Iran plotting to groom bin Laden's successor  —  Audio: Why is the policy change significant?  —  Iran is trying to form an unholy alliance with al-Qa'eda by grooming a new generation of leaders to take over from Osama bin Laden, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.

Oh, Joyous Day.  —  I ONLY PUT THIS IN "REPUBLICANS" BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A "BONEHEADS" CATEGORY.  —  Oh, this is simply priceless.  With Ken Mehlman retiring, we need a new RNC Chair.  —  We could have had a promising up-and-comer with a great life story, fantastic political skills, and odds-on-sharps like you wouldn't believe.

Anthrax hoaxer may be Free Republic poster  —  The man arrested on Saturday for sending more than a dozen envelopes containing "fake anthrax" to anti-war celebrities, journalists, and politicians may have ties to the conservative supersite Free Republic, RAW STORY has found.

AP: Giuliani takes step toward '08 bid  —  WASHINGTON - Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, a moderate Republican best known for his stewardship of the city after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, has taken the first step in a 2008 presidential bid, GOP officials said Monday.

In Backing Murtha, Pelosi Draws Fire  —  House Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi's endorsement of Rep. John P. Murtha's bid for House majority leader set off a furor yesterday on Capitol Hill, with critics charging that she is undercutting her pledge to clean up corruption by backing a veteran lawmaker …

Lott running for whip post  —  After keeping his plans close to the vest since Election Day, Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) formally declared his bid for minority whip on Monday evening.  —  Lott had refrained from openly discussing his intentions for the whip race even after GOP Conference …

A Perfect Storm?  —  A perfect storm may be brewing in Lebanon.  —  I've been under Tornado Watch probably ten times or so in the American Midwest.  Not once did a tornado touch down anywhere near me while I was on alert.  Several tornadoes, though, blew through the area out of the blue with no warning on different days.

Al Qaeda seeking nuclear kit for attacks: UK official  —  LONDON (Reuters) - Al Qaeda is trying to acquire the technology that would enable it to use a nuclear device to attack Western targets including Britain, a senior British official said on Monday.  —  "We know the aspiration is there.

GOP Fliers Apparently Were Part Of Strategy  —  The six Trailways motorcoaches draped in Ehrlich and Steele campaign banners rumbled down Interstate 95 just before dawn on Election Day.  —  On board, 300 mostly poor African Americans from Philadelphia ate doughnuts, sipped coffee and prepared to spend the day at the Maryland polls.

US: Immigrants may be held indefinitely  —  WASHINGTON - Immigrants arrested in the United States may be held indefinitely on suspicion of terrorism and may not challenge their imprisonment in civilian courts, the Bush administration said Monday, opening a new legal front in the fight over the rights of detainees.

Farmers Branch Approves Anti-Immigration Measures  —  (AP) FARMERS BRANCH Council members in Farmers Branch unanimously approved tough new anti-immigration measures Monday evening, including one that makes English the official language.  —  In a series of 6- votes, the council members …

A Setback for Vietnam Trade Bill  —  In an embarrassing legislative setback for the administration, the House of Representatives defeated a measure late Monday that the president had sought to normalize trade relations with Vietnam, four days before President Bush was scheduled to leave for his first visit to that country.

BBC frightened of criticising Islam, says archbishop  —  The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, has accused the BBC of bias against Christianity and says the broadcaster fears a terrorist backlash if it is critical of Islam.  —  The archbishop, the second most senior figure in the Church …

The "Maximizing Abortion Rates" Gambit  —  Amy Sullivan's recent article celebrating anti-choice Colorado SenatorGovernor-elect Bill Ritter makes some arguments that allow me to clarify some of my difficulties with "centrist" arguments about abortion.  First of all, there's this:

CBS Misleads Readers On Hagee Interview  —  CBS News has an interview on their website with Marine Corps Commandant General Mike Hagee, which it promotes with the headline, "Top Marine: No Plan For Post-Saddam Iraq".  The article that fronts this interview makes the claim that Hagee admits …