Obama Maps a Nationwide Push in G.O.P. Strongholds  —  WASHINGTON — Senator Barack Obama's general election plan calls for broadening the electoral map by challenging Senator John McCain in typically Republican states — from North Carolina to Missouri to Montana — as Mr. Obama seeks …

The Problem Wasn't the Message — It Was the Money  —  Perhaps the most frustrating part of losing a close race is thinking about what else you could have done to win.  You replay the campaign over and over again in your head.  As an adviser to Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, I sure do.

New York Mayor, ABC News Invite Obama, McCain to Historic Town Hall  —  Network Offers Primetime Coverage of Unprecedented Event  —  New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and ABC News have invited Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain to participate in a 90-minute, primetime town hall meeting …

People vs. Dinosaurs  —  Question: What do America's premier investor, Warren Buffett, and Iran's toxic president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, have in common?  Answer: They've both made a bet about Israel's future.  —  Ahmadinejad declared on Monday that Israel “has reached its final phase …

Bush warns of pay cuts for troops  —  President Bush on Saturday pressed Congress to approve billions of dollars more for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, warning that failure to quickly act could lead to mass layoffs at the Pentagon and an inability to pay the salaries of troops in combat.

Gas price record reaches $4 a gallon  —  AAA's daily survey tops the milestone for the first time after a 1.7-cent rise Sunday.  —  NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Gasoline rose to a milestone mark Sunday as the national average compiled by motorist group AAA reached $4 a gallon for the first time.

Al-Qaeda: the cracks begin to show  —  A succession of leading Muslim radicals has condemned the terror group's tactics as its support in Islamic countries falls off dramatically.  Is Britain following the pattern?  —  Abul Taher  —  Read the original article in The New Republic here

Huckabee knows how to save a life  —  FORMER ARKANSAS GUV PERFORMS HEIMLICH ON NC LT. GOV. CANDIDATE  —  The North Carolina State Republican Convention got quite exciting today — and it had nothing to do with politics.  —  During a pre-event hospitality breakfast, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee …

Want Universal Health Care?  The Operative Word Is ‘Care.’  —  On a recently posted YouTube music video, to a hypnotic bongo beat, rapper MIKE-E knocks out rhymes about . . . universal health care:  —  You are among the masses/One of 47 million people without health care access …

Obama the humble savior  —  The short version of the Democratic Party primary campaign is that the media fell in love with Barack Obama but the Democratic electorate declined to.  —  “I felt this thrill going up my leg,” said MSNBC's Chris Matthews after one of the senator's speeches.

Lawmakers Urge Special Counsel Probe of Harsh Interrogation Tactics  —  Nearly 60 House Democrats yesterday urged the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel to examine whether top Bush administration officials may have committed crimes in authorizing the use of harsh interrogation tactics against suspected terrorists.