Bush Declares Full Support for Rumsfeld  —  WASHINGTON, April 14 — President Bush strongly defended Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld today, despite calls from retired generals that he step down, and said Mr. Rumsfeld's leadership is vital for the United States.

Cheney Authorized Leak Of CIA Report, Libby Says  —  Vice President Dick Cheney directed his then-chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, on July 12, 2003 to leak to the media portions of a then-highly classified CIA report that Cheney hoped would undermine the credibility …

Iran Leader: Israel Will Be Annihilated  —  The president of Iran again lashed out at Israel on Friday and said it was "heading toward annihilation," just days after Tehran raised fears about its nuclear activities by saying it successfully enriched uranium for the first time.

Saving A Piece Of History … How do miracles happen?  Sometimes, it takes a bolt from the blue to bring them to life: … Long after the Viet Nam war ended, Jim Mayer's tradition lived on.  Strangely enough, the dream-come-true for so many wounded vets today at Fran O'Brien's started with something of a dream all those years ago:

Slacker Friday  —  I've got a new Think Again column called McCarthyism: Standard Operating Procedure, here and a new Nation column here called "AIPAC's Complaint."  Both deal with the reaction to the Walt/Mearsheimer report, and I'll have more to say about each next week.  —  Slacker Friday:

Zarqawi, al Qaeda are heading out, U.S. general says  —  Al Qaeda in Iraq and its presumed leader, Abu Musab Zarqawi, have conceded strategic defeat and are on their way out of the country, a top U.S. military official contended yesterday.  —  The group's failure to disrupt national elections …

The Left, Online and Outraged  —  Liberal Blogger Finds an Outlet and a Community  —  SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. — In the angry life of Maryscott O'Connor, the rage begins as soon as she opens her eyes and realizes that her president is still George W. Bush.  The sun has yet to rise and her family …

Exxon Chairman Gets $400 Million Retirement Package Amid Soaring Gas Prices  —  Exxon Made Record Profits in 2005  —  April 14, 2006— Soaring gas prices are squeezing most Americans at the pump, but at least one man isn't complaining.  —  Last year, Exxon made the biggest profit of any company ever …

Appeals Court Slaps L.A. Over Arrests of Homeless  —  Los Angeles' policy of arresting homeless people for sitting, lying or sleeping on public sidewalks as "an unavoidable consequence of being human and homeless without shelter" violates the constitutional prohibition against cruel and punishment, a federal appeals court ruled today.

For Immigrants and Business, Rift on Protests  —  In Bonita Springs, Fla., 10 restaurant workers were fired this week after skipping their shifts to attend a rally against legislation in Congress cracking down on illegal immigrants.  In Tyler, Tex., 22 welders lost their jobs making parts …

The Meaning of Moussaoui  —  We wonder how many Americans got the same eerie chill that we did reading the partial transcript yesterday of the final 31 minutes of United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11, 2001.  Especially in this holy season of Easter and Passover, it was disturbing to read …

Hiltzik's Defense of His Immigration Column Doesn't Square with the Facts  —  As promised, here is my more comprehensive takedown of L.A. Times columnist Michael Hiltzik's latest broadside against me.  (My previous, smaller-scale rebuttal is here.)  —  Warning: this post is long.