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 ...

Censored Again By ABC News  —  In the spirit of giving it that "old college try" once more, I once again attempted to ask Brian Ross of the ABC News blog "The Blotter" two questions I first attempted to pose days ago in the comments section of a Blotter blog post.

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.

Path Is Risky for Gay GOP Politicians  —  WASHINGTON — At the Republican National Convention in 2000, Rep. Mark Foley hosted a late-night bash at a Philadelphia gay bar, where an acquaintance snapped a photo of an attractive young intern sitting on the Florida congressman's lap.

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 …

Apple Of the Times  —  R.W. "Johnny" Apple, who died Wednesday at age 71, was the best political reporter of his era.  He was also the best food writer, the best wine writer, the best travel writer and the best architecture critic, and he could have been the best garden and sports writer if he had wanted to be.

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 …

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.

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.

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.

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 …

Interdicting speech at Columbia  —  Eliana Johnson reports in the New York Sun that leftists are interdicting speech at Columbia: … The Columbia Spectator has considerably more coverage here, including this video of the protests that made it impossible for Jim Gilchrist to speak:  —  Commentary

'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 …

Bush says he can edit security reports  —  WASHINGTON - President Bush, again defying Congress, says he has the power to edit the Homeland Security Department's reports about whether it obeys privacy rules while handling background checks, ID cards and watchlists.