Unfit for Majority Leader  —  The videotape is grainy, dark and devastating.  The congressman and the FBI undercover agents — the congressman thinks they represent an Arab sheik willing to pay $50,000 to get immigration papers — are talking business in the living room of a secretly wired Washington townhouse.

Get Out Now?  Not So Fast, Experts Say  —  One of the most resonant arguments in the debate over Iraq holds that the United States can move forward by pulling its troops back, as part of a phased withdrawal.  If American troops begin to leave and the remaining forces assume a more limited role …

Abramoff Reports to Prison Tomorrow; Offers Testimony on Democratic Senators  —  Brian Ross and Rhonda Schwartz Report:  —  Convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff is scheduled to report to federal prison tomorrow, over the objections of federal prosecutors who say they still need his help to pursue leads on officials he allegedly bribed.

Pawlenty: Give health coverage to all kids  —  The GOP governor embraces an issue that was central for DFLers in the recent campaign.  —  In a sweeping policy departure that aligns with a top agenda item of the newly elected DFL legislative majorities, Gov. Tim Pawlenty called Tuesday …

FOX NEWS INTERNAL MEMO: "BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR ANY STATEMENTS FROM THE IRAQI INSURGENTS...THRILLED AT THE PROSPECT OF A DEM CONTROLLED CONGRESS"...  Huffington Post has obtained an internal Fox News memo written by the network's Vice President of news.  The memo details Fox's game plan …

Recount gives Courtney win in 2nd District  —  HARTFORD, Conn. —A roller-coaster recount that uncovered vote-counting flaws in several Connecticut towns gave Democrat Joe Courtney a narrow victory over three-term Republican Rep. Rob Simmons on Tuesday.  —  Courtney won by 91 votes instead …

C.I.A. Tells of Bush's Directive on the Handling of Detainees  —  The Central Intelligence Agency has acknowledged for the first time the existence of two classified documents, including a directive signed by President Bush, that have guided the agency's interrogation and detention of terror suspects.

Al Jazeera's U.S. Face  —  Former ABC Newsman Dave Marash Is Getting Used to Explaining His Job  —  The moment Dave Marash told friends and colleagues about his new job, the questions began flying.  —  Who? listeners asked skeptically.  And why?  —  Nearly nine months later …

freed for $2 million  —  Terrorists used cash for arms to 'hit Zionists,' payment said to encourage more abductions  —  JERUSALEM - Palestinian terror groups and security organizations in the Gaza Strip received $2 million from a United States source in exchange for the release …

Harman Versus Hastings  —  Okay.  All day I've been pondering what to say about the Jane Harman versus Alcee Hastings controversy.  The first thing of it is that I'd really prefer Harman not get the job.  There's lots of good content in The New Republic.  Nevertheless, when the magazine publishes …

Mid-flight sexual play lands US couple afoul of anti-terrorism law  —  A couple's ill-concealed sexual play aboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Los Angeles got them charged with violating the Patriot Act, intended for terrorist acts, and could land them in jail for 20 years.

Hate videos of Muslim group they failed to ban  —  A Muslim organisation which the Government chose not to ban is preaching hatred and has infiltrated the Home Office, an investigation has revealed.  —  Hizb ut-Tahrir is showing inflammatory videos to small groups of followers then encouraging them to attack non-believers.

Is Democracy Like Sex?  —  So the elections are over, and happily my fears of last week weren't borne out.  A cynic may say that it was because the Democrats won, but for whatever reason there weren't major complaints of fraud or miscounting.  That said, I hope that these issues will get addressed more thoroughly before 2008.

Republican Party's Martinez: won't be "attack dog"  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sen. Mel Martinez, who will become the new general chairman of the Republican Party after it lost control of Congress, said on Tuesday he would not be an "attack dog" in the 2008 White House race.