Zawahiri Was Target in U.S. Attack on Religious School in Pakistan  —  Alexis Debat Reports:  —  Ayman al Zawahiri was the target of a Predator missile attack this morning on a religious school in Pakistan, according to Pakistani intelligence sources.  —  ABC News has learned the raid …

Angry Joe Returns, Sends Hate Mail to the New York Times  —  I admit that the Lamont-Lieberman-Schlesinger race is confusing me.  Lieberman, when challenged, reacts angrily and viciously, and yet he's leading in the polls in a way that should allow him emotional security.  It's weird.

Big Metros Show Severe Declines in Latest Circ Report  —  NEW YORK The Audit Bureau of Circulations FAS-FAX report for the six-month period ending September 2006 released this morning confirmed yet again that major metros are struggling to show growth.  The losses are steep while the gains are meager.

CNN hopes blogging is election-night blessing  —  An event aimed at getting instant reaction from online opinion makers is but a part of cable channels' efforts.  —  NEW YORK — Who says the mainstream media don't respect the blogosphere?  —  CNN is trying to incorporate bloggers directly …

Poll: Stumping not boosting Bush popularity  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — President Bush's popularity has not been buoyed by a series of public events in recent days, a new CNN poll suggests.  —  Bush's approval rating hovers in the high 30s, where it has been throughout October.

Shadowy Nonprofit Attacks PA Dem from Left  —  Here's another thing to watch for this campaign season: front groups that attack Democrats from the left.  —  The Pennsylvania Senate race has provided a case in point.  TPM Reader TC, who lives there, sent us a scan of a mailer he received Saturday.

Write-in tightens race in District 22  —  Sekula-Gibbs running close to Lampson for the seat DeLay held  —  The Republican write-in effort to hold former Rep. Tom DeLay's congressional seat, once viewed as a long shot, has created a tight race, according to a Houston Chronicle-11 News poll.

Liberal Republican Suburb Turns Furious With G.O.P.  —  The M.B.A.'s have had it.  The engineers are fuming.  —  For as long as anyone here can remember, Bellevue has been a stronghold of socially liberal Republicanism.  First, it was a prosperous Seattle bedroom community …

Shreddin' With Dick  —  Spotted on 10/19, by an eagle-eyed Wonkette reader: The Mid-Atlantic Shredding Services truck making its way up to the Cheney compound at the Naval Observatory.  —  Fun fact: Mid-Atlantic Shredding Services has been contracted by the Secret Service for our Executive Branch's record-not-keeping needs.

Bush Appointee Said to Reject Advice on Endangered Species  —  A senior Bush political appointee at the Interior Department has rejected staff scientists' recommendations to protect imperiled animals and plants under the Endangered Species Act at least six times in the past three years, documents show.

EXCLUSIVE: Unredacted Death Threat Letter to Stephanie Miller  —  Profanity-Laced Missive from Right Winger Sent After Popular Radio Host's Recent Appearance on Fox 'News', Says 'Would be Happy to See AK-47 Send You Into Eterntity  —  Miller Calls America-Loving Wingnut On Air, Man Claims Letter Wasn't a Threat...

Santorum: Pension investments under Casey linked to terrorism  —  PITTSBURGH — U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum accused state Treasurer Bob Casey of "aiding and abetting terrorism and genocide," saying yesterday that state pension funds are invested with companies linked to terrorist-sponsoring states.

That's the ticket?  Speculation swirls over Mitt-Jeb pairing in 2008  —  Gov. Mitt Romney is tapping the seasoned political team of Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, leading to speculation that the Mormon from Massachusetts may be courting the Bible Belt blueblood for a possible Romney-Bush '08 ticket.

Message Discipline  —  I'm behind the curve on Amy Sullivan on David Kuo, but I thought this was interesting: … Now Amy's right.  It would be useful, for the purposes of electoral politics, for liberals in the media to avoid expressing the view that the belief — adhered to by millions of Americans …

How the Web Prevents Rape  —  ALL THAT INTERNET PORN REDUCES SEX CRIMES.  REALLY.  —  Does pornography breed rape?  Do violent movies breed violent crime?  Quite the opposite, it seems.  —  First, porn.  What happens when more people view more of it?  The rise of the Internet offers a gigantic natural experiment.

Hunter set to announce presidential bid  —  Some surprised by lawmaker's timing  —  WASHINGTON - With his prized committee chairmanship very much in peril, Rep. Duncan Hunter is poised to announce today that he is considering a long-shot run for the White House.

Lobbyists Won't Like What Pelosi Has in Mind  —  Odds are that lobbying in the House of Representatives is about to get harder.  —  If Democrats gain the 15 seats they need to win control of the House — and most analysts think they will — one of the first things the new House will do is restrict …

The Hotline's Hot Senate Race Updates  —  A daily update of ads, polls, trends and analyses from the hottest Senate races.  —  Updated Race Rankings: House **** Senate **** Governors  —  1. NRSC Back In?:  Although the last time the NRSC aired an ad for Sen. Conrad Burns (R) was 8/06 …