Frustrated Senators See No Exit Signs  —  Asked repeatedly yesterday what “conditions” he is looking for to begin substantial U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq after this summer's scheduled drawdown, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus said he will know them when he sees them.  For frustrated lawmakers, it was not enough.

Report: Jimmy Carter to Meet With Hamas Leader in Syria  —  NEW YORK CITY — Former President Jimmy Carter is reportedly preparing an unprecedented meeting with the leader of Hamas, an organization that the U.S. government considers one of the leading terrorist threats in the world.

They Need More White People  —  The Tartan, Carnegie Mellon's student newspaper, reports on a campaign event featuring Michelle Obama: … The Obama campaign discriminates against people of color, and their own supporters no less, in what is presumably a misguided pander to white voters.

Everything His President Wants to Hear  —  General Betray Us?  Of course he has.  MoveOn.org can hardly be expected to recycle its slogan from last September, when Gen. David Petraeus testified in support of escalating the U.S. war in Iraq, given the hysterical denunciations that worthy group received at the time.

NYT Mag On Matthews: The Excerpts  —  Earlier: Forthcoming?  NYT Mag Piece on Matthews.  —  Earlier: Leibovich Dishes On Matthews  —  Earlier: NYT Mag On Matthews: NBC Forced Chris To Apologize.  —  We've got an advanced copy of Mark Leibovich's piece on Chris Matthews, entitled “Chris Matthews, Seriously.

FBI probe: Lieberman campaign to blame for crashing own Web site  —  A federal investigation has concluded that U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman's 2006 re-election campaign was to blame for the crash of its Web site the day before Connecticut's heated Aug. 8 Democratic primary.

The New Liberal Taboo  —  What a spectacle.  It is now respectable for Democrats to assert, even to welcome, military defeat (see here).  But if a Presidential campaign functionary so much as hints at support for free trade, he's banished to policy exile.  —  That's the meaning …

Ethno-Sectarian Violence  —  WHAT IT SHOWS: This chart combines maps of Baghdad's ethnic neighborhoods with density plots of ethno-sectarian killings to show that violence has declined significantly from December 2006 to last month.  —  ANALYSIS: Hidden beneath many of the density plots …

In Justice Shift, Corporate Deals Replace Trials  —  WASHINGTON — In 2005, federal authorities concluded that a Monsanto consultant had visited the home of an Indonesian official and, with the approval of a senior company executive, handed over an envelope stuffed with hundred-dollar bills.

Obama's Minister Problem  —  I have tried to get over my unease surrounding Barack Obama's response to the sermons and writings of his pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.  But the unanswered questions remain.  —  I am a strong supporter …

Gallup Daily: Obama Maintains Lead in Democratic Race  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Barack Obama continues to hold a significant lead over Hillary Clinton, 51% to 43%, in Democratic voters' presidential nomination preferences.  —  Gallup Poll Daily tracking from April 5-7 shows Obama …

What Is the Cost of Freedom?  —  Surprise, surprise.  Having failed to penetrate General Petraeus's story about the great improvements on the ground in Iraq, liberals are now trying to make the case that the cost of the Iraq war may have somehow undermined the economy, and even caused the current slowdown.

Joe Klein from Time Magazine on Barack Obama's positions.  —  HH: Joined now by Joe Klein of Time Magazine, knows all, sees all, comments on all from Time Magazine, sometimes at their blog, the Swamp[land], often in his column.  Joe, welcome back, good to have you on the Hugh Hewitt Show.

Obama's unprecedented Pennsylvania ad buy  —  PHILADELPHIA — If, as has been widely predicted, Barack Obama loses Pennsylvania, it will not be for lack of effort.  —  Obama is currently spending $2.2 million per week on television here, over twice what Hillary Clinton is spending …