President Stands by Gonzales  —  President Bush said yesterday that Democrats in Congress are engaging in "pure political theater" by preparing resolutions of no confidence in Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, and he repeated his support for his embattled aide and longtime friend.

Today's Must Read  —  OK, so you knew Duke Cunningham was dirty, but you didn't know that he was this dirty.  —  The Wrong Stuff: The Extraordinary Saga of Randy "Duke" Cunningham, the Most Corrupt Congressman Ever Caught, the book about Cunningham by the reporters who brought him down, hits stores this coming Monday.

The Left's Iraq Muddle  —  Yes, it is central to the fight against Islamic radicalism.  —  At this year's graduation celebration at The New School in New York, Iranian lawyer, human-rights activist and Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi delivered our commencement address.

Immigration Compromise Faces New Opposition  —  Proposal Stays Alive, But Foes Lie in Wait  —  The Senate voted last night to move forward on an overhaul of immigration laws, but even proponents of the delicate compromise proposal conceded that the furor over the deal was surpassing their expectations and endangering the plan.

Bush could double force by Christmas  —  (05-22) 04:00 PDT Washington — The Bush administration is quietly on track to nearly double the number of combat troops in Iraq this year, an analysis of Pentagon deployment orders showed Monday.  —  The little-noticed second surge …

Muslim Americans: Middle Class and Mostly Mainstream  —  War on Terror Concerns  —  The first-ever, nationwide, random sample survey of Muslim Americans finds them to be largely assimilated, happy with their lives, and moderate with respect to many of the issues that have divided Muslims and Westerners around the world.

Giuliani sends mixed signals about Iowa  —  DES MOINES, Iowa - Some Iowa Republicans are questioning whether presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani intends to largely skip the state's leadoff caucuses.  —  A sluggish start to campaign organizing and indecision about whether to compete …

After the Surge  —  The Administration Floats Ideas for a New Approach in Iraq  —  President Bush and his senior military and foreign policy advisers are beginning to discuss a "post-surge" strategy for Iraq that they hope could gain bipartisan political support.

Edwards charges $55,000 to speak to UC Davis students about poverty  —  Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, who as a Democratic presidential candidate recently proposed an educational policy that urged "every financial barrier" be removed for American kids who want to go to college …

Massive Protest Against Iranian Regime in Tabriz (Video!!)  —  IT WAS A YEAR AGO TODAY... That ethnic protests broke out across northern Iran against the regime.  Tens of Thousands of protesters marched in Tabriz.  Later a few of the protesters hurled stones and torched buildings …

Baghdad District Is a Model, but Only for Shiites  —  Ice cream shops in the Shiite stronghold of Kadhimiya are flush with sweet-toothed customers.  Hospitals have new supplies.  Rents have tripled as displaced Shiites flock to the historic district's spacious homes, while pilgrims stream to the golden-domed shrine at its heart.

Maysan  —  A Small Battle in the Media War  —  As we drive to meet the Merlin helicopter, our vehicle displays a British flag on the dash.  We pass teams of British soldiers at Basra Air Station as they conduct morning runs, preparing for the next combat, perhaps only hours away.

The Myth of Muslim Silence; The Persistence of MSM Silence  —  "Muslim silence" in the face of terrorism has become a predictable cliché in Western discourse.  It is now widely believed by non-Muslims throughout the West that no representative of the faith of Muhammad will denounce violence …

McCain's temper back on campaign's front-burner  —  His shouting match with a Senate colleague raises new questions about an old issue.  —  An angry, profane exchange between Sen. John McCain and another Republican senator last week prompted a new round of questions Monday …

Evangelicals at a Crossroads As Falwell's Generation Fades  —  If the Rev. Jerry Falwell personified the Christian right in the past, then the Rev. Frank S. Page may represent its future.  —  From his Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Va., where his funeral will be held today, Falwell gave evangelicals a strong political voice.

S.F.'s same-sex couples asked to adopt foster kids  —  Gino VanGundy lived in more than 20 foster homes in 14 years as a child.  Placement after placement, VanGundy wished someone would keep and love him forever.  —  "I wouldn't have cared if my adoptive parents were a married man and woman …

Clinton, Obama whip for ''08  —  Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) have intensified their fight for congressional endorsements, setting up whip operations in which their surrogates are cajoling undecided lawmakers to get off the fence.