PRESIDENT CHAVEZ DELIVERS REMARKS AT THE U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY  —  "Representatives of the governments of the world, good morning to all of you.  First of all, I would like to invite you, very respectfully, to those who have not read this book, to read it.  Noam Chomsky, one of the most …

Poll Finds Most Americans Displeased With Congress  —  With the midterm elections less than seven weeks away, Americans have an overwhelmingly negative view of the Republican-controlled Congress, with substantial majorities saying that they disapprove of the job it is doing and that its members …

Bombshell: ABC independently confirms success of CIA "torture" tactics  —  Ace e-mailed me the instant this finished airing on O'Reilly with the subject header "must record".  He was right, as you'll see.  —  Anti-"torture" absolutists like Sullivan adamantly deny that harsh tactics produce reliable information.

Jihad enablers  —  Before you can discuss the manifest seriousness of the latest controversy involving the pope, you have to acknowledge its hilarity.  Pope Benedict XVI, in an austere philosophical address, invoked Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus, the 14th century ruler who offered a harsh assessment of Islam.

Keith Olbermann and Jane Hamsher Discuss Politics and Blogs  —  Keith had Jane from Firedoglake on tonight to talk about the meeting last week with Bill Clinton and progressive bloggers, as well as Hillary's possible 2008 run.  —  Video -WMV Video - QT  —  It is good to see Bill Clinton …

House passes bill to make voters show ID  —  WASHINGTON - The House voted Wednesday to require Americans to show proof of citizenship in order to vote, and the Senate moved to build a 700-mile fence along the Mexican border as Republicans sharpened attacks on illegal immigration before the midterm elections.

Life Is Better; It Isn't Better.  Which Is It?  —  When the first snow falls on the North Shore of Chicago this winter, Robert Gordon will take his Toro snow blower out of the garage and think about how lucky he is not to be using a shovel.  Mr. Gordon is 66 years old and evidently quite healthy …

Ideals and Realities Clash In Bush 'Freedom Agenda'  —  At the United Nations lectern this week, President Bush hailed the spread of democracy.  "From Beirut to Baghdad," he said, "people are making the choice for freedom."  Yet even as he spoke, tanks were rolling through the streets …

Independence Days  —  American politics reached a critical turn last week.  The revolt of several Republican senators against President Bush's insistence on a free hand in treating terrorist detainees signaled the emergence of an independent force in elections and government.

Rangel Vows Bipartisanship, Action on Trade as House Panel Head  —  Sept. 20 (Bloomberg) — Democratic Representative Charles Rangel vowed to reach out to Republicans if his party wins control of the House in November, while acknowledging that they may find his plans for changing tax policy unpalatable.

Allen's Mother Revealed Jewish Heritage to Him Last Month  —  Henrietta "Etty" Allen said Wednesday that she concealed her upbringing as a Jew in North Africa from her children, including Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), until a conversation across the dining room table in late August.

This man's sign says it all.  —  Tens of thousands of freedom loving people showed up from all over the country.  —  It was gorgeous.  They came in droves to protest holocaust denier, nuked up Ahmadinejad's outrageous appearance at the UN.  —  Here in this video I ask the Headmaster …

Muslims & Christians In Iraq Join to Renounce Violence!  —  We will know the world is winning the War on Terror when:  — Muslim Imams do not preach violence  — Muslim textbooks do not teach violence  — Muslim entertainment does not glorify violence

More on that USA Today/Gallup Poll  —  Our update to the Slate Election Scorecard yesterday tries to put the results for the generic congressional vote from the USA Today/Gallup survey into some perspective.  It also reintroduces the controversy over likely voter models in general …

Times Draws Ragged Line Between Fact and Opinion  —  The New York Times has a rule about presenting opinions in its news columns: Henceforth, they must all conform to the left.  —  this morning, if you're reading a brand-new copy of The Observer—The Times has instituted a sweeping but subtle redesign …

Klobuchar aide loses job for viewing leaked Kennedy ad  —  Communications director was asked to resign after watching an unreleased Kennedy ad on the Web.  —  A high-level staffer on Amy Klobuchar's U.S. Senate campaign has lost her job and the DFLer's race against Republican Mark Kennedy …

U.S. Policy on Iran Evolves Toward Diplomacy  —  Before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, U.S. officials confidently predicted that the toppling of Saddam Hussein would lead to renewed momentum on the Israeli-Palestinian peace track.  "The road to Jerusalem leads through Baghdad" was a common refrain.