Haggard steps down amid gay affair inquiry  —  Ted Haggard, one of the most prominent evangelical pastors in the nation, resigned today as president of the National Association of Evangelicals amid allegations that he carried on a three-year sexual relationship with a male prostitute.

Kerry's '72 Army Comments Mirror Latest  —  WASHINGTON (AP) - During a Vietnam-era run for Congress three decades ago, John Kerry said he opposed a volunteer Army because it would be dominated by the underprivileged, be less accountable and be more prone to "the perpetuation of war crimes."

Last gasps in Iraq  —  I supported this war, but the deteriorating situation is starting to convince me that we can't win.  Those of us who hoped that the Iraqis could achieve democracy were wrong — and their failure has implications for the entire region.

Penn President Poses with "Suicide Bomber"  —  University of Pennsylvania president Amy Gutmann threw her annual Halloween costume party at her home Tuesday night.  Among the guests was Saad Saadi, who came dressed as a suicide bomber, complete with plastic dynamite strapped to his chest and a toy automatic rifle.

Exclusive: NRCC's Foley "Damage Control"  —  Two senior aides to National Republican Campaign Committee Chairman Tom Reynolds participated in "damage control" conference calls concerning correspondence between Congressman Mark Foley and a former congressional page — two days before the scandal became public …

Mideast terror leaders to U.S.: Vote Democrat  —  Withdrawal from Iraq would embolden jihadists to destroy Israel, America  —  JERUSALEM - Everybody has an opinion about next Tuesday's midterm congressional election in the U.S. - including senior terrorist leaders interviewed by WND …

Results in key Senate races - Reuters poll  —  WASHINGTON, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Democrats must gain six seats in Tuesday's election to win U.S. Senate control, and they lead in six of the seven most vulnerable Republican-held states, according to Reuters/Zogby polls released on Thursday.

Crystal Ball 2006: THE PREDICTIONS  —  Campaigns Clamor for Last-Minute Midterm "Mo"  —  Just how Democratic a year is 2006?  —  Five days out, let's rephrase the question this way: when's the last time a major political party has failed to capture a single House seat, Senate seat …

Iraqi Shiites Continue to Exert Independence and Seek Changes to U.N. Deal on U.S. Troops  —  In a continued effort to demonstrate their independence from Washington, Iraqi Shiites are pressing a fresh set of conditions on their American supporters, asking for changes in the Iraqi government's relationship …

Rep. Paying Ex-Mistress About $500K  —  ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A Republican congressman accused of abusing his ex-mistress agreed to pay her about $500,000 in a settlement last year that contained a powerful incentive for her to keep quiet until after Election Day, a person familiar with the terms of the deal told The Associated Press.

Upset in Michigan?  —  Republicans hope that will be one of MANY surprises on election night.  They need them.  With lots of struggling candidates, the National Republican Senatorial Committee is throwing a $900,000, buzzer-beating lifeline to the Wolverine State and Mike Bouchard …

Steele cuts Cardin's lead nearly in half … The race for Maryland's open U.S. Senate seat has narrowed, but Democrat Benjamin L. Cardin holds a 6-point edge, the result of firm support among black voters and strong leads in Baltimore and suburban Washington, according to a new poll for The Sun.

Bush Laments 'Tone' In Washington, Says His Opponents Want Terrorists To Win  —  On Tuesday, in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, President Bush said the worst thing about being President was the "tone" in Washington, saying that it "has gotten ugly."