George Carlin, Irreverent Comedian, Dies at 71  —  George Carlin, the Grammy-Award winning standup comedian and actor who was hailed for his irreverent social commentary, poignant observations of the absurdities of everyday life and language, and groundbreaking routines like …

First Obama attack book in the works  —  The same publisher that distributed the 2004 best-seller that took aim at John Kerry's Vietnam service is planning a summer release of what's scheduled to be the first critical book on Barack Obama.  —  Conservative journalist David Freddoso's …

Three women who might join the GOP ticket  —  While the vice presidential slot may be John McCain's best means of wooing those Hillary Rodham Clinton supporters who remain loath to embrace Barack Obama, the Republican party is a thin source of politically viable women, leaving McCain with few top-tier options.

Someone Else's Alex  —  The people at MoveOn.org have a new Iraq ad that is, if they do say so themselves, their most effective ever.  Then again, for the group that brought us the “General Petraeus or General Betray Us?” ad last September, that might not be saying much.

ANTI-TERROR OOPS  —  BARACK BUMBLES LEGAL QS  —  SPEAKING without a text in front of him, Barack Obama betrays a troubling lack of knowledge on important issues - such as the law and terrorism.  —  In his ABC interview last Monday, for example, Obama attacked the Bush approach on fighting terror.

Encounter Bids The New York York Times Farewell  —  Beginning today, June 23, 2008, Encounter Books will no longer send its books to The New York Times for review.  Of course, the editors at the Times are welcome to trot down to their local book emporium or visit Amazon.com to purchase our books …

Reporters Say Networks Put Wars on Back Burner  —  Getting a story on the evening news isn't easy for any correspondent.  And for reporters in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is especially hard, according to Lara Logan, the chief foreign correspondent for CBS News.  So she has devised a solution when she is talking to the network.

‘I despise Islamism’ says award winning author Ian McEwan in astonishing outburst  —  He is known for his polished prose, critically acclaimed novels -and for keeping a decidedly low profile.  —  But today the Booker-winning novelist Ian McEwan found himself at the centre of an uncharacteristic row.

Barack Obama inspires Milan men's runway styles  —  MILAN, Italy - The latest “first” for Barack Obama comes off the Milan runway.  —  Calling the U.S. presidential hopeful “the man of the moment,” Donatella Versace dedicated her Spring-Summer 2009 collection presented Saturday evening to Obama …

Obama Camp Closely Linked With Ethanol  —  When VeraSun Energy inaugurated a new ethanol processing plant last summer in Charles City, Iowa, some of that industry's most prominent boosters showed up.  Leaders of the National Corn Growers Association and the Renewable Fuels Association …

Obama campaign targets black voters — carefully  —  Strategists believe they've identified a new and potentially decisive Democratic electorate in at least five battleground states.  The trick lies in wooing them without alienating whites.  —  WASHINGTON — As they ponder a political map …

Is He the Ticket?  —  As the popular governor of Florida and a Republican known for supporting relatively progressive causes, you are often mentioned as a possible running mate for Senator McCain.  It's been said that you could deliver Florida for him in the November election and lend him some overall centrist appeal.

The Downward Spiral  —  Apparently John Bolton thinks that if Israel (or, presumably, the United States) were to bomb Iran the retaliation wouldn't be so bad because they would worry about “an even greater response” from Israel or from the United States.  And indeed they might.

Obama Moves To Reintroduce Himself to Voters  —  In the opening weeks of the general-election campaign, Sen. Barack Obama has moved aggressively to shape his campaign and offered a clear road map for the kind of candidate he is likely to become in the months ahead: an ambitious gamer of the electoral map …