John Kerry Meets the Dopes Stuck in IraK  —  Oh, to be a fly on the wall!  —  (Do you suppose that it's too late to enter this in any contest?  —  This was the best picture Reuters did all year- and you know it wasn't Photoshopped!)  —  Is everyone enjoying themselves?...

Jamil Hussein, Disputed AP Source, Finally Located?  —  NEW YORK Has the mysterious and much-disputed Associated Press source in Iraq, a police captain named Jamil Hussein — finally been found?  His existence has been challenged in the past three weeks from the U.S. military, some Iraqi officials and conservative bloggers in the U.S.

O, Muslim town of Bethlehem...  All is quiet in Bethlehem.  On Manger Square, the Church of the Nativity stands in the pale gloom of dusk, its doors open to passing pilgrims.  —  But inside, the nave is empty of visitors and the collection boxes depleted of coins.

Shots Fired at Palestinian Leader's Home  —  GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Fighting between Hamas and Fatah escalated Sunday, as the foreign minister's convoy and the president's Gaza residence came under attack.  Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said Hamas will boycott an early election called by the president.

Gingrich defends free speech curbs  —  MANCHESTER - Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich last night defended his call to limit freedom of speech to combat terrorism, comments that last month provoked strident criticism from liberal groups.  —  Gingrich said the threat of biological …

An Atheist Can Believe in Christmas  —  IF last holiday season charitably could have been described as the war-on-Christmas Christmas — with Bill O'Reilly of Fox News declaring war on the warriors and others declaring war on him — maybe it's not such a stretch to think of this year's prevalent yuletide theme …

Person of the Year  —  Time copped out again, but the liberal blogosphere made a real difference this year, and though no one person deserves all the credit, I choose Atrios,* who has an uncanny sense of what's important and can dissect it down to its basic atoms.

More On Warner  —  Now that Hotline has published the rumor, my sources have released me from my pledges ... Mark Warner has, in fact, been rethinking his decision to leave the Presidential race for several weeks now.  Warner's going to wait and see how this race plays out …

Reid: Brief troop increase OK in Iraq  —  WASHINGTON - The Senate's top Democrat offered qualified support Sunday for a plan to increase U.S. troops in Iraq, saying it would be acceptable as part of a broader strategy to bring combat forces home by 2008.  —  President Bush's former secretary of state …

The President In the Room  —  Hillary Clinton's Biggest Issue?  A Certain Someone in Her Background.  —  NEW YORK He stood far behind, hiding in plain sight, though his glowing white hair and ruddy complexion rendered him as inconspicuous as a face on Mount Rushmore.  —  The spotlight was not Bill Clinton's.

FDL Book Salon: Whistling Past Dixie  —  It seems as if I've been thinking about southern politics all of my life.  The truth is that since the founding, everyone who has ever been involved in American politics has thought about it their whole lives.  The struggle over politics and culture …

US accused of using aid to sway votes in UN security council  —  The US uses its aid budget to bribe those countries which have a vote in the United Nations security council, giving them 59 per cent more cash in years when they have a seat, according to research by economists.

Stubborn or Stalwart, Bush Is Loath to Budge  —  In the late 19th century, the queen of England sent the president of the United States a desk made from the timbers of a decommissioned ship, the HMS Resolute.  Almost every occupant of the White House since then has made the Resolute his desk.