Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

Taking Stock

While the left-wing activist groups supported by billionaire George Soros have been attacking the Halliburton Company — Soros has been quietly taking a major stock position in the company. The Securities and Exchange Commission reports Soros has purchased nearly two million shares of the company once run by Vice President Cheney — investing more than $62 million.

Editor Mike Boyer of Foreign Policy magazine writes on his blog: "The real question, however, is whether MoveOn.org, the Center for American Progress, and other organizations that have benefited from Soros' charity will see a problem with accepting money earned off Halliburton shares?"

Attack Backlash

Two influential Democratic African-American politicians in New York state are criticizing Senator Hillary Clinton for her recent attack on Barack Obama — following comments by Obama supporter David Geffen calling Bill and Hillary Clinton liars.

New York Lieutenant Governor David Paterson told an Albany radio station the Clinton response was "unnecessary." And state Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith told the New York Post the Clinton campaign overreacted — and that has dramatically driven down her support in the black community.

The latest FOX News poll shows Obama narrowing the gap with Clinton — trailing her by 11 points. That's down from a 28 point deficit a few weeks ago.

"Blackmail USA"

The former chief of Cuba's military medical services says the Castro government has a secret underground lab near Havana where it is creating deadly bioweapons.

Roberto Ortega tells the Miami Herald that the lab is working on agents such as the plague, botulism and yellow fever. He says Cuba is ready to use the weapons to "blackmail the U.S. in case of an international incident," such as the threat of an American invasion.

Ortega says he told the CIA about it two years ago. He says he is coming forward now because he hasn't seen the CIA take any action.

$12 Million Loss

The College of William & Mary is facing the loss of a $12 million donation because of its recent removal of a cross from the school chapel. The decision last fall by President Gene Nichol to take down what is called the wren cross touched off a furious protest that is ongoing. And he admits in an e-mail that the loss of funds from the unidentified donor" represents a serious setback to the college."

Nichol has said he ordered the cross removed in order to make the chapel more receptive to people of other faiths. About 17,000 people have signed an online petition calling for the cross to be put back. William & Mary is the nation's second-oldest college — and was founded as an institution of the Anglican Church.

—FOX News Channel's Martin Hill contributed to this report.