The Long Defeat  —  Hillary Clinton may not realize it yet, but she's just endured one of the worst weeks of her campaign.  —  First, Barack Obama weathered the Rev. Jeremiah Wright affair without serious damage to his nomination prospects.  Obama still holds a tiny lead among Democrats nationally …

Is ‘success’ of U.S. surge in Iraq about to unravel?  —  BAGHDAD — A cease-fire critical to the improved security situation in Iraq appeared to unravel Monday when a militia loyal to radical Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al Sadr began shutting down neighborhoods in west Baghdad and issuing demands of the central government.

Forest Lake event canceled; too political  —  Forest Lake High's principal said the decision was spurred by concerns that the presentation was more political than educational.  —  A national tour featuring decorated veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan won't be stopping …

Dems to hammer McCain for ‘100 years’  —  John McCain is scheduled to deliver a major foreign policy speech Wednesday in Los Angeles, one with a heavy Iraq focus, but chances are Democrats won't be listening.  They've already distilled his views into an easy to remember formulation: 100 years of war.

Obama's Test: Can a Liberal Be a Unifier?  —  WASHINGTON — At the core of Senator Barack Obama's presidential campaign is a promise that he can transcend the starkly red-and-blue politics of the last 15 years, end the partisan and ideological wars and build a new governing majority.

Don't discount Gore-led ticket  —  U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney, whose district includes much of Martin and St. Lucie counties, is hoping he won't have to attend the Democratic Party national convention in Denver in August.  —  If he does go, that will mean the Democrats still haven't decided a nominee for the presidential election.

Wisdom of the oracle  —  When asked why she'd appoint Alan Greenspan to a working group of financial leaders to design a response to the housing crisis, Clinton told the Philadelphia Daily News:

Worried Dems wish for ‘dream team’  —  WASHINGTON — What are the odds Democrats will field a “dream team ticket” with Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton combining forces?  —  London bookmaker Ladbrokes is taking bets at 8-1, but leading Democratic insiders aren't ready to put down their money — yet.

Righting the Right  —  WASHINGTON — What's the matter with conservatism?  —  Its problems start with the failure of George W. Bush's presidency but they don't end there.  Inequality is rising and working-class voters are being hammered.  The cost and availability of health coverage are a big problem …

The Audacity of Rhetoric  —  It is painful to watch defenders of Barack Obama tying themselves into knots trying to evade the obvious.  —  Some are saying that Senator Obama cannot be held responsible for what his pastor, Jeremiah Wright, said.  In their version of events …

A FARC Fan's Notes  —  A hard drive recovered from the computer of a killed Colombian guerrilla has offered more insights into the opposition of House Democrats to the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement.  —  A military strike three weeks ago killed Raúl Reyes, No. 2 in command of the FARC …

McCain Expands Campaign Media Team  —  Presumptive GOP nominee John McCain is vastly expanding his campaign media team — bringing in a number of the leading consultants as he prepares for the general election.  —  The media operation, which will be known as Foxhole Productions …

Britain is world's 7th most stable and prosperous nation  —  The United Kingdom has been ranked as one of the most stable and prosperous countries in the world, beating the United States, France and even Switzerland in a global assessment of every nation's achievements and standards.

Rush to register at Pa. deadline  —  At the Montgomery County Board of Elections Office yesterday, there wasn't a single moment when someone wasn't at the counter clutching a voter registration form.  —  “It's been a madhouse,” said Joseph Passarella, the director of voter services …

Sources: Air marshals missing from almost all flights  —  (CNN) — Of the 28,000 commercial airline flights that take to the skies on an average day in the United States, fewer than 1 percent are protected by on-board, armed federal air marshals, a nationwide CNN investigation has found.