Santorum Says Anyone But McCain  —  Former Sen. Rick Santorum has drawn at least one conclusion about the Republican presidential primary field: Anybody but John McCain.  —  The Pennsylvania Republican, who signed a contract Thursday as a Fox News contributor, said he has spoken with every GOP candidate …

Walter Reed medical chief relieved of command  —  General's dismissal follows reports on poor treatment of wounded soldiers  —  U.S. Army Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman speaks to a crowd during a NASCAR visit at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington in September 2006.

Rebuke Bush 2pm  —  JOIN THE KATRINA SURVIVORS' REBUKE OF PRESIDENT BUSH  —  New Orleans Needs Federal Aid, Not Presidential Photo-Ops.  —  Mr. President: Katrina Survivors Do Not Welcome You, We Rebuke You!  —  We live in a devastated city and you are a big part of the reason why it sill sits in ruins.

Which Side Are You On?  —  Megan and I have been through these woods before, but the question of card check essentially rests on the question of whether you think employers wield too much power in union elections, whether you believe union intimidation can match them, and whether you believe there are other measures capable of redress.

Court Hears Arguments Linking Right to Sue and Spending on Religion  —  The question for the Supreme Court on Wednesday was a jurisdictional one: whether taxpayers who object to the way the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives spends its money can get into federal court to make their case.

Mars Melt Hints at Solar, Not Human, Cause for Warming, Scientist Says  —  Simultaneous warming on Earth and Mars suggests that our planet's recent climate changes have a natural—and not a human-induced—cause, according to one scientist's controversial theory.

Alleged D.C. Madam "Considering" Selling Off Phone Records  —  Back in October, the feds busted a long-time prostitution service in the Washington, D.C. area.  The madam, Jean Palfrey, soon caught attention by telling a reporter from the Smoking Gun that they must be going after her as part …

Dems nix idea of military budget cuts  —  WASHINGTON - Just hours after floating the idea of cutting $20 billion from President Bush's $142 billion request for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan next year, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (news, bio, voting record) was overruled by fellow Democrats Thursday.

Spirit of Strom Thurmond carries Cheney into, out of hot spots  —  MUSCAT, Oman _Vice President Dick Cheney rode an Airstream trailer into Pakistan and Afghanistan, and he rode the Airstream out of Kabul wearing cowboy boots.  —  He also traveled in the belly of "The Spirit of Strom Thurmond."

4:30 on Day Seven  —  graphic courtesy Monk at Inflatable Dartboard  —  As Jane has warned you, at 4:30, Walton will dismiss the jury (for the day, we think), and give the jurors an instruction.  I suspect he may give them tomorrow off, which will bum me out bc I want to go home and I'm not sure …

$4B to sweeten Iraq bill  —  House Democratic leaders will add nearly $4 billion for farmers to a bill funding military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan to attract conservative Democrats concerned that the measure would wrongly constrict President Bush's power as commander in chief.