Clinton's Résumé Factor: Those 8 Years as First Lady  —  As first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton jaw-boned the authoritarian president of Uzbekistan to leave his car and shake hands with people.  She argued with the Czech prime minister about democracy.

Top Ten Myths about Iraq 2007  —  10. Myth: The US public no longer sees Iraq as a central issue in the 2008 presidential campaign. … 9. Myth: There have been steps toward religious and political reconciliation in Iraq in 2007.  Fact: The government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki …

Pro-Edwards 527 Hits TV Airwaves in Iowa Today  —  Over the past three days, Democratic presidential hopefuls John Edwards and Barack Obama have publicly squabbled over an outside group with ties to Edwards that is funding a series of ads obliquely touting his candidacy.

Change our lifestyle to save Santa's home  —  Editor - Santa is deeply concerned with the rapid shrinking of the North Pole.  For generations, he has depended on swift, reliable and environmentally friendly reindeer power.  —  If we do not change our lifestyle soon and seek alternative energy sources …

Same Party, Different Style  —  Romney, Huckabee  —  Present a Stark Choice For Iowa Republicans  —  In Iowa, the Republican presidential race has come down to two former governors who offer caucus goers a stark choice.  It's the pulpit vs. the boardroom, poverty vs. privilege, passion vs. preparedness.

Putin's Cold War  —  Confrontation with America satisfies a domestic agenda.  —  Last Saturday Gen. Yury Baluyevsky, chief of Russia's General Staff, issued an ominous warning.  Were the U.S. to launch a rocket from the missile defense system it plans to deploy in Poland to intercept Iranian rockets …

While America Celebrates...  Huckabee plunges.  —  WHEN WE PAID pundits try to provide campaign analysis, we often strain to find historical analogies.  Although I'm not asking for sympathy, please understand that it's not easy.  There have been only fifty-something presidential campaigns …

Worms infect more poor Americans than thought  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Roundworms may infect close to a quarter of inner city black children, tapeworms are the leading cause of seizures among U.S. Hispanics and other parasitic diseases associated with poor countries are also affecting Americans, a U.S. expert said on Tuesday.

Hillary Edges Out Oprah as Most Admired Woman in '07  —  PRINCETON, NJ — For the sixth year in a row, President George W. Bush is the most admired man and Sen. Hillary Clinton the most admired woman in Gallup's annual survey.  But neither winner had a very decisive win this year …

Clinton's Right-Hand Woman Scrambles for a Win in Iowa  —  Patti Solis Doyle Steers Campaign, Juggling  —  Family Role, Staff Egos  —  DES MOINES, Iowa — With snow and sleet pounding her hotel window, campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle dialed in to an early-morning strategy debate …

AP Gives Thompson the '04 Treatment  —  The Associated Press — once the gold standard of fast and accurate reporting — changed during the Bush presidency.  What was liberal bias has reshaped the wire service into one of the most politically activist media outlets.  This is a cautionary tale for every Republican candidate.

Can Campaign 2008 Candidates Use Weblogs To Get Votes Or Are Blogs Now Merely Echo Chambers?  —  The 2004 election was a kind of prototype: candidates started realizing the relatively-young Internet's potential for raising campaign funds — and to get votes.

A One-Size-Fits-All Solution  —  WHILE the causes of the mortgage crisis are myriad, a central problem was that many borrowers took out loans that they did not understand and could not afford.  Brokers and lenders offered loans that looked much less expensive than they really were …

Holiday Spending Growth at 5 -Year Low  —  A surge in spending over the weekend may not have been enough to rescue Target, Sears Holdings and Macy's from the slowest holiday spending season in five years.  —  MasterCard's consulting unit said yesterday that sales from Nov. 23 to Dec. 24 gained 3.6 percent.