Clinton Bloc Becomes the Prize for Election Day  —  Now that a would-be first female president is ending her quest for the White House, the race is more about women than ever before.  —  With Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's ending her campaign for the Democratic nomination …

The Sleazy GOP Attack Machine Kicks Into High Gear: Welcome to “F**K Whitey” and “RadicalVille”  —  It's only been three days since Sen. Barack Obama historically won the Democratic nomination for president of the United States.  But the Republican venom against the candidate and his wife Michelle is starting to spew.

Voting for Commander in Chief  —  There can only be one.  —  It would be hard to design a better test for the job of commander in chief than the real-life test senators John McCain and Barack Obama have undergone in the last two years.  As the situation in Iraq deteriorated during 2006 …

Biggest jobless jump since '86 _ Wall Street sinks  —  WASHINGTON — Pink slips piled up and jobs disappeared into thin air in May as the nation's unemployment rate zoomed to 5.5 percent in the biggest one-month jump in decades.  Wall Street swooned, and the White House said President Bush …

As Ills Persist, Afghan Leader Is Losing Luster  —  WASHINGTON — After six years in which Hamid Karzai has been the darling of the United States and its allies, his luster may be fading.  —  Next week, Mr. Karzai, the Afghan president, is to arrive in Paris for a donors conference with attendees from 80 countries and organizations.

Conventions Rake In Soft Money That Candidates Forgo  —  One of Senator Barack Obama's first acts after claiming the Democratic nomination was declaring he would not take special-interest money for his presidential bid, even going so far as to bar lobbyists from donating to the Democratic National Committee.

City's Top Crane Inspector Is Arrested  —  The city's chief crane inspector was arrested on Friday and charged with taking bribes to approve cranes under his review and for taking money from crane operators who sought to ensure that they would pass the required licensing exam, an official involved in the case said.

Oil Prices Take a Nerve-Rattling Jump Past $138  —  The rise in oil prices turned into a stampede on Friday with futures jumping a staggering $11 a barrel to set a record above $138 a barrel.  The unprecedented surge came as the dollar fell sharply against the euro and a senior Israeli …

Nelson bill would abolish Electoral College  —  Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) introduced a constitutional amendment to abolish the Electoral College on Friday, less than a week after the Democrats settled on how to handle delegates from Florida at their national convention.

South Carolina to Offer Cross on Car Plates  —  South Carolina drivers will be the first in the nation to be offered license plates that carry the phrase “I Believe” and a Christian cross over a stained-glass window under a law that took effect on Thursday.  —  Critics have threatened …