A Small Man  —  This blog has had many differences with Joe Klein of Time magazine, whom I once considered a very friendly acquaintance before he accused me and those who argued for an aggressive policy in Iraq and with Iran of being war criminals and began spouting anti-Semitic conspiracy nonsense that …

California voters exercise their power — and that's the problem  —  Residents relish their role in the lawmaking process, but they share the blame for the state's severe dysfunction.  —  Californians are well known for periodic voter revolts, but on Tuesday they did more than just lash …

A Setback Of His Own  —  There are no friends in politics, just interests.  Some in the White House relearned that dictum this week, as their party dissolved into factions, and largely knelt down in front ofRepublican political priorities.  —  As usual, administration officials won't concede …

Powell to Rush, Cheney: Room for me among ‘emerging’ Republican Party  —  Colin Powell issued a sharp rebuke Tuesday night to Rush Limbaugh and Dick Cheney for trying to exclude him from the backbiting Republican Party.  —  Before some 1,500 business leaders in Boston …

Why Pelosi Should Step Down  —  The case against Nancy Pelosi remaining Speaker of the House is as simple as it is devastating:  —  The person who is No. 2 in line to be commander in chief can't have contempt for the men and women who protect our nation.  America can't afford it.

Obama, Cheney plan dueling speeches  —  President Barack Obama will attempt to regain control of a boiling debate over anti-terrorism policy with a major speech on Thursday—an address that comes on the same day that former Vice President Cheney will be weighing in with his own speech on the same theme.

Saudis pushing Obama for new Mideast plan  —  WASHINGTON - The United States expects Israel to make concrete concessions to the Palestinians before U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Cairo on June 4, an American official said during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington this week.

Judge Wood Goes to Washington  —  Just two days after Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm's sudden appearance in Washington set off a flurry of speculation about Supreme Court interviews, here's something that actually could be significant:  —  Federal Appeals Court Judge Diane Wood …

RNC showdown over ‘socialist’ resolution may be avoided  —  OXON HILL, Maryland (CNN) — Members of the Republican National Committee appear to have reached a compromise that would let GOP leaders avoid a possible dispute over a controversial resolution that calls on Democrats to re-name their party the “Democrat Socialist party.”

Bristol Palin Exposes Her Sometimes Isolated Life  —  Bristol Palin's pretty, lightly freckled face was nowhere to be seen on the overhead screen as images from her high-school senior slideshow - photos from the prom and a Class of 2009 portrait set against the Alaska snow - played during May 14's Wasilla High commencement ceremony.

Bloggers To The NRSC: Stay Out Of Primaries  —  It was disappointing to many Republicans to see the National Republican Senatorial Committee get involved in the Charlie Crist vs. Marco Rubio primary in Florida.  —  We've had the leadership of the Republican Party saying we need …

ADIOS, NEW YORK  —  TAXED OUT OF THE STATE  —  I LOVE New York.  But how much should it cost to call New York home?  Decades of out-of-control budgets, spending hikes and relentless borrowing have made New York simply too expensive.  —  Politicians like to talk about incentives …

Advocates of Gun Rights Are Poised for a Victory  —  WASHINGTON — Advocates of gun rights are poised to win a Congressional victory that eluded them under a Republican president.  —  To the frustration and discouragement of many Democrats, House and Senate lawmakers and aides …

1 in 7 Detainees Freed Returns to Terrorism, Pentagon Says  —  WASHINGTON — An unreleased Pentagon report provides new details concluding that about one in seven of the 534 prisoners already transferred abroad from the detention center in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, has returned to terrorism …

Huntsman, Interrupted  —  Spending time with the man who wants to be the future of the GOP, just not its present.  —  RELATED CONTENT  —  Slideshow: GOP Stars' New Careers  —  Jon Huntsman Jr. wants to know if I'm in the mood for Mexican food for lunch.

The Climate Lobby's Nonstop Growth  —  NOT JUST THE USUAL SUSPECTS: POWER COMPANIES AND BIG OIL, BUT MICROSOFT, GOOGLE, AND EBAY AS WELL  —  Makers of sneakers, blue jeans, and computer network servers joined forces late last fall and vowed a bigger push in Congress on climate change.

Dear GOP: Please Choose Liberty  —  Even non-Republicans need a strong opposition.  —  If Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter's defection to the Democratic side of the aisle affected only the fortunes of the Republican Party, it would be no cause for concern for non-Republicans like me.

The Moral Hazard of a State Bailout  —  If the government does bail out the muni bond market, how should it go about things?  The initial assumption is that they'll only guarantee existing debt.  Otherwise, it would be like handing the keys to the treasury to every mayor, county board …