Al Qaeda Sends a Message to Democrats  —  Brian Ross and Hoda Osman Report:  —  Al Qaeda has sent a message to leaders of the Democratic party that credit for the defeat of congressional Republicans belongs to the terrorists.  —  In a portion of the tape from al Qaeda No. 2 man …

Rape Charges Dropped in Duke Case  —  DURHAM, N.C.  —  Prosecutors dropped rape charges Friday against three Duke University lacrosse players accused of attacking a stripper at a team party, but the three still face kidnapping and sexual offense charges.  —  According to court papers filed Friday …

KCCI Poll Shows Vilsack 3rd Among Democratic Hopefuls  —  DES MOINES, Iowa — The Tom Vilsack campaign said it will get out the message that he is the best nominee for the party.  But an exclusive new poll by KCCI-TV shows he has some work to do in his own state.

Carter's about-face betrays Jews, Christians  —  We are in that season when Jews celebrate one of their few successful rebellions against oppression.  Christians celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace.  How ironic, then, that Jewish-Americans are embroiled in a grim struggle …

Big Pharma's Profit Pursuit Means Fewer New Drugs, Report Says  —  Although drug makers typically justify the high cost of medicines by citing research expenses, a new government report says their research investments are mostly funding highly profitable modifications of existing drug designs, not new treatments.

Pundits lose grip on reality when dealing with the Internet  —  What is it about the Internet that makes some political pundits, columnists and reporters so goofy?  It seems like almost every time I read a mainstream media story about political Web sites and bloggers, the pieces are full of ill-informed junk.

Ellison: Lawmaker has 'a lot to learn about Islam' … WASHINGTON (CNN) — The Virginia lawmaker criticized for writing an "Islamophobic" letter to his constituents would be wise to learn more about Islam, the first Muslim elected to Congress said Thursday.  —  Minnesota Rep.-elect Keith …

Unraveling Haditha  —  Yesterday, eight Marines were charged with the unpremeditated murder of 24 civilians in Haditha:  — Lt Col Jeffrey R Chessani: Violation of a lawful order; dereliction  — Sgt Sanick P Dela Cruz: Unpremeditated murder; false official statement

Bickering Saudis Struggle for an Answer to Iran's Rising Influence in the Middle East  —  At a late-night reading this week, a self-styled poet raised his hand for silence and began a riff on neighboring Iraq, in the old style of Bedouin storytellers.  —  "Saddam Hussein was a real leader …

"Media Matters"; by Jamison Foser  —  Cat videos — unlike NBC News — don't impart conservative misinformation  —  Time magazine's selection of "You" as its "Person of the Year" has — justifiably — drawn criticism.  —  Writing for CJR Daily, for example, Christian Vachon argued …

Spending freeze targets pet projects for members of Congress  —  WASHINGTON - Democratic leaders in the new Congress plan to strip funding for thousands of pet projects for individual members, a big display of fiscal discipline they say will help cut deficits and curb spending abuses.

Study Suggests Incentives on Oil Barely Help U.S.  —  The United States offers some of the most lucrative incentives in the world to companies that drill for oil in publicly owned coastal waters, but a newly released study suggests that the government is getting very little for its money.

News of a Sleighing  —  This just in: Santa Claus is coming to town.  —  Sunday is Christmas Eve.  It feels wrong to speak here of small and sentimental things such as politics.  The most passionately committed Americans right now, and the most imaginative, are children waiting for a large laughing man with a full white beard.

Most outrageous comments of 2006  —  How extreme were conservative commentators in their remarks this year?  How about calls to nuke the Middle East and an allegation that a "gay ... mafia" used the congressional page program as its own "personal preserve."