Don't take a leap of faith in choosing the next president, Hillary Rodham Clinton tells us.

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan took his criticism of the Bush administration to the nation's heartland Monday, saying America must not sacrifice its democratic ideals while waging war against terrorism.

I have lived though many of the changes in history in my America. We have never had such extremist, selfish views expressed by so many in the past century. It seems to indicate some believe political extremism by both parties is the norm.

For those of you who are not aware — and until a couple of days ago, that included us — today is a holiday. National Freedom Day commemorates Feb. 1, 1865, the day that President Abraham Lincoln signed the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery. Its purpose, according to the Library of Congress, is “to promote goodwill, harmony, and equal opportunity among all citizens, and to rededicate the nation to the ideal of freedom.”

As we review the past century, Arizona had many great leaders and some not so great. I worked along with Ernest McFarland, had contact with Barry Goldwater. They were honestly interested in people and justice, not dividing the country. What qualifies a Jay Heiler to be a Board of Regent member? Many with no constructive solutions find fault with any action of the federal government. Top the list with Tom Patterson, president of the Goldwater Institute and weekly editorial contributor to the East Valley Tribune. References to God to support political positions are not consistent with my varied Christian upbringing. Barry Goldwater was a true patriot; he should not be required to share that title with a Russell Pearce.

“The Democrats don’t seem to understand that people aren’t successful because they’re wealthy. They’re wealthy because they are successful.”

BURBANK, Calif. - President Barack Obama might have rolled a gutter ball on NBC's "The Tonight Show."

President Bush recently pardoned 17 criminals, most convicted of minor offenses and few who served much prison time. What made it noteworthy is that Bush has issued so few pardons as president.

NEW YORK - Jon Stewart is a busy man, a most important man who has no time for such pastimes as reading for pleasure.

ABOARD THE USS HARRY S. TRUMAN - Lt. Shawn Hall spends his days thousands of feet above Iraq in his F/A-18 fighter jet, dropping GPS-guided bombs in support of American troops on the ground.

“‘You get to ask the questions you want. I get to give the answers I want.’ That quote could have come from the current U.S. President, not a GOP candidate attempting to be open.”

NEW YORK -- For the first time, the top export of the United States, the world's biggest gasguzzler, is - wait for it - fuel.

Recently, we voters were introduced to John McCain's choice of a vice presidentialrunning mate; but unlike John McCain, Barack Obama or Joe Biden, Sarah Palin was completely unknown to the American public.

A restaurant opening near Queen Creek will be home to a piece of American history. Amid dozens of plasma screen televisions, the big attraction at The Gym Grill and Bar will be a nearly centuryold bar from Washington, D.C., where former presidents and other famous folks once bellied up for drinks.

July 28, 2004

If your little ones are big railroad fans — or if your big ones are little railroad fans — Scottsdale is the place to bring your family Sunday night.

U.S. Sen. John Kerry escalated his attacks on President Bush while speaking Friday in the Valley, calling on Bush to take full responsibility for the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by members of the U.S. military.

"The Way Back" represents an exquisite example of style over substance, of vast visuals dwarfing the characters and nearly swallowing the story whole.

 “Somebody, please tell me after seven years of watching memorials for 9/11, that after seven years of saying we are fighting the terrorists so they are not going to get away with what they did, why is it the families still have to march down into a big hole in the ground and a construction zone?”

Harry Mitchell is still new enough in Congress that he grins with delight when he describes getting to go through stop signs when riding in motorcades, or being allowed to walk into the White House without having to pass through a metal detector.

WASHINGTON - Signaling impatience with the Turkish government, the Pentagon on Friday began moving warships out of the Mediterranean into the Red Sea, where they could launch long-range cruise missiles on a path to Iraq that would not go over Turkey, officials said.

At least Romney had binders. Binders full of qualified women to fill cabinet positions, that is. Democrats mercilessly pounded Romney for the binders comment he made during the 2012 presidential campaign, but I’ll bet the Obama campaign now wishes Romney had passed the binders on to Obama since it seems he’s having a hard time picking women to fill his second term cabinet positions.