In Edwards Scandal, a Chapter Winds Down  —  CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The story of the spectacular rise and fall of John Edwards, with its sordid can't-look-away dimensions, is moving slowly but deliberately to its conclusion here in North Carolina.  —  Mr. Edwards, the one-term senator …

Obama Said to Request That Paterson Drop Campaign  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama has sent a request to Gov. David A. Paterson that he withdraw from the New York governor's race, fearing that Mr. Paterson cannot recover from his dismal political standing, according to two senior administration officials …

Independent prosecutor for ACORN  —  ACORN is in very deep, very public trouble, and the U.S. attorney general should appoint an independent prosecutor to investigate.  What we know so far is due entirely to two amateur reporters, James E. O'Keefe III, 25, and Hannah Giles, 20 …

Gov. Perry laughs off recession: 'We're in one?'  —  Speaking to the Houston Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) discounted the fact that Texas is in a deep economic downturn.  In an anecdote to the assembled business leaders, Perry quipped that when he was approached …

Even Glenn Beck Is Right Twice a Day  —  IF only it were just about the color of his skin.  —  With all due respect to Jimmy Carter, the racist component of Obama-hatred has been undeniable since the summer of 2008, when Sarah Palin rallied all-white mobs to the defense of the “real America.”

CIA expanding presence in Afghanistan  —  The buildup coincides with new warnings that the Taliban has continued to gain territory and strength.  McChrystal wants to improve intelligence on the Taliban and focus on reducing the number of bombi  —  A special operations plane is readied for a mission in Afghanistan.

Brezinski Calls for Obama to Shoot Down Israeli Jets; “A Liberty in Reverse”  —  In a little noticed interview with the Daily Beast (presumably little noticed because serious people don't read the Daily Beast), Zbigniew Brzezinski suggests that Barack Obama do more than just refuse to support …

From Kristol To Beck  —  James Warren recalls the good old days of intelligent conservatism. what he doesn't say, understandably, is that, as neoconservatism became a dogma, and support for general common sense morphed into the loopiest fundamentalism and know-nothing populsim, Kristol retained his Trotskyite political sense.

Feds Take Denver Man and Father into Custody in Alleged al Qaeda Plot  —  Authorities Say Najibullah Zazi Lied to the FBI, Admitted Ties to Terror  —  Federal agents arrested Najibullah Zazi and his 53-year-old father, Wali Mohammed Zazi, in connection with an investigation into an alleged al Qaeda plot …

The futility of American deaths in Afghanistan  —  In Afghanistan, the US is heading towards futility if not defeat mainly because no policy maker in Washington or its allied European capitals is willing to notice the bull in the china shop obvious to others.

Governor Romney's address to the 2009 Values Voters Summit  —  Thank you all very much.  Tony, I appreciate your very kind words.  And my thanks to all of you for the warm welcome.  It's good to see so many friends and leaders of the conservative movement from across America.

Huckabee takes first in straw poll  —  Mike Huckabee cruised to an easy victory in a presidential straw poll taken among attendees at a social conservative conference, beating a group of four other Republican contenders by an over two-to-one margin.  —  Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor …

Senate jockeying begins on Baucus bill  —  Members of the Senate Finance Committee filed more than 500 amendments to Chairman Max Baucus's health care reform bill, setting the stage for a markup next week that will lay bare differences between the parties on overhauling the health care system.