Senate committee approves Gates nomination … WASHINGTON (CNN) — The Senate Armed Services Committee unanimously approved President Bush's defense secretary nomination Tuesday and sent it to the full Senate for approval, the committee's outgoing chairman said.

'We Can't Afford to Leave'  —  As the debate over Iraq intensifies, leading Democrat Silvestre Reyes is calling for the deployment of more U.S. troops.  —  Dec. 5.  2006 - In a surprise twist in the debate over Iraq, Rep. Silvestre Reyes, the soon-to-be chairman of the House Intelligence Committee …

Praising son Jeb, former President Bush breaks down  —  TALLAHASSEE, Florida (AP) — Former President George H.W. Bush broke down in tears as he cited his son, Gov. Jeb Bush, as an example of leadership.  —  Bush was addressing lawmakers, his son's top administrators, and state workers gathered …

American Among Terror Plotters in Egypt  —  *Bumped* because I don't think this is getting enough press.  An American.  Arrested in Egypt.  Part of an international cell of jihadis.  For, at the very least, encouraging people to go to Iraq and fight Americans.  That.  Is.  TREASON.

The 2006 Weblog Awards Finalists Announced  —  Below are the finalists in The 2006 Weblog Awards, presented in both category and alphabetical order.  Finalist badges are available now and voting is scheduled to begin Thursday.  —  Cateogory Listing of The 2006 Weblog Awards Finalists:  —  Best Blog

Flatulence, not turbulence forces plane landing in Nashville  —  Flatulence brought 99 passengers on an American Airlines flight to an unscheduled visit to Nashville early Monday morning.  —  American Flight 1053, from Washington Reagan National Airport and bound for Dallas/Fort Worth …

2008: If Obama runs, he wins  —  Standard caveats aside (it's early, we don't have a set field, blah blah blah), it's hard to see how Barack Obama loses the nomination barring scandal or the mother-of-all gaffes.  —  I've been working up a few scenarios given the primary calendar …

The Two Obamas and Me, Part One  —  At the end of the 2004 presidential primary season and how, after Howard Dean's loss, I found great hope in Barack Obama when I briefly moved to Chicago during the Illinois Senate primary.  Reading the latest piece in the media whirlwind surrounding Obama …

SOLVING THE WORLD'S PROBLEMS....I've been waiting impatiently for Instapundit's promised "symposium" on Iraq, an ambitious attempt to see if the blogosphere can come up with better ideas than all those tired mainstream analysts.  As it turns out, response was so overwhelming that we'll be getting multiple installments.

"Don't Know" Leads for President in 2008  —  Clinton, McCain, Obama, and Giuliani mentioned most frequently  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Many Americans cannot spontaneously think of the name of a person they would like to see elected president in 2008.  While this lack of firm conviction …

Inside Politics  —  Media climate  —  Sen. James M. Inhofe, Oklahoma Republican and chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, will hold a full committee hearing tomorrow on "Climate Change and the Media."  —  The hearing will look at how the media has presented scientific …

Veiled woman to give C4's speech  —  A veiled Muslim woman will deliver this year's alternative Christmas speech on Channel 4, the broadcaster has said.  —  Khadija, a Zimbabwean-born British citizen who has been wearing the full veil - or niqab - for 10 years, has been given the slot.

Russian security service 'led poison plot'  —  Intelligence services in Britain are convinced that the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko was authorised by the Russian Federal Security Service.  —  Security sources have told The Times that the FSB orchestrated a "highly sophisticated plot" …