In Final Weeks, G.O.P. Focuses on Best Bets  —  Senior Republican leaders have concluded that Senator Mike DeWine of Ohio, a pivotal state in this year's fierce midterm election battles, is likely to be heading for defeat and are moving to reduce financial support for his race and divert party money …

Help Save Ned Lamont: Write His Concession Speech Today  —  "Remember Ned Lamont?  He was that guy who came out of nowhere to beat Joe Lieberman in the Connecticut Democratic primary in 2006, only to turn around and lose to him in the general election when he got too cautious and stopped running …

Quake knocks out power across Hawaii  —  HONOLULU - A strong earthquake shook Hawaii early Sunday, causing a landslide that blocked a major highway on Hawaii Island and knocking out power across the state, authorities said.  —  The state Civil Defense had unconfirmed reports of injuries …

Kerry Says GOP Lied About Foley, Iraq  —  Sen. John Kerry Says GOP Lied About Foley Scandal and Iraq War  —  MANCHESTER, N.H. Oct 13, 2006 (AP)— Sen. John Kerry, a potential presidential candidate in 2008, likened the congressional page scandal to the war in Iraq and the handling of North Korea …

Dozens Of Iraqis Killed in Reprisals  —  River Towns Trade Sectarian Strikes As Militias Move In  —  Militias allied with Iraq's Shiite-led government roamed roads north of Baghdad, seeking out and attacking Sunni Arab targets Sunday, police and hospital officials said.

Questions Grow Over U.N. Curbs on North Korea  —  Questions over the effectiveness of the Security Council's punitive sanctions on North Korea for its claimed nuclear test grew Sunday, as both South Korea and China — the North's two most important trading partners — indicated that business …

One proud Poppy ... but  —  W follies mar legacy, ex-Prez's aides gripe  —  DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF  —  WASHINGTON - At this month's christening of the nuclear aircraft carrier bearing his name, former President George H.W. Bush delivered a rousing endorsement of his son.

Cold Warrior  —  Dean Acheson was perhaps the most vilified secretary of state in modern American history.  Robert L. Beisner, in "Dean Acheson: A Life in the Cold War," his sweeping and thoughtful account of Acheson's tenure, cites a scholar who, with meticulous pedantry …

The War Crime In Jim Webb's Past  —  I admit to instinctively reacting negatively to Virginia Senate candidate Jim Webb for some reason, much the way I reacted to the personae of Bill Clinton when he arrived on the national political scene.  According to polls, Webb and Allen are neck and neck.

Schwarzenegger for Governor  —  The governor has learned how to work with the Legislature and chart a moderate course for California.  —  AFTER HIS HISTORIC ELECTION in the 2003 recall, followed by some early promise and a disappointing sophomore year, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been a solid …

Democratic committee chair selling access for late campaign donations  —  Republican-oriented tax lobbyists are interpreting late-campaign solicitations as a requirement for a ticket to enter the office of Rep. Charles Rangel as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee in a Democratic-controlled House.

Muslims are the new Jews  —  Very little makes sense in this business about Jack Straw, Muslim women and veils.  Aishah Azmi, a teaching assistant from Dewsbury, Yorks, was last week suspended for refusing to take her veil off in class - she was allowed to wear it everywhere else at school …

Department of Defense: "Sir, we don't support blogs!"  —  Published October 15th, 2006 by Herschel Smith in Department of Defense |  In Old and New Body Armor for Marines, we discussed the replacement of the Interceptor Body Armor System with the new "Modular Tactical Vest" …