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Last year Democratic leaders tried to tack on timelines for troop withdrawal to several versions of proposed funding bills. This year, however, they have chosen to use the new GI bill, gambling that President George W. Bush's veto of a popular, bipartisan bill would be politically damaging.

Bush, however, has nothing to lose politically, so he renewed his veto threat against any bill that comes to his desk equipped with any add-on legislation that would require additional appropriations.

The audience in King's Chapel on the campus of Cornell College in Mount Vernon seemed to hold its collective breath Thursday night as George Stephanopoulos gave voice to words about the Democratic presidential nomination process that most in the nation have been impatiently waiting to hear: "The race is over." The same quiet audience emitted whoops of joy a few minutes later when Stephanopoulos said that Iowa's position as the first-in-the-nation caucus state would continue.

"In the law, bars can have smoking on their patio," said Bonnie Mapes, director of Tobacco Use, Prevention and Control with the Iowa Department of Public Health. "What's being determined right now is what is a bar."

There was never a doubt in Susan Radke's mind that she would make a second bid as a Democrat in typically progressive Iowa House District 10. Only 680 votes out of more than 12,000 cast separated Radke and current Republican incumbent Dave Deyoe when they faced off for the open seat in 2006. But before she can fully return her attention to the candidate she's already faced, she has two hurdles to jump: Josh Eaton and Sam Juhl. The men are also Democratic candidates vying to appear on the November ballot and opponents Radke must face in a June primary.