Edwards pitches Clinton-era taxes   Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards said yesterday raising taxes for higher-income families back to their levels under the Clinton administration is a floor, not a ceiling, and he would consider even higher tax increases.
“What I believe is the starting place is to go back to the Clinton levels,” Mr. Edwards told [...]

Democrats say they’re set for Iraq funding showdown   House Democratic leaders predict they will have enough votes to pass legislation requiring U.S. troops to begin leaving Iraq by October 1 and send it on to President Bush for his promised veto.Several House members said they would go along with the bill negotiated with the Senate [...]

White House insiders: Gonzales hurt himself before panel   White House insiders tell CNN that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales hurt himself during testimony before a Senate committee Thursday on the firing of eight U.S. attorneys.The sources, involved in administration discussions about Gonzales, told White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux that two senior level White House aides who [...]

Gonzales apologizes to fired U.S. attorneys   Attorney General Alberto Gonzales apologized Thursday to the eight fired U.S. attorneys and their families, saying, “They deserve better from me and the Department of Justice which they served for many years.”His comments came before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is holding a hearing into the firings.
He added: “I [...]

Official: White House looking for ‘war czar’   White House aides, with U.S. President George W. Bush’s blessing, are actively trying to hire a new point person to help pilot the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, an administration official told CNN.”There’s an urgency to get this done,” the official said, in referring to the administration’s new [...]

Panel could vote to OK White House subpoenas   Senate Democrats are getting tougher on the Bush administration by approving more subpoenas for documents and testimony by officials connected to the firings of eight federal prosecutors over the winter.Approval by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday would permit Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, to sign subpoenas compelling [...]