Disfavor for Bush Hits Rare Heights  —  In Modern Era, Only Nixon Scored Worse, And Only Truman Was Down for So Long  —  President Bush is a competitive guy.  But this is one contest he would rather lose.  With 18 months left in office, he is in the running for most unpopular president in the history of modern polling.

Sept. 11 Security Bill to Include Protections for Citizens Who Report Suspicious Activity  —  WASHINGTON — After nearly a week of intense, behind-the-scenes wrangling, congressional negotiators late Tuesday agreed to include in the pending Sept. 11 security bill sweeping liability protections …

Bill O'Reilly's Web site threatens Hillary's life  —  FOX News' Bill O'Reilly has been attacking the liberal blog Daily Kos, and liberal blogs in general, over some extreme comments left by some of our visitors.  It's interesting therefore that O'Reilly's own Web site contains some of the most hideous hate you've ever seen.

Rep. Harman: White House Never Sought Approval For 'Other Intelligence Activities'  —  In his testimony yesterday, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales claimed that when James Comey raised objections to the administration's spying program, he was referring to "other intelligence activities," …

The Scott Thomas affair at New Republic — maybe a different take  —  My agent always urges me to provide a sound bite version of any idea I put out in public.  I don't actually think there are very many interesting ideas that fit into sound bites, but here's the short version for those of you without …

Taliban Allegedly Kill One South Korean Hostage Killed, Others Freed  —  KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban militants claimed they shot and killed one South Korean hostage on Wednesday while a group of abductees was freed and taken to a U.S. military base, officials said.

How Fresh Is Your Cable News?  Check the Label  —  This just in!  There's no more news on TV, at least not on the cable news networks.  Plain old news apparently just isn't good enough anymore, so TV news stories have been getting new and improved names.  —  President Bush's latest news conference?

Conservatives call for Bush to emphasize 'leaving Iraq'  —  Some conservative activist leaders, fearing voter anger with the Iraq war, want President Bush and GOP leaders to begin emphasizing that U.S. troops will be "leaving Iraq" to give Republicans cover as they head into a tough political landscape in 2008.

Specter to probe Supreme Court decisions  —  Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) plans to review the Senate testimony of U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel J. Alito to determine if their reversal of several long-standing opinions conflicts with promises they made to senators to win confirmation.

Bush and Iraqi: Frequent Talks, Limited Results  —  Once every two weeks, sometimes more often, President Bush gathers with the vice president and the national security adviser in the newly refurbished White House Situation Room and peers, electronically, into the eyes of the man to whom …

Michigan Young Republican pleads guilty in sex case  —  The former head of the Michigan Federation of Young Republicans admitted today that he sexually abused a colleague during a national convention here last summer.  —  Michael Flory, a 32-year-old attorney from Jackson, Mich. …

TSA Warns Airport Security About Terror Dry Runs  —  WASHINGTON — Airport security officers around the nation have been alerted by federal officials to look out for terrorists practicing to carry explosive components onto aircraft, based on four curious seizures at airports since last September.