Kerry apologizes for 'a botched joke'  —  WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kerry apologized for "a botched joke" about President Bush's Iraq policies that led Bush and fellow Republicans to accuse him of insulting U.S. troops.  Even some Democrats assailed Kerry, who had some campaign appearances scratched Wednesday.

U.S. Central Command Charts Sharp Movement of the Civil Conflict in Iraq Toward Chaos  —  A classified briefing prepared two weeks ago by the United States Central Command portrays Iraq as edging toward chaos, in a chart that the military is using as a barometer of civil conflict.

Rush's Interview with President George W. Bush  —  RUSH: Mr. President.  —  THE PRESIDENT: Hey, Rush, how are you?  —  RUSH: Never better.  It's a thrill to have you on the program today and many thanks for making time for us.  —  THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, sir, for giving me a chance to visit with you.

In Lamont Race, Bitter Democrats Do Pre-Mortems  —  Lieberman Seems to Hug Big Lead in Connecticut; Ned Speaks in Past Tense; Lefties Blame Wolfson; Brazile: Bloggers 'Give You Wind But Not Sail'  —  Ned Lamont, Connecticut's Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, crossed the rainy street alone.

Governor race a tossup … The Maryland governor's race is a virtual tie less than a week before Election Day, as Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s relentless attacks on Mayor Martin O'Malley's record on crime and schools have eroded the Democrat's support in the Baltimore suburbs, a new poll for The Sun shows.

Nearly half of Americans uncertain God exists: poll  —  Nearly half of Americans are not sure God exists, according to a poll that also found divisions among the public on whether God is male or female or whether God has a human form and has control over events.

Bush says Rumsfeld, Cheney should stay  —  WASHINGTON - President Bush said Wednesday he wants Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Vice President Dick Cheney to remain in his administration until the end of his presidency, extending a job guarantee to two of the most-criticized members of his team.

Air Force said to seek $50 bln emergency funds  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Air Force is asking the Pentagon's leadership for a staggering $50 billion in emergency funding for fiscal 2007 — an amount equal to nearly half its annual budget, defense analyst Loren Thompson of the Lexington Institute said on Tuesday.

Letter from Mike Stark  —  The following is a letter to NBC29 from Mike Stark, the man who was tackled for a comment he made at Senator Allen's campaign stop in Charlottesville on Tuesday.  —  My name is Mike Stark.  I am a law student at the University of Virginia, a marine, and a citizen journalist.

Allen's Fumbles, Romney's Gain  —  Even before the votes are counted, over the Republican Party a "thick darkness broodeth" — words from a Victorian hymn, for a party with a Victorian tendency.  But one Republican, who is not running for anything this year, will emerge from this bruising season with enlarged prospects.

SECRET POLICE  —  MILITARY GOV'T MAY BE BEST ANSWER  —  WE went to Iraq to overthrow a police state.  Through a combination of stubbornness, naivete and noble intentions, we've replaced it with another police state - more violent, more corrupt and less accountable.