Columbia's disgrace  —  There is a suicidal mania that grips elite opinion in the United States.  It is exemplified nowhere better than in our elite educational institutions.  Today, for example, Columbia University has issued the following statement to its alumni:

Donors Stir 'Bundling' Questions  —  Clinton Campaign Vows  —  To Check Contributions  —  Solicited by Supporter  —  BRISTOW, Va. — When Hillary Rodham Clinton held an intimate fund-raising event at her Washington home in late March, Pamela Layton donated $4,600, the maximum allowed by law …

James Dobson to Fred Thompson: No Thanks  —  James Dobson, head of the influential Focus on the Family Ministry will be taking a pass on supporting Fred Thompson.  You can read why below from The Associated Press and then get my take afterwards: … Read the whole article here.

Rather Strikes Back  —  I was extremely surprised by Dan Rather's lawsuit yesterday, but not as stunned as the CBS people I called, who just simply could not believe it.  —  No one was shocked that Rather is still mad at CBS — he made that clear when he left the network last year …

New al-Qaida video released  —  CAIRO, Egypt - Al-Qaida's deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahri said the United States was being defeated in Afghanistan, Iraq and other fronts in a new video released Thursday, the latest in a series put out by the terror network.  —  The video came days …

Bush vs MoveOn  —  Just when the hubbub over MoveOn.org's "General Betray Us" ad appeared to be receding into the political background, President Bush unleashed an attack on the group — and the Democratic Party — during a just-concluded press conference.  —  Bush called the ad "disgusting" …

Terror Watch: A Secret Lobbying Campaign  —  The secret lobbying campaign your phone company doesn't want you to know about  —  The nation's biggest telecommunications companies, working closely with the White House, have mounted a secretive lobbying campaign to get Congress to quickly approve …

On What the Troops Want  —  Yesterday, a number of Senators showed themselves too afraid to support the troops.  Despite the fact that the military is overextended, the minority in the Senate again derailed efforts to give the troops the help that they need.

Congress Approval Rises Slightly to 24%  —  Gain almost entirely due to improved ratings from Republicans  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Gallup's 2007 polling from January through August chronicled a nearly relentless decline in public approval of the job Congress is doing.

What's in Your Wallet?  New $5 Bill Debuts  —  T. W. Farnam reports on the latest currency anti-counterfeiting measures.  —  Perhaps it reflects the frequency with which the government redesigns its currency.  —  Instead of calling a news conference to roll out the new $5 bill …

Taxing the Hand That Feeds Us  —  REPUBLICAN presidential candidates can't get elected without owning the tax issue.  So far, the current crop is giving it away.  —  A huge reason for Ronald Reagan's popularity was his cutting of all income-tax rates and ending of "bracket creep," …