The New Republic

Okay, this is lame. From USA Today (via PoliticalWire): READ MORE >>

Vali Nasr explains that Iran has become a hegemon in its own right; Eve Fairbanks gets the inside scoop on Trent Lott's unexpected comeback; Garance Franke-Ruta, attending Barack Obama's rock-star performance in New Hampshire on Sunday, wonders if someone of his stature is READ MORE >>

Major Megan McClung is my guardian angel today. McClung, a Marine officer, Naval Academy graduate, and most recently, the public affairs officer for the 1st Armored Divison's First Brigade Combat Team, choreographed my present journey through Iraq. As every journalist who has spent time in the American military universe here knows, public affairs officers in Iraq can make your life a mess or they can make it bearable. READ MORE >>

Noam Scheiber charts the evolution of presidential contender Sam Brownback from moderate Republican to crusading social conservative; Richard D. READ MORE >>

I see that Richard Perle--like a number of neocons--is promoting the notion that he got off the Iraq train way back in the early days of the war. He tells Pajamas Media's Richard Miniter: READ MORE >>

From the Boston Globe's latest Romney report: READ MORE >>

Here's a question that's been puzzling me: Who on earth is whispering in John Kerry's ear that he should make another presidential run? Garance Franke-Ruta has the answer: Massachusetts Democrats who want to run for his Senate seat. READ MORE >>

Today's Times reports on how Washington lobbyists are making nice with the Capitol's new power brokers. Among other events, the Times writes, lobbyists recently held "a special birthday reception in honor of Senator Max Baucus," the notorious Montana Democrat. READ MORE >>

Lamar Alexander on getting betrayed in last month's Senate GOP whip race, which he lost to Trent Lott: "I wrote 27 thank you letters for 24 votes." READ MORE >>

A while back I fawned over Barack Obama's response to the charge that he's inexperienced: he simply notes that Cheney and Rumsfeld have lots of experience, and look where that's gotten us. But I think the Chicago Sun-Times's Rich Miller (via Political Wire) has pointed Obama toward an even better retort. READ MORE >>