INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN INEPT.  Bloggers are in an understandable uproar over a Roll Call article in which a hodgepodge of nameless Democratic aides reveal that the leadership is readying to party like it's 2002 and refocus the election on economic issues.  I'm a bit skeptical.

Chavez clearly listened to Dems and Air America  —  So, Hugo Chavez is is still at it. … Hmmmmm....sounds awfully familiar, that tripe.  Bush is "an alcoholic?"  That sounds like Martin Sheen (a "good Catholic" with enough 12-step exposure to know better than to take another man's inventory) …

Probe Finds Jackson Urged Favoritism in HUD Contracts  —  An inspector general's report charges that top U.S. housing official Alphonso Jackson urged staff members to favor friends of President Bush when awarding Department of Housing and Urban Development contracts.

Nasrallah says no army can disarm Hizbollah  —  BEIRUT (Reuters) - Hizbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Friday rejected international calls to disarm his Lebanese guerrillas and told a huge "victory" rally they still had more than 20,000 rockets after a month of war with Israel.

The Abuse Can Continue  —  THE GOOD NEWS about the agreement reached yesterday between the Bush administration and Republican senators on the detention, interrogation and trial of accused terrorists is that Congress will not — as President Bush had demanded — pass legislation …

New terror that stalks Iraq's republic of fear  —  The republic of fear is born again.  The state of terror now gripping Iraq is as bad as it was under Saddam Hussein.  Torture in the country may even be worse than it was during his rule, the United Nation's special investigator on torture said yesterday.

Tolerance: A Two-Way Street  —  WASHINGTON — Religious fanatics, regardless of what name they give their jealous god, invariably have one thing in common: no sense of humor.  Particularly about themselves.  It's hard to imagine Torquemada taking a joke well.  —  Today's Islamists seem to have not even a sense of irony.

Israel: Foreign reporters' vehicles may be used terrorists  —  Government Press Office director warns Shin Bet that armored vehicles used by foreign news agencies may serve hostile groups to carry out attacks against Israel  —  Armored vehicles that were given to foreign news agencies operating …

Hijackers Were Not Identified Before 9/11, Investigation Says  —  The Defense Department's inspector general has concluded that a top secret intelligence-gathering program did not identify Mohamed Atta or any other hijacker before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, determining that there is no evidence …

New Political Internet TV Station To Be Launched  —  18 DOUGHTY STREET TALK TV - POLITICS FOR ADULTS - GROUNDBREAKING NEW CURRENT AFFAIRS TV CHANNEL TO BE LAUNCHED ON THE INTERNET  —  10th October will see the launch of Britain's first political Internet TV Channel.

AZ Republic, FactCheck.org lobbed misleading claims in attempt to debunk Vote Vets ad criticizing Allen … In recent days, both The Arizona Republic editorial page and the website FactCheck.org have attacked as "deceitful" and "just plain wrong" a television advertisement …

Schweitzer, Tester say Burns fails to deliver for Montana  —  Gov. Brian Schweitzer and state Sen. Jon Tester teamed up to challenge Sen. Conrad Burns and his record of "delivering for Montana" at a press conference Thursday on the Rimrocks.  —  The Democratic pair offered a new slogan for Republican Burns …

Streisand shows what not to wear  —  You would think that by the age of 64, most women would be self-conscious enough to ensure their choice of evening wear does not expose parts of the body which have...well dropped below standards.  —  But no one seems to have shared this with legendary …

Navy retires F-14, the coolest of cold warriors  —  VIRGINIA BEACH — Today the Navy holsters the F-14 Tomcat, the top gun in its Cold War arsenal and one of the most recognizable warplanes in history.  —  Maintenance costs for the F-14 have soared, and its replacement, the F/A-18 Super Hornet …

German Woman to rescue American Navy SEAL  —  About six weeks ago, Matt from Blackfive.net called about a Navy SEAL named Justin who had been diagnosed with leukemia.  Justin's life likely could be saved with a bone marrow transplant, and with a giant database of willing donors, Justin's chances might have looked promising.

War Signals  —  As reports circulate of a sharp debate within the White House over possible US military action against Iran and its nuclear enrichment facilities, The Nation has learned that the Bush Administration and the Pentagon have issued orders for a major "strike group" of ships …

Pope invites Muslim envoys for meeting  —  VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI has invited Muslim envoys to meet with him at his summer residence Monday for what the Holy See says is urgently needed dialogue following the crisis ignited by his remarks on Islam and violence.

Critical Massing: The Press Critic's Press Critic On Iraq, The White House, And Why The New York Times Is — Gasp!  — Doing A Good Job  —  Michael Massing has one of those careers that journalists dream about.  His articles have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker …

Columbia Withdraws an Invitation to Ahmadinejad  —  Overruling a prominent dean, the president of Columbia University, Lee Bollinger, yesterday withdrew an invitation to the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.  —  The dean of Columbia's school of international and public affairs …