Immigration bill's fallen soldiers  —  As supporters of the Senate's comprehensive immigration reform bill continue to mourn its collapse this week, key Republican backers must also brace for potentially stinging political repercussions from their party's base.

Poll: Calls To Get Out Of Iraq Escalate  —  77% In CBS News Poll Say War's Going Badly, 40% Urge Withdrawal Of All U.S. Troops  —  (CBS) A CBS News poll shows Americans are increasingly dissatisfied with the Iraq war, President Bush and the Congress, as well as the overall direction of the country.

Breaking: Car on fire drives into Glasgow airport terminal?  Update: Gas cylinders in Jeep?  Update: Four Two arrested  —  Just breaking on CNN.  No idea how serious or unserious this is, but supposedly there are no injuries reported.  Stand by.  —  Update: Hmmm.

Questions About a Governor's Fall  —  It is extremely disturbing that Don Siegelman, the former governor of Alabama, was hauled off to jail this week.  There is reason to believe his prosecution may have been a political hit, intended to take out the state's most prominent Democrat …

Japanese Propaganda and American Mass Media  —  U.S. troops have been mystified at how differently the war they fight in Iraq is portrayed by the U.S. media back home.  Most just shrug it off as "politics," and yet another reason to not trust what the mass media presents as reliable reporting.

Nuggets from the Pew survey  —  The new Pew survey of global attitudes is full of interesting findings.  Here is one that I think might be surprising.  Respondents thought that the influence of China on their country is more positive than that of the United States in virtually all countries surveyed …

Sen. Martinez slams immigration bill opponents, challenges them to act  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA — The Chairman of the Republican Party on Friday lambasted Democrats and Republicans who helped kill an immigration bill in the Senate and challenged them to come up with a solution beyond ``just build a fence along the border.''

Police hunt Iraqi on run after double bomb plot in London  —  POLICE were last night hunting an Iraqi, suspected of plotting car-bomb attacks in Britain, who went on the run just days before two vehicles packed with petrol, gas and nails were found in central London.

Obstruct The Obstructionists  —  I know everyone is probably headed out for the holiday, but if you have time for one more thing, read this post by Robert Borosage of the Campaign For America's Future: … This is important for setting the terms of the debate as well as actually getting some of these initiatives off the ground.

China Passes a Sweeping Labor Law  —  China's legislature passed a sweeping new labor law today that strengthens protections for workers across its booming economy, rejecting pleas from foreign investors who argued the measure would reduce China's appeal as a low-wage, business-friendly investment destination.

Media Matters; by Jamison Foser  —  Why pay the bigot when you can get the bile for free?  —  In 1996, MSNBC hired Ann Coulter as a contributor.  The Washington Post later quoted an MSNBC official describing Coulter's performance: "What she said was so outrageous she was immediately put on probation, and the next one was even worse."

The Saturday Cartoons  —  We have two animations today.  The first is by Mark Fiore, featuring Dick Cheney with his "Commandments of Secrecy."  —  Click on the screenshot above or go here to see it.  —  And here's Pulitzer Prize winner Ann Telnaes with a short clip poking more fun at Shotgun Dick:

Undercover, under fire  —  The Washington press corps is too busy cozying up to the people it covers to get at the truth.  —  EARLIER THIS YEAR, I put on a brand-new tailored suit, picked up a sleek leather briefcase and headed to downtown Washington for meetings with some of the city's most prominent lobbyists.

Farfour Mouse dies in last episode  —  Hamas TV on Friday broadcast what it said was the last episode of a weekly children's show featuring "Farfour," a Mickey Mouse look-alike who had made worldwide headlines for preaching Islamic domination and armed struggle to youngsters.

Critiques of Iraq War Reveal Rifts Among Army Officers  —  Colonel's Essay Draws  —  Rebuttal From General;  —  Captains Losing Faith  —  Last December, Lt. Col. Paul Yingling attended a Purple Heart ceremony for soldiers injured in Iraq.  As he watched the wounded troops collect their medals …

Brown v. Board of Education, Roe v. Wade Are in Mortal Peril  —  The United States Supreme Court is moving to reverse long-cherished American notions of constitutional law.  —  The divisions that plague American society have invaded the sanctity of the court, with angry dissents …

Bush Turns Iraq into Israel/Palestine;  —  Gaffe endangers US Troops  —  Bush said in a speech on Thursday that he hopes Iraq will be like Israel, a democracy that faces terrorist violence but manages to retain its democratic character: … These words may be the stupidest ones ever uttered by a US president.