So Where's Murphy?  —  From the gun clubs of Northern Virginia to the sports bars of Capitol Hill — wherever D.C.-area Republicans gather — you hear the question:  —  “Where's Murphy?”  —  “Murphy” is Mike Murphy, the 46-year-old G.O.P. strategist who masterminded John McCain's 2000 primary race …

Zogby Poll: Building Mo-bama!  Democrat Leads McCain in Electoral College Tally, 273-158...  The Democrat also leads 44% to 38% in the nationwide horserace test as Libertarian Bob Barr wins 6%  —  UTICA, New York - As the race for President passes the Independence Day holiday and heads toward …

The Jesse Helms You Should Remember  —  With the passing of Sen. Jesse Helms, the media have demonstrated one final time that they never fully understood the power or impact of this great man.  Consider, for example, The Post's obituary of Helms; here are some things you would not learn about his life and legacy by reading it:

The “C” in CNN stands for clueless  —  Take a look at the man on the left in this photo from CPAC 2007:  —  He is Col. George Everett “Bud” Day, the nation's most highly decorated soldier since General Douglas MacArthur.  It was a thrill to meet this genuine American hero in person.  —  Read:

Iraq says may agree timetable for U.S. withdrawal  —  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki raised the prospect on Monday of setting a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops as part of negotiations over a new security agreement with Washington.

Illegal immigrants face threat of no college  —  Some states are making it harder for illegal immigrants to attend college by denying in-state tuition benefits or banning undocumented students.  —  In the past two years, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and Oklahoma have refused in-state tuition benefits …

Conservatives Ready To Battle McCain on Convention Platform  —  Conservative activists are preparing to do battle with allies of Sen. John McCain in advance of September's Republican National Convention, hoping to prevent his views on global warming, immigration, stem cell research …

Obama Faces Resistance From Top Supporters of Clinton  —  Sen. Barack Obama, the presumed Democratic presidential nominee, faces dissent from dozens of top fund-raisers and other supporters of former rival Sen. Hillary Clinton, who are angry over how she was treated during their bruising primary battle …

FARC's ‘Human Rights’ Friends  —  As we learn more about the Colombian military's daring hostage rescue last week, one detail stands out: In tricking FARC rebels into putting the hostages aboard a helicopter, undercover special forces simply told the comandantes that the aircraft was being loaned …

Why some conservatives are backing Obama  —  (07-07) 04:00 PDT Washington — The “Obamacans” that Sen. Barack Obama used to joke about - Republican apostates who whispered their support for his candidacy - have morphed into a new phenomenon, or syndrome, as detractors like to call it: the Obamacons.

Obama's apple pie campaign  —  On June 19, Barack Obama released his first television advertisement, a multi-million dollar, 18-state production that conveyed the core of his campaign's goal this summer: To establish his American cultural normalcy.  —  Obama offered a clear new version …

Salmonella outbreak: FDA looks at tomatoes, serrano, jalapeno peppers, cilantro  —  The government on Saturday increased to 943 the number of people reported being sickened in a record salmonella outbreak, in which tomatoes are the leading suspect.  —  The Food and Drug Administration …

Behind the Bush Bust  —  By huge margins, Americans think the economy is in lousy shape — and they blame President Bush.  This fact, more than anything else, makes it hard to see how the Democrats can lose this election.  —  But is the public right to be so disgusted with Mr. Bush's economic leadership?

Romney, McCain's ‘Logical’ Choice, Must Overcome Primary Animus  —  The prerequisites for John McCain's running mate are clear: a Washington outsider with solid economic credentials who isn't associated with President George W. Bush, can fill the vice-presidential attack-dog role …

“What do you think playground bullies grow up to be?”  “Right-wing Republicans.”  —  Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich answers a question.  —  Actually, when I decided I was going to blog this little interview, I planned to feature this line about why our drilling for more oil isn't a good solution to high gas prices: