As Vote Nears, Stances on War Set Off Sparks  —  For at least a few hours on Tuesday, President Bush had a chance to relive his victorious campaign of 2004, taking a break from a bleak Republican campaign season as he attacked Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts over the war in Iraq.

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.

Iraqi Demands Pullback; U.S. Lifts Baghdad Cordon  —  Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki demanded the removal of American checkpoints from the streets of Baghdad on Tuesday, in what appeared to be his latest and boldest gambit in an increasingly tense struggle for more independence from his American protectors.

This Is No Fun  —  I just thought I would go on record stating that the last few weeks and months have really sucked for me.  I spent my whole life in the GOP- starting in 1984 with county meetings, going to Teenage Republican camp (my friends called it Hitler Youth Camp …

Kerry cancels Mankato appearance  —  The dueling rallies scheduled for Mankato today on behalf of Republican congressman Gil Gutknecht and Democratic challenger Tim Walz lost some of their pizzaz Tuesday night when Sen. John Kerry pulled out of the Democratic rally.

Tomorrow's News: Sweeney's Alleged Domestic Abuse  —  Joe Mahoney and I report tomorrow off a state police report of an incident in which Rep. John Sweeney's wife apparently called the police to report domestic violence.  —  The full story follows:  —  POWERFUL UPSTATE Rep. John Sweeney got …

Pelosi's Unintelligent Choice  —  If Democrats win control of the House next week, Nancy Pelosi's first test as speaker will arrive long before the 110th Congress convenes.  Her choice to head the House intelligence committee — unlike other House committees, this one is left entirely …

Race Preferences Vote Splits Michigan  —  Three years after the Supreme Court heard Jennifer Gratz's challenge to the University of Michigan's affirmative action policy, she is still fighting racial preferences, this time in a Michigan ballot initiative.  —  "We have a horrible history …

Wages, benefits on upswing  —  WASHINGTON — Wages and benefits paid to American workers rose last quarter by the most since 2004, as the unemployment rate matched a five-year low.  —  The Labor Department said Tuesday that its employment cost index rose 1 percent compared with the second quarter.

Dems hold record 15-point edge over GOP  —  NBC/WSJ poll: Worst may be over for Republicans after Foley sex scandal … WASHINGTON -  —  Mark Murray  —  The final pre-election NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll suggests that Democrats continue to have a significant advantage heading …

N. Korea Agrees to Return To Talks  —  North Korea agreed yesterday to return to the six-nation nuclear disarmament talks, just three weeks after it conducted its first test of a nuclear device.  —  The country's unexpected decision, which was announced by Chinese and U.S. officials in Beijing …