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 …

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?

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 …

EXCLUSIVE: McCain Begins Preliminary White House Run  —  Exploratory Committee to Be Set Up This Month, No Final Decision Has Been Made  —  His party may have taken "a thumpin'," in the words of President Bush, but ABC News has learned that Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and his political team …

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 …

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 …

After 2 Decades in Ascent, A Stunning Breakdown  —  The George Allen who conceded defeat yesterday in Virginia's nasty U.S. Senate campaign was the one who revitalized Virginia's Republican Party and the one who was considered a front-runner for the White House, with his folksy, football-and-cowboy charm.

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 …

WHAT NEXT?....Over at RBC, Steven Teles lays out some advice for the new Democratic Congress, most of which seems pretty sound to me.  Go ahead and read it and then come back.  My comments on each of his recommendations are below.  —  Go slow on oversight.  I guess I'd put it this way: I don't think Dems need to go nuts on hearings.

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.

Gain for Same-Sex Marriage in Massachusetts  —  Lawmakers in Massachusetts, the only state where same-sex marriage is legal, dealt what appeared to be a fatal blow Thursday to a proposed constitutional amendment to ban it.  —  In a flurry of strategic maneuvering, supporters …

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 …

Credit  —  In the "credit" debate there are two types of people, those who are trying to glorify themselves, enhance their reputation, and obtain more power, and those who just, you know, want to make sure we do the right thing.  —  All I know is months ago it was conventional wisdom in DC …

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.

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 …

MuckWatch: We Pick Our Favorite Dems  —  The Democrats swept into the majority in Congress vowing to fight the culture of corruption.  Bad news for the muckraking biz, right?  Thankfully, less-than-squeaky pasts don't appear to be a factor in the Dems' reasoning as they divvy up leadership posts and committee chairs.

Students at Calif. College ban Pledge of Allegiance  —  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Student leaders at a California college have touched off a furor by banning the Pledge of Allegiance at their meetings, saying they see no reason to publicly swear loyalty to God and the U.S. government.

Abandoning Iraq  —  Regardless of its final composition, and regardless of other pressing issues or its mandate, the leading item of business for the new U.S. Congress will be Iraq.  —  It didn't matter who won control of each house — the fix was already in.