Former Sen. Jesse Helms dies  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — Former U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms, a North Carolina Republican who became an icon to conservatives, died Friday at the age of 86, a senior congressional source said.  —  The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank …

Bush heckled at new citizen ceremony  —  President heckled during event at Thomas Jefferson's former home  —  CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia - President Bush invoked the memory of Thomas Jefferson Friday in welcoming new U.S. citizens at a naturalization ceremony at Monticello, saying “I'll be proud to call you a fellow American.”

In Praise of Barack Obama  —  Via the AP comes this news that Barack Obama has changed his mind, and is rejecting at least some of the extremism of NARAL, Emily's List, and other radical abortion organizations.  The money graf: … Read on...  Of course, Obama's position here is only confined …

Schoolboys punished with detention for refusing to kneel in class and pray to Allah  —  Two schoolboys were given detention after refusing to kneel down and ‘pray to Allah’ during a religious education lesson.  —  Parents were outraged that the two boys from year seven (11 to 12-year-olds) …

Edwards, Rove to face off in UB debate  —  Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain might not burn up the campaign trail around Western New York this election year, but the University at Buffalo may have scheduled the next best thing.  —  GOP strategist Karl Rove and former Democratic vice …

Press Briefing by Dana Perino  —  MS. PERINO: Hello, everybody.  Hello to my mom in the back, my mom and my sister — friends.  (Applause.)  I don't usually get that reception in here.  (Laughter.)  —  Q Mom gets it.  —  MS. PERINO: Yes, I know.  (Laughter.)

Condoleezza Rice: ‘I Am Proud Of The Decision’ To Invade Iraq  —  In an interview last March with Bloomberg's Judy Woodruff, the late conservative scholar William F. Buckley said President Bush's legacy would be judged purely on Iraq.  He stressed, “It's important that we acknowledge …

Why Europe loves Barack Obama  —  By Bill Schneider, CNN senior political analyst  —  (CNN) — When Barack Obama comes to London, I am certain that 50,000 people will turn out to cheer him on," a British executive assured me when I visited the British capital recently.  —  “Americans?”  I asked.

National Mall in monumental disrepair, activists say  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — About half a million people are expected Friday on the National Mall in Washington for the nation's birthday celebration, but they may be shocked at what they see.  —  This gathering place known as America's …