Text of the President's Address  —  Following is the prepared text of President Bush's address on Iraq, as provided by the White House:  —  THE PRESIDENT: Good evening.  In the life of all free nations, there come moments that decide the direction of a country and reveal the character of its people.

Borking Mr. Olson  —  President Reid gives AG orders to the White House.  —  Not content with having run Attorney General Alberto Gonzales out of town, the Democratic posse on Capitol Hill is already gunning for his replacement—even before he's nominated.

The New York Times MovesOn  —  The New York Times in the past has rejected "advocacy" ads from Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, as well as from the National Right to Life Committee, despite the fact that both would have qualified for the same "special advocacy, stand by" rates that the radical …

U.S. develops 14-ton super bomb, bigger than Russian vacuum bomb  —  The U.S. has a 14-ton super bomb more destructive than the vacuum bomb just tested by Russia, a U.S. general said Wednesday.  —  The statement was made by retired Lt. General McInerney, chairman of the Iran Policy Committee …

Just the Facts  —  Gen. Petraeus brings some clarity to the Iraq debate.  —  We are at a new point in the American experience of the Iraq war.  It is also a decisive one: We have to decide, now, what to do.  Stay.  Go.  Stay in a certain way, or at a certain size.

Boehner hammered over Iraq 'small price' comment  —  Democrats, anti-war groups and liberal bloggers are pounding on House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) for saying U.S. military deaths in Iraq are "a small price" to pay to stop al Qaeda from carrying out more terrorist attacks and stabilizing the Middle East.

Shaheen to run for Senate, N.H. paper says  —  Former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen will be a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2008, the New Hampshire Union Leader has learned.  —  The Democratic former three-term chief executive is expected to issue a statement soon addressing her political plans.

Oil hits new high above $80  —  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil hit an all-time high over $80 a barrel on Thursday after Hurricane Humberto forced the closure of some U.S. Gulf refiners, stoking concerns of fuel supply shortfalls.  —  U.S. crude traded up 9 cents to $80.00 a barrel by 2:15 p.m. EDT, after hitting a record $80.20 earlier.

BEST CARE EVERYWHERE....As regular readers may know, Phil Longman thinks the VA model of healthcare is the best around.  In the October issue of the Monthly, he takes his admiration to another level, suggesting that the best way to provide healthcare to the 45 million uninsured in America is via — what?