"If a Nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be... if we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed." -- Thomas Jefferson

Clinton sweeps West Virginia (Washington Times) (5/14) - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton scored a resounding victory in West Virginia yesterday that supporters hailed as a turning point in her sinking hopes to win the Democratic presidential nomination and that detractors dismissed as meaningless.

Obama, McCain Aim to Curb '527s' (Washington Post) (5/14) - Sen. Barack Obama's top fundraisers have asked his campaign donors to refrain from contributing to liberal independent political organizations in hopes of controlling the tone and message of the general-election campaign.

Democrats' budget plan punts on taxes, spending (AP) (5/14) - Democrats controlling Congress are leaving tough decisions on automatic tax increases to the next president and the newly elected Congress under a freshly negotiated House-Senate blueprint for the upcoming budget year.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (Wall Street Journal) (5/14) - We can't wait to hear how Members of Congress explain their vote this week for the new $300 billion farm bill. At a time when Americans are squeezed at the grocery store, they will now see more of their taxes flow to the very farmers profiting from these high food prices.

Hill GOP bucks Bush on oil policy (Washington Times) (5/14) - Capitol Hill Republicans yesterday begrudgingly broke with President Bush over oil policy, joining a lopsided vote to stop the government from filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, in hopes of slightly reducing sky-high gasoline prices.

Congressional Problem Creation (Walter E. Williams) (5/14) - Most of the great problems we face are caused by politicians creating solutions to problems they created in the first place.

Democratic Victory May Be a Bellwether (Washington Post) (5/14) - A Democrat won the race for a GOP-held congressional seat in northern Mississippi yesterday, leaving the once-dominant House Republicans reeling from their third special-election defeat of the spring.

Obama not at home in W.Va. (Washington Times) (5/13) - Here in the Mountain State, where faith, firearms and patriotism are bedrock, Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama is failing to connect, trailing in the run-up to today's primary election by 40 points in some polls.

Clinton's records vanished after warning of 'very serious' problems (Washington Times) (5/12) - Hillary Rodham Clinton's Rose Law Firm billing records, found in the White House residence in January 1996 two years after they had been subpoenaed by government regulators, disappeared shortly after the first lady was warned that the firm's billing problems were "very serious" and the then-ongoing Whitewater investigation could result in criminal charges, newly obtained records show.

Barr announces Libertarian presidential bid (AP) (5/12) - Former Republican Rep. Bob Barr launched a Libertarian Party presidential bid today, saying voters are hungry for an alternative to the status quo who would dramatically cut the federal government.

Obama wrests lead among superdelegates (Washington Times) (5/11) - Sen. Barack Obama erased Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's once-imposing lead among superdelegates yesterday when he added more endorsements from the group of Democrats who will decide the party's nomination for president.

Obama takes lead in superdelegates (AP) (5/10) - Barack Obama erased Hillary Rodham Clinton's once-imposing lead among superdelegates Saturday when he added more endorsements from the group of Democrats who will decide the party's nomination for president.

Clinton pushes swing-state strategy (Washington Times) (5/10) - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's top aides yesterday accused Sen. Barack Obama of ignoring West Virginia, saying Democrats must win the state in the fall and using her 43-point poll lead there as evidence that her longshot bid deserves to run its course.

Rethinking the Iraq Critics (Michael Barone) (5/10) - In trying to understand news about the conflicts in Iraq, I work to keep in mind the difference between what we know now about decision making in World War II and what most Americans knew at the time.

Jenna Bush weds in heart of Texas (Washington Times) (5/10) - Jenna Bush becomes America's quiet sweetheart today — a bride wrapped in delicate organza, bound for a new destiny as wife, honeymooner, teacher, author and occasional first daughter, at least for a few more months.

Superdelegates hold back (Washington Times) (5/9) - Several superdelegates from Indiana, Pennsylvania and Ohio are bucking the will of the people by withholding endorsements from Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, staying silent even though she overwhelmingly won their districts.

Clinton: Michigan, Florida wins should stand (Washington Times) (5/9) - Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday appealed directly to rival Sen. Barack Obama to let her disqualified Michigan and Florida primary victories stand, saying in a letter to the Illinois senator that to do otherwise would violate the "foremost principles of our party"

Short of Cash, Clinton Is Forced to Cut Spending (NY Times) (5/9) - Mrs. Clinton’s diminished political momentum, following Tuesday’s loss in the North Carolina primary and her narrow victory in Indiana, appears to have had a dampening effect on her fund-raising, aides said, increasing the likelihood that Mrs. Clinton will lend her campaign more of her own money beyond the $11 million she has already provided.

Hillary Clinton's Long Learning Curve (Charles Krauthammer) (5/9) - By the time Hillary Clinton figured out how to beat Barack Obama, it was too late. When she began the race in 2007 thinking she was in for a coronation, she claimed the center in order to position herself for the real fight, the general election. She simply assumed the party activists and loony left would fall in behind her.

Congress Agrees on Farm Bill as Bush Veto Is Threatened (AP) (5/9) - Congressional negotiators announced a final agreement on a $300 billion farm bill on Thursday, as the White House and key conservatives continued to signal opposition to the legislation.

'Blue Dog' Democrats Join GOP in Opposing War Bill (Washington Post) (5/9) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi yesterday postponed consideration of a bill that would continue funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as a bloc of conservative Democrats balked at the high cost of including several of Pelosi's favored domestic spending programs.

House passes mortgage measure (Washington Times) (5/9) - The House today approved the Democrats' plan to stanch home foreclosures with government-backed mortgage deals and buyouts of derelict homes, ignoring a Bush administration threat to veto what critics dub a bailout scheme.

Once-secret memos question Clinton's honesty (Washington Times) (5/8) - A decade before Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton admitted fudging the truth during the presidential campaign, federal prosecutors quietly assembled hundreds of pages of evidence suggesting she concealed information and misled a federal grand jury about her work for a failing Arkansas savings and loan at the heart of the Whitewater probe, according to once-secret documents that detail the internal debates over whether she should have faced criminal charges.

Clinton Spurns Calls to Quit Race (Washington Post) (5/8) - Now facing almost insurmountable odds, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) came under fresh pressure yesterday to end her campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination against Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.), but she vowed to remain in the race "until there is a nominee."

Obama: Flawed or Fantastic? (Robert D. Novak) (5/8) - Buyer's remorse was beginning to afflict supporters of Barack Obama before Tuesday's primary election returns showed he had delivered a knockout punch against Hillary Clinton.

Democrats divide by race, gender, class (Reuters) (5/8) - It's now common wisdom that Sen. Hillary Clinton attracts older voters, women and the white working class, while Sen. Barack Obama is the go-to guy for youth, African-Americans and the elite.

Senate Democrats Seeking a Tax Increase (AP) (5/8) - Senate Democrats called for a temporary special tax on oil companies’ profits and a rollback of $17 billion in oil industry tax breaks as part of an energy package.

GOP stalls House action on housing bailout (Washington Times) (5/8) - House Republicans dragged the chamber to a standstill yesterday with procedural moves to protest Democrats' attempt to ram through passage of foreclosure-crisis and war-funding bills, as President Bush threatened to veto both legislative packages and urged Congress to take up a compromise agenda.

Lawmakers Accused of Flouting Rules on Use of Staff (Washington Post) (5/8) - Democratic Reps. Jane Harman and Neil Abercrombie spent more than $2 million on their 2006 reelection campaigns but paid only $5,000 to campaign workers, according to campaign finance reports.

Ex-Guantanamo Detainee Joined Iraq Suicide Attack (Washington Post) (5/8) - A Kuwaiti man who complained about maltreatment during a three-year stay in the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was involved in a deadly suicide bombing in northern Iraq last month, the U.S. military confirmed yesterday.

Obama wins big in N. Carolina; Clinton squeaks win in Indiana (Washington Times) (5/7) - Sen. Barack Obama dominated yesterday's North Carolina Democratic presidential primary and conceded defeat to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in Indiana, splitting the states and underscoring the divide among Democratic voters that threatens the party's unity going forward.

Michigan Democrats to ponder delegate issue (Washington Times) (5/7) - Michigan Democratic Party leaders will meet today to consider a compromise on seating the state's disqualified delegates at the national convention.

Guns for Oil (Wall Street Journal) (5/7) - Charles Schumer, Byron Dorgan, Bernie Sanders, Bob Casey and Mary Landrieu are demanding that President Bush tell OPEC nations to increase their oil supplies or risk losing arms deals with the United States. The Senators say U.S. consumers need the price relief that only increased oil production can bring.

Democrats Link Wishes to War Funding (Washington Post) (5/7) - Setting up their last major battle over war policy with President Bush, House Democrats yesterday unveiled a plan to link their favored domestic spending projects and a troop-withdrawal timeline to additional funds for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan requested by the White House.

House set to pass sweeping housing rescue bill (Reuters) (5/7) - The House Democrats to begin debating a housing rescue package that could see the government buy up $15 billion of abandoned homes and help an estimated half million homeowners facing foreclosure.

Buoyed by Foreign Money (Washington Post) (5/7) - Booming exports, tourism help keep growth from hitting standstill.

Environmentalists' Wild Predictions (Walter E. Williams) (5/7) - Now that another Earth Day has come and gone, let's look at some environmentalist predictions that they would prefer we forget.

Clinton campaign retools delegate math (Washington Times) (5/6) - Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign yesterday tried to redefine the delegate math for securing the Democratic presidential nomination, signaling its willingness to wage a divisive battle with front-runner Sen. Barack Obama through the summer.

Gas tax suspension offers no relief (Washington Times) (5/6) - Rarely do liberal and conservative economists agree as strongly as they do in their opposition to suspending the federal gas tax during the summer, when supply is essentially fixed and price is effectively determined by demand.

The Reformers Who Ruined Politics (Wall Street Journal) (5/6) - Nearly halfway to choosing the next President, voters are witnessing an amazing spectacle in addition to the Barack Obama-Hillary Clinton scrum. All three of the contenders are avowed believers in ever more restrictive and convoluted campaign finance laws. They are also proving, with their every decision, why those laws have become a national farce.

Exceptions mount to Democrats' fiscal rules (AP) (5/6) - Democrats are finding more excuses to ignore the promise made when they took over Congress that they wouldn't pass laws increasing the budget deficit.

Watchdogs see waste in farm-bill reform (Washington Times) (5/6) - As Congress prepares this week to finish a massive proposal to renew farm and food subsidy programs, government watchdog groups have condemned the "farm bill" as one of the most egregious examples of government waste.

Massachusetts Miracle (Wall Street Journal) (5/6) - Imagine: When you remove price controls, supply increases and prices fall.

Hezbollah Trains Iraqis in Iran, Officials Say (NY Times) (5/5) - Militants from the Lebanese group Hezbollah have been training Iraqi militia fighters at a camp near Tehran, according to American interrogation reports that the United States has supplied to the Iraqi government.

Iran Must Finally Pay a Price (Wall Street Journal) (5/5) - We tell the Iranians that the military option is "on the table." But three decades of playing cat-and-mouse with American power have emboldened Iran's rulers. We have played by their rules, and always came up second best.

'Tough' Obama wins seen (Washington Times) (5/5) - Sen. Barack Obama will win the Indiana and North Carolina primaries tomorrow, a top supporter and former Hillary Rodham Clinton backer declared yesterday, prompting the former first lady's campaign to crow that if he doesn't, she deserves to be the nominee.

Democrats lose footing for gains in November (Washington Times) (5/5) - "Saturday Night Live" veteran Al Franken should have had an easier run for U.S. Senate in Minnesota against an embattled Republican incumbent but is being dogged by $70,000 in unpaid taxes and is slipping in the polls — just one of the topsy-turvy races clouding Democrats' expectations of big gains in November.

Fiscal Pressures Lead Some States to Free Inmates Early (Washington Post) (5/5) - Reversing decades of tough-on-crime policies, including mandatory minimum prison sentences for some drug offenders, many cash-strapped states are embracing a view once dismissed as dangerously naive: It costs far less monetarily to let some felons go free than to keep them locked up.

Czar Nancy's Rule (Robert D. Novak) (5/5) - Operating outside public view, the House Democratic majority is taking extraordinary steps to maintain spending as usual while awaiting a Democrat as president. Remarkably, the supine House Republican minority hardly resists and even collaborates with its supposed adversaries.

Clinton stands by 'obliterate' Iran remark (AP) (5/4) - Sen. Barack Obama scolded Democratic rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton today for saying that the United States would "totally obliterate" Iran if it attacks Israel, and likened her to President Bush. Clinton stood by her comment.

GOP keeps Jindal's House seat (AP) (5/4) - Republicans have retained at least one House seat in two special elections being held in Louisiana.

Obama slams Clinton's gas tax plan (AP) (5/3) - Broadening his attack, Barack Obama said Saturday that Hillary Rodham Clinton's support for a summertime break from the federal gasoline tax symbolizes a candidacy consisting of "phony ideas, calculated to win elections instead of actually solving problems."

Superdelegates get behind Obama (Washington Times) (5/2) - The Democratic establishment is steadily moving toward ensuring Sen. Barack Obama's nomination for president even as more of the party's voters view him as a damaged candidate.

Census: Hispanics largest ethnic group (Washington Times) (5/2) - Hispanics remain the largest ethnic group in the nation with their numbers approaching 46 million, or more than 15 percent of the population, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures released yesterday. Blacks total close to 41 million and Asians more than 15 million.

Obama's Changing Moral Equivalence (Charles Krauthammer) (5/2) - Guess it's time to disown Granny, if Obama's famous Philadelphia "race" speech is to be believed.

Democrats eye new war bill for social programs (Washington Times) (5/1) - House Democratic leaders, acknowledging that they cannot force a U.S. pullout from Iraq, plan to use the administration's $108 billion war request as a vehicle to pass billions of dollars in election-year domestic spending.

Congress' ethanol affair is cooling (Washington Times) (5/1) - Members of Congress say they overreached by pushing ethanol on consumers and will move to roll back federal supports for it — the latest sure signal that Congress' appetite for corn-based ethanol has collapsed as food and gas prices have shot up.

Solving the Pastor Problem? (Robert D. Novak) (5/1) - "That is just terrible, absolutely dreadful," a prominent supporter of Barack Obama said Monday morning after listening to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's screed at the National Press Club. He proposed that the presidential candidate at long last must denounce his pastor, unequivocally and immediately. It took 28 hours after a tepid early reaction Monday, but Obama finally did it Tuesday afternoon. 

Bush lays gas blame on Congress (Washington Times) (4/30) - President Bush blamed the Democratic Congress for blocking bills he said would have lowered gas prices, marking a coordinated strategy with congressional Republicans to shift responsibility for the nation's economic woes to Democrats. They, in turn, were quick to strike back.

Obama 'outraged,' 'insulted' by pastor (Washington Times) (4/30) - Sen. Barack Obama yesterday broke with the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., saying he was "outraged" and "insulted" by his former pastor's racial and anti-government rants — rhetoric he said he did not hear the pastor use in church.

Analysis: Whitewashing vote fraud (Washington Times) (4/30) - Monday's 6-3 Supreme Court decision upholding Indiana's voter-identification law has unhinged Democrats and their allies on the political left.

GI Bill for '21st century' heads to House floor (Washington Times) (4/30) - A popular "21st Century GI Bill" increasing college tuition benefits for veterans could reach the House floor next week, though Democrats may try to attach it to a war spending bill, placing President Bush in a difficult political position.

Siphoning Off Corn to Fuel Our Cars (Washington Post) (4/30) - Across the U.S., ethanol plants are swallowing up more of the corn crop, boosting demand and tightening the link between food and fuel prices.

The Conceit of the Regulators (John Stossel) (4/30) - Air-travel safety has joined mortgage defaults and global warming as "crises" of the month.

Cigarette Smuggling (Walter E. Williams) (4/30) - While it's politically popular to impose confiscatory taxes on America's 40 million tobacco smokers, there are a number of consequences one might consider, but let's start out with a quiz. If a carton of cigarettes sells for $160 in New York City, and $35 in North Carolina, what do you predict will happen?

Court upholds requisite ID at voter polls (Washington Times) (4/29) - The Supreme Court yesterday ruled that states can require voters to show photo identification at the polls, delivering a win to Republicans who pushed for an identification law in Indiana and greenlighting other states to follow suit.

Obama 'outraged' by ex-pastor (Washington Times) (4/29) - Sen. Barack Obama today broke with the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., saying his former pastor's racial and anti-government remarks were "a show of disrespect to me [and] an insult to what we have tried to do in this campaign."

Wright stands by his remarks, and then some (Washington Times) (4/29) - Sen. Barack Obama's former pastor defiantly embraced his racial and anti-government sermons, calling the criticisms of his religious philosophies "an attack on the black church" and suggesting anew that the U.S. government may have engineered AIDS to infect black communities.

An Old Newness (Thomas Sowell) (4/29) - No doubt it is only a matter of time before there is a black president, just as it was only a matter of time before Paul Waner got his 3,000th hit. The issue is whether we want to reach that landmark so badly that we are willing to overlook how questionably that landmark is reached.

Bush shifts blame for gas woes to Dems (Washington Times) (4/29) - President Bush this morning said American families are "understandably anxious" about the economy, but blamed the Democratic Congress for blocking bills he said would have helped lower gas prices.

U.S. hones intelligence skills (Washington Times) (4/28) - One of the most experienced interrogators in the Defense Department looked straight into Ahmed's eyes and asked him for the third time: "Ahmed, what insurgent organization do you belong to?"

Grilling Petraeus, protecting Tehran (Washington Times) (4/28) - The nomination of Gen. David Petraeus to head U.S. Central Command has put the Democratic Party leadership in a difficult situation, as they try to find a way to sound respectful about the general's work while signalling to MoveOn.org and the rest of the kook fringe their disdain for the war effort.

Disobeying the Pope (Robert D. Novak) (4/28) - In the aftermath of the visit by Pope Benedict XVI, a troublesome question is asked by traditional Catholics: Did American pro-choice politicians receiving Communion at the papal masses indicate a softening on the abortion question by the pope?

Clinton eyes Oregon upset (Washington Times) (4/27) - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is making a stealth play for Oregon, where a primary win next month — combined with her two strongest remaining states, West Virginia and Kentucky — may open up a pathway to the Democratic ticket by convincing superdelegates that she deserves the nomination.

Iranian arms aid 'visible' in Basra (Washington Times) (4/26) - The top U.S. military officer yesterday said Iranian aid to Iraqi insurgents became "very, very visible" during the recent unrest in Basra, in violation of earlier promises to reduce support for terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Analysis: Pyongyang and Damascus (Washington Times) (4/26) - The new information about Syrian-North Korean nuclear weapons collaboration is a devastating blow to the Bush State Department's efforts to use the six-party talks to rehabilitate Kim Jong-il's Stalinist regime.

Errol Morris’s Film ‘Standard Operating Procedure’ Shines Spotlight on Paying Documentary Witnesses (NY Times) (4/26) - Errol Morris, the Oscar-winning filmmaker whose latest documentary, “Standard Operating Procedure,” examines the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal, is being pressed about a procedure of his own: paying interview subjects.

Puerto Rico eyes statehood status (Washington Times) (4/26) - The status of Puerto Rico — commonwealth, U.S. state or independent — could be settled soon by the island's populace if Congress will allow it.

Hill negotiators reach tentative deal on farm bill (AP) (4/26) - Congressional negotiators reached a tentative agreement yesterday on a multibillion-dollar farm bill that includes a hefty increase for nutrition programs at a time of rising food prices.

The Foul Play Act (Wall Street Journal) (4/26) - Every now and then – once or twice a year – Congress attempts to do the work that its constituents sent the Members to do. But most days are like Wednesday, when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid could find nothing more pressing than to force an awkward vote on Republicans in an election year.

Federal contracts to be tied to taxes (Washington Times) (4/25) - Federal contractors will have to disclose tax violations under a new rule prompted by congressional probes that discovered thousands of companies doing business with the U.S. government owed billions of dollars in back taxes.

Senate pre-empts DNA-profile bias (Washington Times) (4/25) - People cannot be fired or denied medical coverage based on their DNA — regardless of any predisposition that their genes may have to health problems — according to legislation passed by the Senate yesterday.

The "Distractions: Of Obama's Character (Charles Krauthammer) (4/25) - Obama understands that the real threat to his candidacy is less Hillary Clinton and John McCain than his own character and cultural attitudes.

N. Koreans Taped At Syrian Reactor (Washington Post) (4/24) - A video taken inside a secret Syrian facility last summer convinced the Israeli government and the Bush administration that North Korea was helping to construct a reactor similar to one that produces plutonium for North Korea's nuclear arsenal, according to senior U.S. officials who said it would be shared with lawmakers today.

Plutonium on the Euphrates (Wall Street Journal) (4/24) - What really happened in the Syrian desert near the Euphrates River on the night of September 6, 2007?

Clinton grabs $3.5 million after victory (Washington Times) (4/24) - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton parlayed her Pennsylvania primary victory into a prodigious $3.5 million overnight fundraising haul, and yesterday urged superdelegates to heed her self-defined lead in the popular vote when selecting the Democratic presidential nominee.

Deepening Democratic Dilemma (Robert D. Novak) (4/24) - How was it possible, then, that Sen. Clinton, given up for dead by her party's establishment, won Pennsylvania in a 10-point landslide? The answer is the dreaded Bradley Effect.

Filibuster blocks wage-bias lawsuit bill (Washington Times) (4/24) - Senate Democrats last night failed to garner enough votes to move forward a bill that would make it easier for employees to file lawsuits claiming wage discrimination.

Farmers’ Income Rises, but Subsidies Stay (NY Times) (4/24) - Congress seems oblivious as it works on the farm bill, which will do little to address pressing concerns, including continuing subsidies despite high profits for growers.

Bailout of the Year (Wall Street Journal) (4/24) - The Congress that created the student loan mess now wants you to pay for it.

The Sky's Not Falling (John Stossel) (4/23) - Where is this "credit crisis"? Did the supermarket reject your Visa card? Do we have 25 percent unemployment, as we did during the Depression? Do we even have 7.5 percent unemployment, 12 percent inflation and 20 percent interest rates, as we did during Jimmy Carter's presidency?

Clinton wins crucial Pa. primary (Washington Times) (4/22) - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton won today's Pennsylvania Democratic primary, calling it a tide-turning contest that keeps Sen. Barack Obama at bay and eases pressure on her to drop out of the presidential nomination race.

Obama has huge cash edge for homestretch (Washington Times) (4/22) - After they ran almost dead even in campaign fundraising in 2007, Sen. Barack Obama has beaten the pantsuit off Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in fundraising since Jan. 1, outraising her $136.4 million to $76.5 million.

Obama predicts Clinton win in Pa. (AP) (4/21) - Barack Obama predicted today that Democratic presidential rival Hillary Rodham Clinton would get the critical victory she needs in tomorrow's Pennsylvania primary, but said his goal is to keep it close.

Obama, Clinton raise attack level (Washington Times) (4/20) - Presidential hopefuls Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton barnstormed across the state today in a final plea for votes before Tuesday's crucial primary, as the campaigns saturate the airwaves with attack ads and trade accusations of deploying misleading messages.

Clinton's MoveOn remarks draw fire (Washington Times) (4/20) - Liberal bloggers are in an uproar over the revelation that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton bashed MoveOn.org while asking donors for money at a private fundraiser.

Obama Fights On Two Fronts (Washington Post) (4/19) - Sen. Barack Obama battled rivals on two fronts heading into the final weekend before the Pennsylvania primary, facing ridicule over his toughness from his Democratic rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, and tangling over the economy with Republican Sen. John McCain.

The Rules Are Changing for Obama (Michael Barone) (4/19) - Barack Obama seemed puzzled. Angrily puzzled. The apostle of hope seemed flummoxed by the audacity of the question. At the April 16 Philadelphia debate, George Stephanopoulos, longtime aide to Democratic politicians, was asking about his longtime association with Weather Underground bomber William Ayers.

Hillary for V.P. (Robert D. Novak) (4/19) - As Hillary Clinton's presidential odds lengthen, feminist supporters have begun arguing that she must be the vice presidential candidate if Barack Obama wins the presidential nomination.

Bush names pick for HUD chief (Washington Times) (4/19) - President Bush yesterday nominated Small Business Administration chief Steve Preston as secretary of Housing and Urban Development, replacing Alphonso Jackson who is under investigation for cronyism involving his friends in multimillion-dollar HUD projects.

Pope lauds U.N. human rights role (Washington Times) (4/19) - Pope Benedict XVI yesterday praised the United Nations' role in protecting human rights around the globe, urging the world body to do more to guarantee the freedoms of those living under oppressive governments.

Superdelegates Unswayed by Clinton’s Attacks (NY Times) (4/18) - A cross-section of superdelegates showed that none had been persuaded much by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s attacks on Senator Barack Obama.

Analysis: Obama's Tax Evasion (Wall Street Journal) (4/18) - The parsons of the press corps are furious with Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos of ABC News, which means the pair must have done a pretty good job moderating Wednesday's Democratic debate in Philadelphia. Barack Obama had an off-night, so his media choir wants to shoot the questioners.

Courting Disaster (Jonah Goldberg) (4/18) - Every four years, we're told that this is the most important election since a caveman asked for a show of hands. So some skepticism seems warranted when we hear the same refrain this year. But then there's the question of the Supreme Court. And here, at least for me, skepticism melts away into real anxiety, even panic.

Nonproliferation's Time Has Passed (Charles Krauthammer) (4/18) - The era of nonproliferation is over. During the first half-century of the nuclear age, safety lay in restricting the weaponry to major powers and keeping it out of the hands of rogue states. This strategy was inevitably going to break down. The inevitable has arrived.

Pope celebrates jubilant Mass (Washington Times) (4/18) - Pope Benedict XVI ministered yesterday to the many and the few, celebrating Mass with 46,000 joyful Catholics in a sun-bathed Nationals Park before meeting privately with a handful of the sex-abuse victims at the center of the church's darkest scandal.

Witness in case against agents pleads guilty (Washington Times) (4/18) - An admitted drug runner who was shot by two border patrol agents while trying to run away pleaded guilty yesterday to four counts of drug-related charges after being granted immunity from federal prosecutors to testify against the agents.

Our Climate Numbers Are a Big Old Mess (Patrick Michaels) (4/18) - Americans aren't scared enough to pay for a serious global warming policy. There's no reason they should be.

Obama and Clinton on defensive in tense debate (Reuters) (4/17) - Democratic presidential rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton tried to explain recent controversial remarks during a tense debate on Wednesday, with Obama accusing Clinton of taking political advantage of his characterization of small-town residents.

The Democrats and Gun Control (David Kopel) (4/17) - Don't believe it when Barack and Hillary say they respect the Second Amendment.

Court upholds lethal injection (Washington Times) (4/17) - The Supreme Court yesterday upheld Kentucky's use of lethal injections for death-row inmates in a 7-2 vote, describing the process as "more humane" and ending a national halt on executions.

Christians' safety sought (Washington Times) (4/17) - Pope Benedict XVI yesterday urged President Bush to do more to protect Christians from violence in Iraq and to promote humane solutions to the problem of illegal immigration and then chided America's Catholic bishops for their bad handling of the sexual abuse crisis.

Poll Shows Erosion Of Trust in Clinton (Washington Post) (4/16) - Lost in the Hillary Rodham Clinton campaign's aggressive attacks on Barack Obama in recent days is a deep and enduring problem that threatens to undercut any inroads Clinton has made in her struggle to overtake him in the Democratic presidential race: She has lost trust among voters, a majority of whom now view her as dishonest.

Bush to detail climate strategy (Washington Times) (4/16) - President Bush today will lay out how Congress should combat global warming, proposing a specific national goal for carbon-based pollution but rejecting a proposal by Democrats and Sen. John McCain to impose mandatory caps on industry to reduce greenhouse gases.

Analysis: Jimmy Carter and Hamas (Washington Times) (4/16) - Jimmy Carter's decision to meet with the terrorist organization Hamas is turning the former president into something of a political pariah.

Jobless benefits eyed for increase (Washington Times) (4/16) - House lawmakers are developing a bipartisan bill that expands unemployment benefits for millions of Americans, as jobless numbers increased last month to their highest levels in more than two years.

Market Magic (John Stossel) (4/16) - Americans achieved a living standard that is the envy of the world. It is the direct result of the large degree of economic freedom we have enjoyed. Unleashing the lawyers to "protect" us will kill many, many dreams.

Obama values 'great favor' (Washington Times) (4/15) - Sen. Barack Obama yesterday said his Democratic rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, has previewed every attack Republicans can use against him in the fall general election — and Sen. John McCain's comments proved him right.

Health system unready for boomer onslaught (Washington Times) (4/15) - Millions of baby boomers are approaching a point in their lives when they will need geriatric care, but the U.S. health care system is "woefully unprepared," won't have enough workers to meet the impending crush and may actually discourage the best care, according to a new report.

Collectors Cost IRS More Than They Raise (Washington Post) (4/15) - The Internal Revenue Service expects to lose more than $37 million by using private debt collectors to pursue tax scofflaws through a program that has outraged consumers and led to charges on Capitol Hill that the agency is wasting money for work that IRS agents could do more effectively.

Bush prepares global warming initiative (Washington Times) (4/14) - President Bush is poised to change course and announce as early as this week that he wants Congress to pass a bill to combat global warming, and will lay out principles for what that should include.

U.N. official urges exemption for China, India (Washington Times) (4/14) - China and India should not have to submit to the same restrictions on carbon emissions that the United States and other developed nations must, the United Nations' top climate negotiator said in an interview.

Analysis: Ambassador Crocker's warnings (Washington Times) (4/14) - When the United States ambassador to Iraq suggests that a precipitous withdrawal of American troops from that country could lead to a bloodbath on the scale of the Rwandan genocide of of the 1990s, serious people need to listen.

Rose-Colored Foreign Policy (Michael Rubin) (4/14) - Democrats may be right to criticize the Bush administration for being too optimistic in setting its foreign policy. The irony is that many Democrats in Congress are now making that very mistake themselves.

Analysis: Two-faced on illegals (Washington Times) (4/14) - Mrs. Pelosi wants to bury the SAVE Act, but many members of the House Democratic Caucus are under pressure from their constituents to take a tough stand against illegal immigration, so the speaker has sought to find a way to pretend to be taking action while ensuring that H.R. 4088 never sees the light of day.

Obama turns tables on Clinton (AP) (4/14) - Democrat Barack Obama lashed out Sunday at rival Hillary Rodham Clinton, mocking her vocal support for gun rights and saying her record in the Senate and as first lady belied her stated commitment to working class voters and their concerns.

'Compassion Forum' focuses on 'bitter' (Washington Times) (4/14) - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, at a televised forum on faith and politics last night, said Sen. Barack Obama's remark about "bitter" small-town voters clinging to religion and guns raised legitimate concerns about his character and that it was an appropriate campaign issue.

Dems., Seeking to Hamstring McCain, to File Public Financing Suit (Washington Post) (4/14) - The Democratic National Committee announced today it will file a lawsuit in U.S. District Court Monday to force Sen. John McCain to stay in the public financing system until he formally accepts the Republican presidential nomination in September.

On Economy, Obama Blends His Messages (Washington Post) (4/13) - Teamsters Union President James P. Hoffa rallies support for Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who has been talking in greater detail about how to repair the economy and contrasting that with proposals by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.); polls suggest the reeling economy will play to the Democrats' advantage in the upcoming general election.

Obama tries to temper 'bitter' comment (Washington Times) (4/13) - Barack Obama struggled yesterday to fend off a barrage of criticism for saying small-town voters were "bitter" and clinging to guns and religion — remarks that the senator's opponent, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, harshly denounced as elitist and demeaning.

Analysis: Human-rights farce (Washington Times) (4/13) - The U.N. Human Rights Council was supposed to improve upon the general discredit of its predecessor, the U.N. Commission on Human Rights. Instead, two years after its creation, it continues much the same.

Administration Set to Use New Spy Program in U.S. (Washington Post) (4/12) - The Bush administration said yesterday that it plans to start using the nation's most advanced spy technology for domestic purposes soon, rebuffing challenges by House Democrats over the idea's legal authority.

Iran Top Threat To Iraq, U.S. Says (Washington Post) (4/12) - Citing latest violence in Basra and Baghdad, White House says Iran, not al-Qaeda, is now key threat in region, signaling a major policy shift.

Clinton's defense of wife helps fuel Bosnia trip flak (Washington Times) (4/12) - Hillary Rodham Clinton's recanted tale that she ran for cover to avoid sniper fire during a trip to Bosnia has been raised again in the campaign, this time by her husband, even as new details emerged to refute her claim she has always opposed the NAFTA trade deal.