Hastert Vows to Overcome Scandal  —  J. Dennis Hastert, who was installed as House speaker eight years ago through backroom maneuvering in a moment of crisis for his party, has no distinct power base in Congress, not much of a national reputation and, in an age of television politics, little polish in front of the camera.

Kim's message: War is coming to US soil  —  Speaking Freely is an Asia Times Online feature that allows guest writers to have their say.  Please click here if you are interested in contributing.  —  The Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea announced on October 3 …

A special comment about lying  —  Keith Olbermann on the difference between terrorists and critics  —  SPECIAL COMMENT  —  While the leadership in Congress has self-destructed over the revelations of an unmatched, and unrelieved, march through a cesspool ...

GOP's Hold on Evangelicals Weakening  —  Party's Showing in Midterm Elections May Be Hurt as Polls Indicate Support Dropping in Base  —  ANOKA, Minn. — Lynn Sunde, an evangelical Christian, is considering what for her is a radical step.  Come November, she may vote for a Democrat for Congress.

Investigation to Look at Facebook  —  University Says Social Networking Site 'Not Exempt'  —  Columbia will review information and images posted on students' Facebook profiles as part of its investigation into Wednesday night's Minutemen brawl, a University spokesman confirmed Thursday evening.

Pelosi says she would drain GOP 'swamp'  —  WASHINGTON - Franklin Roosevelt had his first hundred days.  —  House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi is thinking 100 hours, time enough, she says, to begin to "drain the swamp" after more than a decade of Republican rule.

Seizures of radioactive materials fuel 'dirty bomb' fears  —  SEIZURES of smuggled radioactive material capable of making a terrorist "dirty bomb" have doubled in the past four years, according to official figures seen by The Times.  —  Smugglers have been caught trying …

Moronic Convergence: Last Gasp of the Socialist Geezers  —  It's a Michael Moore remake of Todd Browning's Freaks, in the World Can't Wait Day of Mass Resistance.  El Marco was there and has a photo gallery at Flickr: Last Gasp NYC Oct. 5, 2006.  —  "Mass Resistance," in this case, being defined as: about a thousand people.

Senator Says U.S. Should Rethink Iraq Strategy  —  The Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee warned Thursday that the situation in Iraq was "drifting sideways" and said that the United States should consider a "change of course" if violence did not diminish soon.

New Media A Weapon in New World Of Politics  —  At first glance, three uproars that buffeted American politics in recent weeks have little in common.  —  Former congressman Mark Foley (R-Fla.) ended his political career over sexually charged e-mails to former House pages.

Human Rights Campaign Involved in Gay GOP Witchhunt  —  **UPDATE BELOW**  —  David Corn, who said he would never publish the names on "The List", seems to be outing by dribbles now.  He has already named a name, proving he is a hypocrite.  —  But in a stab to the heart of every gay …

Murtha accused of bribe cover-up  —  Rep. John P. Murtha's Republican challenger has accused him of negotiating a $50,000 bribe and of trying to cover it up for 26 years.  —  A recently released FBI video recorded in 1980 shows the Pennsylvania Democrat talking with an FBI agent posing …

Angels and Intelligence Estimates  —  Lost between the Foley tsunami and the Woodward hurricane is the storm that began the great Republican collapse of 2006.  It was only a few weeks ago that the Republicans were clawing their way back to contention for the November elections …

Race for Senate control tightens  —  WASHINGTON — Democrats are within striking distance of winning control of the Senate in the Nov. 7 elections, USA TODAY/Gallup Polls in six key states show as the campaigns head into their final month.  —  The number of Republican-held seats …

'Shoot Me First,' Amish Girl Said to Ask  —  Friend of the Victims' Families Says Girl Tried to Divert Killer From Classmates; Killer Allegedly Said, 'Pray for Me'  —  ABC Law & Justice Unit  —  The oldest of the five Amish girls shot dead in a Pennsylvania schoolhouse is said to have stepped forward …

California Court Upholds State's Ban on Same-Sex Marriage  —  In the latest turn to a long and winding legal fight over same-sex marriage, a California appeals court on Thursday upheld the state's ban against it.  —  The 2-to-1 decision, which reversed a lower court's finding that the ban violated …