For as long as I can remember, Washington think tanks were dominated by the Brookings Institution and other left-leaning organizations. Then the emergence of Ronald Reagan (search) brought the Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute, the American Enterprise Institute, and other conservative or libertarian groups. The left thinks its problem is, in …

And now some fresh pickings from the political grapevine: Missed The Grapevine? Watch it! Winning Friends the World Over Texas Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee made quite an impression in Houston social circles this week at a posh dinner hosted by Queen Sirikit of Thailand. The Houston Chronicle reports Ms. Jackson …

LOS ANGELES – For years, the United States has fingerprinted and photographed visitors from countries whose citizens could pose a security risk. But Saudi Arabia, once considered one of America’s staunchest allies in the Middle East, was never one of them. Now things have changed, and both countries are eyeing …

I was flipping through the wires and Web sites today, getting their respective takes on CSX chief John Snow being named President Bush’s new Treasury Secretary nominee. Almost to a site and to an article, critics bemoaned his boring old, smokestack experience. It’s disappointing, said one. “A metal man swapped …

And now some fresh pickings from the political grapevine: No Problem Pledging?The California Pledge of Allegiance case gets more curious and more curious. It now turns out that the man who filed the suit may not have had any legitimate reason for doing so. His daughter had no problem with …

WhenJohn Kerry (search)announced that foreign leaders wanted him to be president, he was pressed to reveal their names. At the time, he refused. But now he has named a couple of New York Times reporters, who he says are on his side. While The Times claims its reporters maintain their …

Hi I’m Bill O’Reilly. Thank you for watching us tonight. Later on this week, I have to fly to the West Coast and I really dread it. As more and more airport horror stories are floating in, and that’s the subject of this evening’s Talking Points memo. If you have …

WASHINGTON – Senators complained Tuesday that the Justice Department is trying to assert more authority in federal wiretap cases than it was authorized to have under last year’s USA Patriot Act. In a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, senators pointed to a recently declassified May 17 ruling by the Foreign …

Woody Allen|Debra Messing|Billy Campbell Woody’s Hollywood Ending Echoes Real Life Say this for Woody Allen: his movies have always reflected something going on in his real life. Annie Hallwas about his relationship with Diane Keaton. Husbands and Wivesmimicked his messy domestic life with Mia Farrow. Now, Hollywood Ending has its …

WASHINGTON – A new remote sensor for auto emissions being tested in the Washington, D.C., area could be either a tool for Big Brother or a blessing in disguise. Supporters of the sensor call it a revolution in environmental safeguards, but opponents fear the radar equipment is reducing personal freedom …