Limbaugh Says Actor Fox Exaggerates Effects of Disease in Ads  —  Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh attacked actor Michael J. Fox for inserting his halting voice into the U.S. Senate campaign in Missouri, suggesting Fox was "acting" in a commercial where he's shown shaking …

The Note: Pending: Six Days of November Surprises  —  It Isn't a "Surprise" If You Expect It  —  By MARK HALPERIN, DAVID CHALIAN, TEDDY DAVIS, TAHMAN BRADLEY, and EMILY O'DONNELL with KARUNA SESHASAI, MONA RAPHAEL, and MICHELLE DUBERT  —  How the (liberal) Old Media plans to cover the last two weeks of the election:

Is Ken Mehlman kidding?  We should ask Harold Ford  —  The answer to Josh's question is no. He's a guy who isn't afraid to smear people with racism.  He's a rich white guy who can spot insanely offensive racism instantly—except when he has a hand in it.  He only pays the bills …

The Beltway Retreat  —  The insurgents are hitting their targets—in Washington. … So said Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih on Monday, in a BBC interview while in London for talks with Tony Blair.  If only such statesmanship prevailed on this side of the Atlantic …

Cubin tells challenger, 'I'd slap you'  —  The Libertarian challenger for Wyoming's lone U.S. House seat says Rep. Barbara Cubin offended him by uttering a slur related to his physical disability.  —  Thomas Rankin said Cubin approached him after a campaign debate on Sunday and said …

Correction: Joe and 'Stay the Course'  —  Senator Joseph I. Lieberman has used the phrase "stay the course" several times in discussing the war in Iraq in recent years, echoing a key phrase of the White House, contrary to an article published today in The Times.

It's the Politics, Stupid  —  Gail Collins couldn't do bupkis for women in journalism.  That's because there's only so much journalists themselves can do about the problems of women and punditry.  —  Gail Collins stepped down earlier this month as editor of the New York Times opinion pages.

New Jersey Same-Sex Marriage Decision Tomorrow  —  Per the NJ State Supreme Court: … In '02, two gay couples sued New Jersey for denying them the right to marry.  The Supreme Court finally heard oral arguments in Feb. Consider the political repercussions if NJ becomes the second state in the country to legalize gay marriage.

Poll: Senate within Dems' grasp, but pitfalls remain  —  Control of the chamber could hinge on the outcomes in Missouri, Tennessee and Virginia.  —  Washington — Democrats are within range of capturing a Senate majority, but face potentially decisive resistance from rural voters …

One of FBI's 'Most Wanted Terrorists' confirmed dead  —  (CNN) — An al Qaeda operative wanted in connection with the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings was killed in April in Pakistan, American officials have confirmed.  —  Pakistani officials had said that Muhsin Musa Matwalli Atwah was killed …

Abandon All Hope  —  This child was weak—perhaps injured or dying—as this photo was taken in the Darfur region of Sudan in 2004.  He may already be dead.  One thing is certain; the future of millions of children throughout the Middle East just like him will be affected by you very soon.

Drug raid yields Los Alamos documents  —  WASHINGTON - A drug raid on a Los Alamos scientist's home in New Mexico turned up what appeared to be classified documents taken from the nuclear weapons lab, the FBI said Tuesday.  —  Police discovered the documents at the scientist's home while making …

Idle Contractors Add Millions to Iraq Rebuilding  —  A prison built in Nasiriya, Iraq, by the Parsons group.  Overhead costs eat up large shares of such contracts.  —  Overhead costs have consumed more than half the budget of some reconstruction projects in Iraq, according …

Veiled Insult  —  Quite a long time ago, having briefly joined the herd of 20-something backpackers that eternally roams Southeast Asia, I found myself in Bali.  Like all of the other 20-somethings, I carefully read the Lonely Planet backpacker's guide to Indonesia and learned, among other things …

Bush's new tack steers clear of 'stay the course'  —  Phrase became liability for GOP in election year … Today show  —  President Bush and his aides are annoyed that people keep misinterpreting his Iraq policy as "stay the course."  A complete distortion, they say.

Ford camp's answers vary on Playboy party  —  The way Republicans like to tell it, Harold Ford Jr. partied with Playboy playmates at a Super Bowl Party last year.  —  So, was he there or not?  —  Responses from the Memphis Democrat and his campaign have varied: