Assassins and Diplomacy  —  Another murder in Beirut for Jim Baker to contemplate.  —  Former Secretary of State James Baker has been saying that, when it comes to diplomacy, you don't "restrict your conversations to your friends"—shorthand for the view that the U.S. should engage Syria …

New Survey: Iraqis Want a Speedy U.S. Exit — and Back Attacks on Our Forces  —  NEW YORK Past surveys have hinted at this result, but a new poll in Iraq makes it more stark than ever: the Iraqi people want the U.S. to exit their country.  And most Iraqis now approve of attacks on U.S. forces …

6 Imams Removed From Flight for Behavior Deemed Suspicious  —  Six Muslim religious leaders were taken off a US Airways flight in Minneapolis on Monday evening and detained for several hours after some passengers and crew members complained of behavior they deemed suspicious, including prayers at the gate.

An Ideologue for Hire Gets New Alliance  —  Senator Joseph I. Lieberman announced Tuesday that he had hired a new spokesman, which is not in itself that noteworthy, except that the said spokesman, Marshall Wittmann, is one of the great career vagabonds, ideological contortionists …

Republicans Clinch House Races in Ohio, New Mexico  —  More than a week after Rep. Heather A. Wilson (R-N.M.) claimed a razor-thin election victory, her Democratic challenger conceded yesterday, saying that a recount would cost too much and that there was no guarantee it would reverse the result.

HHS Nominee Has Prescribed Birth Control  —  Spokeswoman Stresses Keroack's Private Practice Over Role in Christian Group  —  Despite his work for a Christian pregnancy counseling group that opposes contraception, the physician who yesterday began overseeing federal family-planning programs …

Video: U.S. Secretary of Education loses big on Celebrity Jeopardy  —  What's more embarrassing than being Secretary of Education and having your ass handed to you on Celebrity Jeopardy?  Being Secretary of Education and having your ass handed to you on Celebrity Jeopardy by Lenny from "Laverne & Shirley."

Here We Go Again  —  Police in Altanta have apparently shot and killed a 92-year-old woman Tuesday night during a drug raid.  Details are sketchy, but unless a nonagenerian was pushing dope and using lethal force to protect her supply, the most likely explanation here is that someone sent …

Pelosi readying a pre-emptive House agenda  —  She's not going to let State of the Union overshadow the state of the nation  —  (11-22) 04:00 PST Washington — House Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi made clear Tuesday she's not willing to cede the public spotlight to President Bush in the weeks before his State of the Union speech.

A Parting Shot From George Allen  —  As a last little gift to America, Senator George Allen, who was narrowly defeated by James Webb this month, has introduced what may be his final piece of legislation: a bill that would allow the carrying of concealed weapons in national parks.

Rangel Is Right  —  Charlie Rangel is angry about the Iraq war, the one that Henry Kissinger has told us we can't win.  Thanks, Henry, but most Americans figured that out before you did.  Rangel saw combat in Korea.  Kissinger has only seen combat on TV.  That might have something …

Some Curbs on Sex Offenders Called Ineffective, Inhumane  —  As convicted sex offenders go, they seem to pose little danger.  —  One is 100 years old.  Another can barely walk and is in the late stages of Alzheimer's disease.  Another is dying of heart disease in a nursing home.

Reno Joins Criticism of Anti-Terror Strategy  —  Former Prosecutors Urge Court to Act Against Indefinite Detention of Suspects  —  Former attorney general Janet Reno has taken the unusual step of openly criticizing the Bush administration's anti-terrorism strategy — joining seven …

Hardball: Michael Richards  —  Welcome back to Hardball, I'm Chris Matthews.  Where do we draw the line between free speech and offensive speech?  Joining me via satellite is Michael Richards, who played Kramer on the old Seinfeld show.  Mr. Richards, welcome to the show.  —  Thanks for having me, Chris.

Elder Bush takes on son's Arab critics  —  ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - Former President George H.W. Bush took on Arab critics of his son Tuesday during a testy exchange at a leadership conference in the capital of this U.S. ally.  —  "My son is an honest man," Bush told members …

Spoils of Prime Office Space Go to Democrats  —  Forget those pesky leadership fights.  The folks who run Congress are now getting down to what really matters on Capitol Hill: dividing up the office space.  —  In something of a break with recent tradition, the incoming Democratic speaker …