Conservatives Are Such Jokers  —  In 1960, John F. Kennedy, who had been shocked by the hunger he saw in West Virginia, made the fight against hunger a theme of his presidential campaign.  After his election he created the modern food stamp program, which today helps millions of Americans get enough to eat.

Despite Court Defeat, Craig Vows to Remain in Senate  —  Sen. Larry E. Craig (R-Idaho) vowed to serve out the remainder of his term yesterday despite losing his bid to withdraw his guilty plea for disorderly conduct in an airport men's restroom.

Debate Erupts on Techniques Used by C.I.A.  —  The disclosure of secret Justice Department legal opinions on interrogation on Thursday set off a bitter round of debate over the treatment of terrorism suspects in American custody and whether Congress has been adequately informed of legal policies.

Romney Criticizes Giuliani on Fiscal and Social Issues  —  Mitt Romney leveled some of his sharpest criticism yet at his Republican rival Rudolph W. Giuliani on Thursday, questioning Mr. Giuliani's fiscal conservative credentials and even his electability given his liberal views on social issues.

The Republican Collapse  —  Modern conservatism begins with Edmund Burke.  What Burke articulated was not an ideology or a creed, but a disposition, a reverence for tradition, a suspicion of radical change.  —  When conservatism came to America, it became creedal.

Matthews says Bush administration has "finally been caught in their criminality"  —  Playing Hardball with the Prez  —  "Hardball" host Chris Matthews addresses attendees at Thursday night's ten-year anniversary of "Hardball," which took place at the Decatur House in Washington, D.C.

BBC grants softest of interviews to Bill Clinton  —  Bill Clinton is in London to promote his new book on Giving.  He has given interviews to the BBC and The Guardian newspaper.  —  He tells the BBC that he'd be the happiest person on Earth if his wife won the Presidency next year.

happy al-quds west-hating fun day  —  It's that time of year again, and the celebrations have begun!  If you're not familiar with it, "Al Quds Day" is a day set aside by the Ayatollah Khameni and the Islamic Revolutionary government in Iran as a day for Muslims to march against "Western" oppression.

Netroots Nightmare: O'Hanlon Teams Up with HRC  —  When Michael O'Hanlon and Kenneth Pollack of the Brookings Institution wrote in the New York TImes that the surge was working, they were widely criticized by the antiwar left, which went to great lengths to undercut their findings.

Congress to Allow New Internet Taxes?  —  Ever since 1998 the U.S. Congress has, under Republican leadership, extended the Internet Tax Freedom Act.  That statute forbids states and localities from enacting taxes on internet access, with few exceptions.  That moratorium is scheduled to expire …

My Christian daughter says I'm going to hell  —  Hi,  —  I am the father of a 13-year-old daughter whose mother has been taking her to an evangelical Christian church her whole life.  Her mother's family is entirely Christian.  I am not a Christian, and in fact think that organized religion …

The Line: Retirement Headaches for House GOP  —  The last month hasn't been a good one for House Republicans.  —  Already on the ropes thanks to President Bush's dismal job approval ratings and continued public unhappiness about the war in Iraq, the strategists in charge of winning …

Scott Bateman: More from the case files of Andrew WK  —  Defendant owes $222,000 for illegal downloadingThe worst possible outcome — a fine too high to bear, but likely too low to cause much effort at reforming copyright laws  —  Craig: I won't resign after allThe senator says he'll stay in office until his term ends in 2009

A Tax Test for the War  —  Would conservatives and Republicans support the war in Iraq if they had to pay for it?  —  That is the immensely useful question that Rep. David Obey (D-Wis.), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, put on the table this week by calling for a temporary war tax …

DiFatta twice detained for lewd conduct in mall restrooms  —  St. Bernard Parish Councilman Joey DiFatta, who on Thursday withdrew from the 1st Senate District campaign, has been stopped twice since 1996 for suspicion of engaging in lewd behavior in public restrooms in Jefferson Parish, records obtained by The Times-Picayune show.