Ex-Aide Says Gonzales Was Involved in Firings  —  The former chief of staff to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales testified today that contrary to Mr. Gonzales's earlier assertions, the attorney general was involved in discussions to fire United States attorneys.

Tehran raises the stakes in hostage crisis  —  Second 'confession' letter released questioning UK's presence in Iraq  —  The Iranian hostage crisis took a sinister turn last night when Tehran withdrew an earlier offer to release one of the 15 captive sailors and marines and issued a second …

Testimony by Giuliani Indicates He Was Briefed on Kerik in '00  —  Rudolph W. Giuliani told a grand jury that his former chief investigator remembered having briefed him on some aspects of Bernard B. Kerik's relationship with a company suspected of ties to organized crime before Mr. Kerik's appointment …

Gunmen Go On Rampage In Iraqi City  —  Killings Are Revenge For Blasts in Tall Afar  —  A day after twin truck bombings laid waste to predominantly Shiite neighborhoods in the northern Iraqi city of Tall Afar, marauding Shiite gunmen and police executed dozens of Sunnis in retaliatory attacks …

Fox's Ann Coulter 2.0  —  Conserva-babe and star-in-the-making Rachel Marsden has a, um, colorful past.  What was Fox thinking?  —  "Maybe [Pakistani cricket fans] should focus less on cricket and a little more on hygiene," opined Rachel Marsden on a recent episode of Fox News' middle-of-the-night talk oddity "Red Eye."

Chastized head of local FBI office anounces retirement  —  SAN DIEGO - San Diego FBI chief Dan Dzwilewski, who was rebuked by superiors for publicly defending ousted U.S. Attorney Carol Lam, has announced his retirement.  —  Dzwilewski, who has been at the helm of the San Diego office since July 2003 …

Video: Rosie melts down on "The View"  —  I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is the video against which all future Rosie clips will be compared.  Never has so much useful idiocy about so many subjects been compressed into so little time.  —  It's her finest hour.

Sampson Suggested Removing Fitzgerald  —  Here's Kyle Sampson's testimony about suggesting to White House counsel Harriet Miers and deputy White House counsel Bill Kelley that they remove U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.  —  Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) asks if Fitzgerald was ever considered for removal?

FEAR, FEAR, FEAR....In the LA Times today, L.J. Williamson writes about one of my all-time pet peeves: the insane fear that modern suburban parents have of sexual predators: … "Huh" indeed.  As Williamson says, child abduction by strangers is very, very rare.  About as likely as being hit by lightning.

Democrats Fail to Impress in First 100 Days  —  Government Faulted on Vets' Care, Military Ratings Slip Post-Walter Reed  —  Summary of Findings  —  Also inside...  Reps see McCain, Giuliani and Romney as more moderate than "self"  —  Hillary and Obama Backers differ little on Iraq