Bush to Expand Size of Military  —  President Bush said today that he plans to expand the size of the U.S. military to meet the challenges of a long-term global war against terrorists, a response to warnings that sustained deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan have stretched the armed forces to near the breaking point.

Cheney to be defense witness in CIA case  —  WASHINGTON - Vice President Dick Cheney will be called to testify on behalf of his former chief of staff in the CIA leak case, defense attorneys said Tuesday, ending months of speculation over what would be historic testimony.

The Clock is Ticking, Mr. President  —  Frankly, I don't believe that more troops is the answer for Iraq.  It's a civil war and America should not be policing a Sunni-Shia conflict.  In addition, we don't have the additional forces to put in there.  We obviously want to support what commanders …

Jamilgate: Is the AP covering its tracks?  —  Now here's something interesting.  Curt was reading over the AP's press releases about Jamilgate on the AP website and noticed that something seemed to be missing from John Daniszewski's statement on November 28th.

French troops had bin Laden in sights: documentary  —  PARIS (Reuters) - A documentary says French special forces had Osama bin Laden in their sights twice about three years ago but their U.S. superiors never ordered them to fire.  —  The French military, however, said that the incidents never happened …

A Warning To The Right  —  I'm tired of it all.  —  I'm tired of the insinuations about Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) because his dead father was a Muslim.  I'm tired of the insinuations about his middle name—Hussein—and the racist/bigoted insinuations that I've seen on the Right that flow from there.

Blue America Welcomes Chris Van Hollen As DCCC Chair  —  House Democrats today announced that Maryland Democrat Chris Van Hollen will serve the next term as Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the job formerly occupied by Rahm Emanuel.  —  The Blue America Communities …

DELAWARE, ARE YOU AWARE, IS THIS THING ON:  —  Tagged with the "Five Things You Don't Know About Me" meme.  Let's see.  —  1. I have a ridiculously soft spot for the Statue of Liberty.  My mother made the mistake of taking me to see her when I was a toddler, and for the next — oh …

U.S. Weighs Military Buildup to Warn Iran  —  The Pentagon is considering a buildup of Navy forces in the Persian Gulf as a show of force against Iran, a senior defense official said Tuesday.  —  Speaking on condition of anonymity because the idea has not been approved …

Reality check: 95 percent of Americans had premarital sex  —  NEW YORK (AP) — More than nine out of 10 Americans, men and women alike, have had premarital sex, according to a new study.  The high rates extend even to women born in the 1940s, challenging perceptions that people were more chaste in the past.

Press Briefing by Tony Snow  —  White House Conference Center Briefing Room  —  MR. SNOW: Before we begin the questions, just a couple of comments on bill signings today, and then I'll be happy to take any questions you have.  —  Today, the President, accompanied by the First Lady, Mrs. Bush, signed the following bills into law.

Kissinger, Peterson, 57 Major Donors Join Team McCain  —  Ex-Sec/State Henry Kissinger has agreed to become an honorary co-chair for Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign in New York, McCain aides said.  Along with Kissinger, McCain has won the support of Pete Peterson …

Audio: Bush says he wants to expand the Army and Marines  —  A quickie from WaPo's interview with him earlier today.  Good to hear, but suddenly discovering that we need more manpower three and three-quarters years after the invasion calls to mind a different snatch of audio.

Ex-Fannie execs face civil charges  —  Federal regulators Monday filed civil charges against former Fannie Mae CEO Franklin Raines and two other former executives, accusing them of manipulating Fannie Mae's earnings to jack up their bonuses.  —  In a complaint with an administrative law judge …

Campaign '08 Begins for U.S. House  —  Less than a month after the '06 elections that saw Democrats take the U.S. House for the first time in 12 years, Republicans are already eyeing districts they can possibly recapture in '08.  —  In New York, for example, three Republican-held House districts went …