in the race for Staten Island's seat in the House of Representatives.  —  An already topsy-turvy political year grew even more so today when Francis M. Powers, the son of GOP designee Francis H. Powers …

Stay classy, Kos: Markos goes after McCain's ... teeth  —  Bookmark this post, and recall it every single time a progressive blogger accuses us of “distractions” and irrelevancies when it comes to criticizing Barack Obama.  Today, Markos gives his readers a substantive reason to vote against John McCain — his yellowed teeth:

Obama denies a rumor and questions the question  —  Sen. Barack Obama on Thursday batted down rumors circulating on the Internet and mentioned on some cable news shows of the existence of a video of his wife using a derogatory term for white people, and criticized a reporter for asking him about the rumor …

Obama Campaign Open to Helping Clinton Pay Off $20 Million Debt  —  Barack Obama's campaign is open to paying off some of the more than $20 million in debt accrued by defeated rival Hillary Clinton, a top adviser said.  —  “Certainly that is something that would be on the table,” the adviser …

Obama the naive  —  His views on world affairs ignore history and imperil the U.S. and our allies.  —  » Discuss Article Barack Obama's willingness to meet with the leaders of rogue states such as Iran and North Korea “without preconditions” is a naive and dangerous approach to dealing with the hard men who run pariah states.

U.S. Isn't Seeking Permanent Bases in Iraq, Ambassador Says  —  The United States is not seeking permanent military bases in Iraq as it negotiates legal and military agreements with the Iraqi government, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker said here today.

A History of Theodicy  —  Inspired by James Wood's latest litany of eloquent complaints against the God in whom he doesn't believe, here's something I'd like to see: A history of popular theodicy, tracing the influence of the “argument from the existence of evil” against belief in God …

Lincoln's Rule: Organization Matters  —  Politics has become hi-tech with sophisticated databases, the Internet, TV ads, focus groups and polls.  —  But a lanky Sangamon County, Ill., lawyer described the essential task of politics in 1840 in a letter to his Whig campaign committee.

Most NY Reps to Skip Hillary Send Off  —  Sorry Hillary, they've got other plans.  —  The vast majority of Hillary Rodham Clinton's congressional supporters in New York will be skipping her Saturday drop-out announcement in Washington - citing reasons ranging from town halls back in their districts …

The Meaning Of Box 722  —  For at least six months now I've been planning, and putting off, this post.  The imminent occasion of the first African American major-party nominee forces my hand.  It's time for me to help give a sense of just how far we have come.