What Bush hath wrought  —  FEW AMERICANS, whatever their political persuasion, will mourn George W. Bush's departure from office.  Democrats and Republicans alike are counting the days until the inauguration of a new president will wipe the slate clean.  —  Yet in crucial respects, the Bush era will not end Jan. 20, 2009.

Obama to expand Bush's faith based programs  —  ZANESVILLE, Ohio - Reaching out to religious voters, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama called for expanding President Bush's program steering federal social service dollars to religious groups and — in a move sure to cause controversy …

Obama's Pro-Gay Flyers  —  Barack Obama may be talking up his Christian faith like he's doing today in Ohio and trying his best to appeal to Evangelicals with a “new kind of politics,” but he's got a problem.  Many of his positions are the same liberal positions that have turned off Evangelicals for years.

Ex-Agent Says CIA Ignored Iran Facts  —  A former CIA operative who says he tried to warn the agency about faulty intelligence on Iraqi weapons programs now contends that CIA officials also ignored evidence that Iran had suspended work on a nuclear bomb.  —  The onetime undercover agent …

Webb: McCain Should ‘Calm Down’ on Using Military Service  —  Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) waded into the debate over John McCain's military service Monday to say that the Republican should avoid using military service in politics.  —  Webb, a Barack Obama supporter, was on MSNBC's “Countdown” …

Muslims outraged at police advert featuring cute puppy sitting in policeman's hat  —  A postcard featuring a cute puppy sitting in a policeman's hat advertising a Scottish police force's new telephone number has sparked outrage from Muslims.  —  Tayside Police's new non-emergency phone number …

Americans Worry McCain Would Be Too Similar to Bush  —  About half are concerned Obama would go too far in changing Bush policies  —  PRINCETON, NJ — A recent USA Today/Gallup poll finds about two in three Americans concerned that John McCain would pursue policies as president that are too similar to what George W. Bush has pursued.

Obama's Money Class  —  Barack Obama sells the Democratic Party short.  He talks about his fund-raising success as if his donors were part of a spontaneous movement of small-money enthusiasts who cohered around himself.  In fact, Democrats have spent years building their donor network.

Clay Felker, 1925-2008  —  New York's founding editor died at home this morning with his wife by his side.  His legacy was understanding — and explaining — the city as a pageant of ambition.  —  The main reason that most city magazines suck, and have always sucked, is that their founders …

Obama's real patriotism problem  —  He sees an America in which the cup is half-empty.  Is his America the same one most Americans think of as they wave flags and celebrate the Fourth of July?  —  Barack Obama has a patriotism problem that even Monday's flag-waving trip to Independence, Mo., can't squelch.

Many voters against pay-raise plan  —  BATON ROUGE — Incumbent Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu holds an edge on Republican challenger John Kennedy as Louisiana heads toward the fall elections, according to a poll released Monday.  —  Also, Sen. John McCain has a strong lead …

Evidence Faulted in Detainee Case  —  In the first case to review the government's secret evidence for holding a detainee at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, a federal appeals court found that accusations against a Muslim from western China held for more than six years were based on bare and unverifiable claims.

The South Will Fall Again  —  THE interim between the primaries and the parties' nominating conventions is, according to ancient writ, a fertile period for presidential campaigns to talk about how they plan to expand the political map in the fall.  This year is no different.

Now A McCain Surrogate Demeans Wes Clark's Service  —  The McCain campaign, keeping up the pressure over Wes Clark's comments, is holding its second conference call on this topic in two days — but now the story has taken a new turn, with a McCain surrogate demeaning Clark's service.

McCain: US winning in Iraq  —  Sen. John McCain said that he is willing to stake his presidential campaign, as well as his political career, on his support for the war in Iraq.  —  In an interview with reporters on the back of his campaign bus, the “Straight Talk Express” Monday afternoon …