Exclusive: Charges Sought Against Rumsfeld Over Prison Abuse  —  A lawsuit in Germany will seek a criminal prosecution of the outgoing Defense Secretary and other U.S. officials for their alleged role in abuses at Abu Ghraib and Gitmo  —  Just days after his resignation …

Extremely odd behavior from the Washington Post re: the President's Rumsfeld lie  —  (updated below)  —  It is now conclusively clear that President Bush lied last week, several days before the election, when he vowed definitively to reporters that Donald Rumsfeld would remain as Defense Secretary for the next two years.

Troops fear Rumsfeld's exit will end their Iraq mission  —  Half of America and the upper echelons of the US military may be cheering Donald Rumsfeld's resignation from the post of Defence Secretary, but there was no rejoicing yesterday among those most directly affected by his decisions: the frontline soldiers in Iraq.

A PUTSCH AT THE DNC?:  —  Some big name Democrats want to oust DNC Chairman Howard Dean, arguing that his stubborn commitment to the 50-state strategy and his stinginess with funds for House races cost the Democrats several pickup opportunities.  —  The candidate being floated to replace Dean?

I NOTED EARLIER that Ann Althouse is depressed about the elections, and looking around it seems that a lot of people feel that way.  Well, I understand that, God knows.  But one iron rule of elections is that you win some and you lose some.  And people tend to exaggerate their importance and …

With Power Set to Be Split, Wiretaps Re-emerge as Issue  —  The Bush administration escalated its defense of the National Security Agency's domestic wiretapping program on Thursday, even as Democrats in Congress vowed to investigate the program aggressively once they assume power.

Understanding Gates  —  It's Not as Simple as Father's Team vs. Son's  —  In the early months of 1989, the overriding foreign policy issue for the new George H.W. Bush administration was how to deal with Mikhail Gorbachev.  Did the Soviet leader represent fundamental change, or was he merely a new face for the same old policies?

Khamenei calls elections a victory for Iran  —  TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday called U.S. President George W. Bush's defeat in congressional elections a victory for Iran.  —  Bush has accused Iran of trying to make a nuclear bomb …

Redistricting: Home to Roost  —  How Republicans'  —  Gerrymandering Efforts  —  May Have Backfired  —  WASHINGTON — Gerrymandering was supposed to cement Republican control of the House of Representatives, offering incumbents a wall of re-election protection even as public opinion turned sharply against them.

NEW IRAQ RISKS: WHAT THE ELECTIONS MEANS  —  THE Democratic dog just caught the Iraqi firetruck it's been chas ing for almost four years.  Now what?  —  Wetting the back tires won't be enough.  The victorious party's hard-left wing is anxious for an American humiliation.

The Great Revulsion  —  I'm not feeling giddy as much as greatly relieved.  O.K., maybe a little giddy.  Give 'em hell, Harry and Nancy!  —  Here's what I wrote more than three years ago, in the introduction to my column collection "The Great Unraveling": "I have a vision — maybe just a hope …

Bolton's Chances of Confirmation Are 'Nil,' Official Says  —  President Bush has pledged to be a bipartisan, consensus builder now that Democrats are to control Congress, and since Wednesday he has made conciliatory gestures.  The question now is whether Mr. Bush is ready to junk …

Ignoring widespread agreement on core issues, media suggested wins by "conservative Democrats" will cause intraparty strife … In the wake of the November 7 midterm elections, numerous media figures have attributed the Democratic gains in the House and Senate to the number of wins by conservative or moderate Democratic challengers.

Local GOP chairman blasts own party  —  As Dems celebrate, Salem cites Republican schism  —  A day after the Democratic sweep of the midterm elections, Woodbury County Republican Chairman Steve Salem had harsh words for his own party, lambasting the influence of the conservative Christian right wing.

McGovern to Meet With Congress on War  —  George McGovern, the former senator and Democratic presidential candidate, said Thursday that he will meet with more than 60 members of Congress next week to recommend a strategy to remove U.S. troops from Iraq by June.

The magic of "a few good men"  —  In his latest book, America's Victories - Why the U.S. wins wars and will win the war on terror, national defense and economics historian Dr. Larry Schweikart describes the performance of U.S. troops during the 2003 invasion of Iraq: "The Marines …

CONFESSIONS OF AN ANGRY HUSTLER  —  Ted Haggard's bitter boy toy tells all  —  HEAVEN CAN WAIT Reverend Ted Haggard begs forgiveness  —  On November 3, all-American family man Ted Haggard resigned as head of the 30-million strong National Association of Evangelicals after a male prostitute …

Jon Stewart: Democratic majority kingmaker  —  Forget left of center bloggers, Jon Stewart is this year's kingmaker.  Without him and The Daily Show, the Democrats would not have made such large inroads in the midterm elections.  Let me explain why.  —  In 1994 Republicans swept to victory …

2006 Elections Hit Lockstep Conservative Talk Show Hosts' Credibility (UPDATED)  —  You can add another casualty to the 2006 elections: the credibility of lockstep conservative talk show radio hosts.  —  There's a difference between a conservative talk show host and a lockstep talk show host.

Only a Minor Earthquake  —  How serious is the "thumpin' " the Republicans took on Tuesday?  Losing one house is significant but hardly historic.  Losing both houses, however, is defeat of a different order of magnitude, the equivalent in a parliamentary system of a vote of no confidence.

RNC asks Steele to replace Mehlman  —  Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman, whose party just lost both chambers of Congress, will leave his position in January, and the post as party chief has been offered to Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele.