Conscience of a Conservative  —  In the fall of 2003, Jack L. Goldsmith was widely considered one of the brightest stars in the conservative legal firmament.  A 40-year-old law professor at the University of Chicago, Goldsmith had established himself, with his friend and fellow law professor John Yoo …

Envoy's Letter Counters Bush on Iraq Army  —  A previously undisclosed exchange of letters shows that President Bush was told in advance by his top Iraq envoy in May 2003 of a plan to "dissolve Saddam's military and intelligence structures," a plan that the envoy, L. Paul Bremer, said referred to dismantling the Iraqi Army.

Troop buildup fails to reconcile Iraq  —  POSITIVE NOTE: "There are if you will, mini-benchmarks where things are happening," said U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, pictured with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, right.  Crocker cited Anbar province, where violence has decreased substantially.

Denmark — The Next Target  —  Police in Denmark have arrested eight suspected al-Qaeda terrorists in Copenhagen as they have apparently foiled a terrorist attack.  The men, ages 18 to 29, were found in raids at eleven addresses — and authorities found more than just the men:

An Oval Office Conversation  —  This week, Slate is publishing three exclusive excerpts from Dead Certain: The Presidency of George W. Bush by Robert Draper. … "You can't possibly figure out the history of the Bush presidency—until I'm dead."  —  George W. Bush slipped a piece of cheese into his mouth.

The Most Feared Man on the Hill?  —  For Gay Blogger, Craig's Resignation Is Just the Latest on His List  —  Soon, a new name will pop up on Mike Rogers's hit list.  —  Larry Craig wasn't "the first on my list," the gay blogger says.  And the Idaho senator, who announced his resignation Saturday, "won't be the last."

IS CHENEY ABOUT TO BLOW UP THE BAY BRIDGE?  —  Having been a 911 truth activist for 5 years, I have serious suspicions about  —  the Bay Bridge being closed for entire 4 days.  —  There has been a lot of threats of terrorist attacks coming form the government.  —  Looks like they are preparing the public.

Weighing the 'Surge'  —  The U.S. War in Iraq Hinges on the Counterinsurgency Strategy Of Gen. Petraeus.  The Results Have Been Tenuous.  —  BAGHDAD — Nearly every week, American generals and politicians visit Combat Outpost Gator, nestled behind a towering blast wall in the Dora market.

Why Liberals Are Turning on Ted Kennedy  —  Once upon a time, Ted Kennedy could count on his daily dose of veneration.  The right wing hated the Massachusetts Democrat, but progressives honored him as a defender of old-school liberalism.  —  In a remarkable turnaround, liberals are now heaping scorn on the 73-year-old senator.

After the Purge of Larry Craig: Who's Next?  —  The speed — and brute force — with which the Republican Party purged the newly-revealed bathroom sex troller among them is pretty astounding.  The New York Times reported that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell forced Larry Craig's resignation …

So the editors of The New York Times have given the Brookings Institution's Michael O'Hanlon an opportunity to publish yet another Op-ed today touting his claim that the surge is showing signs of military success.  —  Times readers are surely grateful to the paper for doing this …

Blogs about politics on radar of state elections officials  —  The rapid growth of political blogs and Web sites has attracted the attention of state elections officials, who are considering what, if any, new regulations should be imposed on the Internet.  —  The go-slow approach …

Bad news just keeps on coming for the Grim Old Party  —  During the summer, a female acquaintance of mine in her 70s who had been a faithful Republican was solicited by a GOP cold caller as a previous contributor to the party.  Not this time.  She informed the fund-raiser that President Bush's position …

Book says Souter mulled resignation after Bush v. Gore  —  'The Nine'  —  According to Jeffrey Toobin's new book on the Supreme Court, Justice David Souter nearly resigned in the wake of Bush v. Gore, so distraught was he over the decision that effectively ended the Florida recount and installed George W. Bush as president.