Senator Obama's Announcement  —  Following is the prepared text of Senator Barack Obama's announcement for president on Saturday in Springfield, Ill., as provided by his campaign:  —  Let me begin by saying thanks to all you who've traveled, from far and wide, to brave the cold today.

Talking About "Cooked Links" Won't Cut It  —  On the day of the week when the fewest people read the Times, the brave, brave editors got around to opining on the unbelievably filthy activities of Douglas Feith: … Now let's shake off the lulling effect of their deliberately dispassionate language …

New York Times Reveals "Reporter" Michael Gordon Actually Voice-Activated Tape Recorder  —  NEW YORK—New York Times Executive Editor Bill Keller today announced that the paper's longtime staff writer Michael Gordon is not an actual person, but rather a voice-activated tape recorder.

Congress Finds Ways to Avoid Lobbyist Limits  —  The 110th Congress opened with the passage of sweeping new rules intended to curb the influence of lobbyists by prohibiting them from treating lawmakers to meals, trips, stadium box seats or the discounted use of private jets.

Tucker Carlson says Obama's Black church isn't really Christian  —  Right wing TV host Tucker Carlson claims that presumptive presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama(D-IL) isn't a real Christian because he goes to a Black church.  —  Obama belongs to the "Unashamedly black and Unapologetically Christian" …

"Media Matters"; by Jamison Foser  —  This Week:  —  Ain't No Man Righteous (No Not One)  —  Last week, ABC played a video clip of Rush Limbaugh accusing "libs" of "prejudice" — without noting Limbaugh's own voluminous history of outright bigotry.  —  ABC gave Rush Limbaugh a forum …

Roughnecks  —  Mosul, Iraq  —  There is a hidden passion for Chuck Norris among some of the troops.  His name seems to appear in every corner of Iraq—especially in outhouses.  Sometimes lurid, mostly unprintable, always funny.  —  The Latest: … Chuck Norris, the workingman of action movies, remains an improbable icon.

Putin Says U.S. Is Undermining Global Stability  —  President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia accused the United States on Saturday of provoking a new nuclear arms race by developing ballistic missile defenses, undermining international institutions and making the Middle East more unstable through its clumsy handling of the Iraq war.

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Plans vs. Intentions  —  Speculation is running hot that the dreaded "neocons" in the White House will attack Iran sooner rather than later.  The British Guardian newspaper reports today that plans are advanced and that an attack could be ready as soon as Spring, 2007.

Facing the Islamist Menace  —  Mark Steyn's new book is a welcome wake-up call.  —  In the prologue to his new book, America Alone: The End of the World As We Know It, Mark Steyn sarcastically alludes to two people whom, in different ways, I know well.  The first is novelist Martin Amis …